Nobuhiro Yamamoto, Mazda’s chief sports car officer, has confirmed that a new RX-7 will be released in 2017.

The firm’s sports car chief confirmed the all-new Mazda RX-7. This sports car will be released in 2017, 50 years after the release of the first Wankel-powered vehicle by the company, the 1967 Cosmo Sport 110S.

It will likely get a naturally-aspirated, rotary engine (or possibly the 16X) that has yet to be installed in any production models. The 1.6-liter engine has 300 horsepower (224 kW). Mazda revealed it a few years back. It will, if possible, be fitted without turbocharging as Nobuhiro Yamamoto doesn’t like turbocharging.

He stated that the new RX-7 would be “definitely lighter” than the 2002 model. Although he didn’t give a precise figure, he said that the new RX-7 will be within Toyota FT-86 / Subaru BRZ / Scion FR-S territory. Since carbon fiber is too costly, the RX-7 will likely get several aluminum body panels to achieve this weight.

It is likely that it will use the same platform as next-gen HTML5. However, the RX-7 will be heavier, larger and have a longer wheelbase. While the JDM version will likely have a smaller back seat, other versions may only come with two.