(By Tom Lohnes) – Mazda has made headlines again. It was first the new Rear-wheel-drive Mazda6 a few days ago which is already exciting in its own right and now the folks over at Mazda have filed another patent for a car.  This time it has to do with a little engine called a rotary. That’s right, Mazda is developing another rotary engine and going straight for enthusiast’s hearts. They are bringing back the Wankel Rotary engine but not how you think.

Mazda has been rumored to be developing a rotary engine for range-extender purpose on their new EVs, but I guess Mazda has had a change of heart, and the iconic RX series is making its return. Who knows, might this spark a second-coming of the golden age of JDM cars? Time will tell.

So Mazda filed a patent for a rotary range extender a while ago but what surprised me is that their newest patent is a full rotary hybrid system and it’s geared towards performance. This new system will very likely power the new RX car Mazda was rumored to revive after they dropped their Vision RX concept. The new powertrain will probably make about 300 horsepower in base trim, but a turbocharger or two could bump it up to at least 350. Knowing Mazda, the RX-9 will likely come with a 6-speed manual transmission, with an automatic costing extra

With its main competitor being the MkV Toyota Supra, the RX-9 will likely start at around $50,000 and feature the same beautiful styling the brand is known for.