mazda RT24-P race car produces 600 hp from tiny two liter engine

mazda is known globally for the engineering and design excellence of its vehicles, and the new ‘RT24-P’ prototype is no exception. the bodywork of the race car was developed by mazda designers utilizing the ‘kodo-soul of motion’ design philosophy. kodo represents the instant that energy becomes motion, such as the muscular beauty as an animal pounces; or a human leaps into action. the ‘kodo’ design cues on the ‘RT24-P’ include the sleek body contours and the five-point mazda grille.

the new mazda ‘RT24-P’ race car was unveiled at the 2016 los angeles auto show, ushering a new era in the prominent history of mazda motorsports’ endeavors in north america. the new car will compete under daytona prototype international (DPI) rules in the prototype class, the top level of the IMSA weathertech sportscar championship. after significant on-track testing, it will make its racing debut at the 2017 rolex 24 at daytona in late january 2017.

‘kodo design is at the heart of any vehicle that carries a mazda badge, and that is very evident in the design of the 2017 prototype,’ says ken saward, senior manager of design at mazda americas. ‘we considered the two main parameters of designing a successful race car for this series: aerodynamic performance and the new-for-2017 technical regulations. working with multimatic’s aerodynamicist and engineers, we discovered that applying the kodo design philosophy to the surfaces and the silhouette of the car enabled us to create a dynamic, purposeful-looking design and a very aerodynamically efficient one.’

managing the two-car mazda prototype factory race team is florida-based speedsource race engineering. the team will race the new riley mk. 30 chassis, developed by riley technologies in relationship with multimatic. riley is a prominent chassis design and development company with 99 race wins and nine prototype season championships in north american endurance racing since 2004. canadian-based multimatic has worked with mazda since 2014 in the prototype category, and has developed and built some premier on-road supercars and successful sports cars for the race track. the mazda team will be the first to put the riley mk. 30 chassis to the test later this month.

the mazda ‘RT24-P’ will be powered by the same ‘MZ-2.0T’ engine which raced during the 2016 IMSA season. the approximately 600 horsepower engine, developed and raced with advanced engine research (AER), is a 2.0-liter, inline four-cylinder turbocharged engine. 

‘this is a huge moment for mazda motorsports and the entire mazda family,’ says john doonan, director of mazda motorsports north america. ‘to have a car which features mazda design language at the top level of our motorsports program is meaningful for us as a brand. we believe we have the right team, the right drivers and the right chassis to win races and championships.’

what’s in a name?

the mazda ‘RT24-P’ name echoes the mazda ‘road to 24’, a driver development program that provides scholarships to help championship-winning drivers progress from grassroots into the upper categories of professional sports car racing. the ’24’ also represents the two-liter, four-cylinder race engine. the ‘P’ signifies prototype.

mazda currently holds a more than 55% market share in grassroots racing, and the ‘road to 24’ helps provide championship-winning drivers an opportunity to earn scholarships to compete in professional categories, such as the battery tender global mazda mx-5 cup presented by BF goodrich tires. mazda’s similar scholarship system in open-wheel racing is known as the mazda ‘road to indy’. by the start of the 2017 season, the japanese-automaker will have provided $14.9 million in driver development scholarships to 53 drivers since 2007.