Just this week, Japan's Best Car Magazine reported information about a Mazda patent filing, which could point to an upcoming RX-9 sports car. The RX-9 (or whatever name the production car will go by) has been rumored for several years now since the RX-8 left production back in 2012. An image from the patent filing showed a new spaceframe chassis with extensive use of carbon fiber reinforced plastic and aluminum, which does not underpin any current Mazda model.

This news has given Mazda enthusiasts a reason to be happy but a recent report from the magazine should have fans jumping out of their seats. With the 2019 Tokyo Motor Show just a few weeks away, Mazda could be planning a surprise reveal.

According to Best Car, Mazda has been secretly engineering a front-engined, rear-wheel-drive sports car for a surprise reveal, much like what Ford did with the GT. But unlike the last-generation RX-8 and the RX-7 that preceded it, the RX-9 is rumored to derive power from a new 3.0-liter inline-six SkyActiv-X engine that has already been confirmed by Mazda. This inline-six will likely be paired with a 48-volt mild-hybrid system to improve efficiency and responsiveness, also making it the first in-house hybrid Mazda has offered in the US (not counting the Tribute, which was a rebadged Ford Escape).

Almost nothing else is known about the car but rumors suggest it will produce around 350 horsepower, putting it in the same category as the Toyota Supra. Rumors say we will see a near-production-ready car in Tokyo but a production version won't go on sale until 2022. The Japanese outlet estimates the car could cost around "5 million to 6 million yen," which would be around $45,000 in the US. We hope the production car will look like the RX Vision Concept, which is one of the greatest concept cars we've seen in recent years.