Mazda hasn't ruled out new rotary sports car yet

The on-again, off-again saga continues.

Mazda's on-again, off-again rotary-powered sports car has generated an immense amount of speculation. The most recent report claims the model could receive the green light for production if Mazda's plug-in hybrid models sell well.

It's no secret that Mazda is in the midst of developing a new Wankel engine for use as a range extender in a gasoline-electric powertrain. It won't spin the wheels, but it will rumble to life and generate electricity when the battery pack's charge falls below a certain threshold. It's this same basic engine that could one day power the long-awaited successor to the RX-8 (pictured).

"We know that electric cars will be important in 2020 to 2025, but also that EVs are not the answer for everything. Combustion engines will stay play a part, and if you asked me if I want a rotary sports car at the top of the range, I'd say yes, I'd love to have one. Many of my colleagues would, too. So, it's a matter of keeping the sales growth going to make sure we can do one in the future," explained Wojciech Halarewicz, the head of communications for Mazda's European division, in an interview with PistonHeads.

Mazda's first gasoline-electric model with a Wankel range extender is tentatively scheduled to go on sale in 2020. That means the next RX-badged model won't arrive until 2021 at the very earliest -- assuming it's approved for production. Of course, the firm's plans could change several more times in the coming years.