Recent patent filings from Mazda have surfaced, showing a small front-engined, rear-wheel-drive convertible with butterfly doors.
The documents, spotted by Carbuzz and filed with the US Patent & Trademark Office, do not name a specific model but point to two possibilities: the next-generation MX-5 or the production version of the Iconic SP concept.
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The first patent focuses on the hinge pillar of an unspecified vehicle, detailing how a front-engined, rear-wheel-drive car can accommodate butterfly doors.
It describes a “flip-up side door” where the rear section swings outward and upward, similar to scissor or butterfly doors.
The filing also mentions “bracing reins” to transfer load from suspension mountings into the reinforced pillar, and an “apron frame” to improve chassis stiffness without adding significant weight.
The second patent covers the car’s crash structure, explaining how collision loads are channeled through the firewall, side sills, and toward the rear to protect occupants.
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Notably, the drawings depict a longitudinal four-cylinder engine and a traditional transmission tunnel, unlike the Iconic SP concept which featured a rotary range-extender.
What Mazda Might Be Planning
Mazda has confirmed that an all-new MX-5 is in development, retaining a lightweight, gas-powered philosophy. The company has also expressed interest in building the Iconic SP concept.
The patents suggest Mazda may either give the next MX-5 radical changes or put the Iconic SP into production with a four-cylinder engine.
Given the MX-5’s focus on lightness and affordability, butterfly doors seem more likely for the Iconic SP.
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Another possibility is that Mazda is engineering a common platform to serve both models, with the patents previewing the shared architecture rather than a single car.
