Mazda used the platform of the Tokyo Mobility Show to unveil a concept that reinvents the luxury sedan-coupe. The futuristic four-door Vision-X Coupe is planned for 2035, so it’s still in embryonic form obviously. The concept combines a refined style, a 503-hp hybrid rotary powertrain and carbon-capture technology that actually cleans the air while you drive.
Kodo style revisited: elegance and audacity
Under the direction of CEO Masahiro Moro, Mazda chose to perfect its famed Kodo design language rather than reinvent it.
The Vision-X Coupe sports a fully closed grille enhanced with luminous “fangs”, slim headlights and a wide lower air intake.
In profile, the coupe features a fluid and clean silhouette, without door handles or traditional mirrors. The raked windshield extends into a sloping roof that joins a compact hatchback and distinctive taillights.
At 5,050 mm in length and with a 3,080-mm wheelbase, the Vision-X Coupe exceeds the Mazda6 in size and even surpasses the defunct Mercedes-Benz CLS, which once defined this segment.
A minimalist and warm interior
Where some manufacturers get bogged down in an overabundance of screens, Mazda chooses refined sobriety. The cockpit is centered around a digital instrument cluster with three retro dials and a display integrated into the steering wheel, mounted on an elegant central column.
The interior also offers an infotainment screen, a display for the front passenger, a wide centre console and a gear selector inspired by, yes, baseball. The two individual rear seats and the two-tone upholstery add a Japanese-style “grand touring” touch.
A 503-hp hybrid rotary engine
Under its slender body, the Vision-X Coupe harbours a plug-in hybrid powertrain combining a turbo rotary engine, an electric motor and a battery of unspecified capacity. The system develops 503 hp (375 kW) and offers an electric range of about 160 km, and nearly 800 km in combined mode.
A car that cleans the air while driving
Here’s arguably the biggest draw of all with this concept - Mazda introduces a system capable of capturing the CO₂ emitted from its own exhaust. By combining a carbon-neutral fuel derived from microalgae and an in-house CO₂ capture technology, the Vision-X Coupe becomes a carbon-negative car.
The microalgae absorb CO₂ during their growth, produce an oil transformed into biofuel, and the remaining biomass can be converted into food or organic fertilizer. For its part, Mazda's technology allows for filtering and reusing the captured emissions, for example, to grow crops or produce high-performance carbon fiber materials.
A sustainable vision of grand touring
The Mazda Vision-X Coupe has more than looks and strength going for it. It seeks to actualize the idea responsible mobility, in which performance and sustainability coexist. If this new technology comes to fruition at scale, the rotary engine of the future will be an extremely clean one.
