OMG is MPS back? Mazda announces Spirit Racing Team division with MX-5 and Mazda3 hi-po concepts, but will this be a new Toyota Gazoo Racing and Ralliart rival?

Mazda has a sporty sub-brand again with the Japanese carmaker showing off track-ready concept versions of its Mazda3 and MX-5 at the Tokyo Auto Salon, while announcing the creation of its factory-backed Spirit Racing team.

The announcement comes as a welcome surprise given Mazda made it clear back in 2020 that it didn’t intend to revive its in-house Mazdaspeed high-performance division or MPS as it was known in Australia.

The press conference at Tokyo Auto Salon saw Mazda CEO Masahiro Moro and chief designer Ikuo Maeda reveal the concepts and the intentions of the Mazda Spirit Racing division.

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“ As part of our branding we have created a sub brand called Mazda Spirit Racing and this time for the first time in 25 years since Mazdaspeed we have established a factory motorsports division,” Mr Moro said.

Mazda has continued to participate in Motorsport over the past four years but Mazda Spirit Racing will provide a fully supported manufacturer-backed effort to enter cars in the Super Taikyu racing series in Japan.

More than just a race team, Mazda Spirit Racing has an entire merchandising wing selling everything from watches to jackets and umbrellas, and then of course there’s the sporty production cars which were shown in concept form.

It's unclear if it will be a full fledged sports sub-brand like Toyota's Gazoo Racing, or what Mitsubishi promises will be Ralliart again in the future.

The announcement comes as a welcome surprise given Mazda made it clear back in 2020 that it didn’t intend to revive its in-house Mazdaspeed high-performance division or MPS as it was known in Australia.

The Mazda Spirit Racing 3 Concept adds a savage aero kit complete with enormous front splitter and roof top-mounted wing to the small hatch. The upgrades are more than just for looks though.

“Compared to the previous model, the new model aims to provide more control on the circuit and a high-quality ride in everyday life,” Mazda press statement reads. 

“We have refined the suspension and aerodynamics that we have cultivated through our Super Taikyu racing activities, as well as the interior and exterior appearance to match these developments.”

Joining the high-performance Mazda3 was also the Mazda Spirit Racing RS Concept - a low slung and even more aggressive looking MX-5.

As for what will power the high-performance version for the MX-5, we’re expecting a tuned version of the 135kW/205Nm 2.0-litre petrol engine used in the current roadster.

The sporty Mazda3 will most likely use the turbocharged 2.5-litre four cylinder petrol unit found in some US-market grades.

The 2013 Mazda3 MPS was the last car out of Mazda’s performance division for Australia and produced a whopping 190kW and 390Nm  - a big output even by today’s standards.