Mazda is planning something for July 8, and it could be the new Mazda3 MPS

It seems some brands are reviving old habits, and that is something that, to dyed-in-the-wool car enthusiasts, excites us. On this occasion, Mazda takes center stage, a company that has followed a path brimming with personality and charisma over all these years, but one forged through a past in which genuine sports cars reigned supreme. Now, the Japanese maker intends to revive a name that once gave life to that exclusive lineup of vehicles, and it seems that this task has been entrusted to the current Mazda3.

A few months ago, we spotted a mysterious Mazda3 on the back of a truck, sporting a more suggestive and sporty look. Without a doubt, that sighting led us to speculate about a possible MPS version of the Japanese compact, and this teaser leads us to believe that this is precisely what it is.

For now, Mazda maintains a deafening silence regarding the vehicle hidden in the video, and only allows us to cling to one date: July 8. In two weeks, the Japanese brand will pull back the cover to show the world the one tasked with launching a new lineage of sports cars backed by the company’s new ideals.

In the teaser, Mazda has chosen not to show us a figure in the shadows or any of the features of its new member; instead, it has let us share in its sound. This new chant departs drastically from the well-known melody of Mazda’s naturally aspirated engines, which leads us to infer that on this occasion the turbo has been the system chosen to give the Mazda3 more power.

Given this premise, we could be talking about a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine capable of delivering roughly 250 CV, a figure that would make the Japanese compact a direct rival to models such as the Volkswagen Golf GTI, the Hyundai i30N or the CUPRA León. Furthermore, this spicier formula should be paired with a more aggressive, sporty design that will match the presumed MPS name it will carry.

https://youtu.be/7qF8PczCo9k

Either way, Mazda is about to revive a glory it enjoyed years ago and that made many petrolheads happy; a glory that will allow it to dive headfirst into a demanding battle it intends to win at all costs. And, ladies and gentlemen, the Japanese company is returning to the game hungrier than ever.