If you don't monitor the Forums or the Mail Lists with regularity, you might not have noticed the jump in activity for concept drawings flying across the net. "Exclusive 1st looks" at Mazda Rotaries are no exception. Most of these (01, 02, 03) are nothing more than Japanese artists' attempts to predict the final look of the car, others are poor "PhotoChop" jobs (Chopping a photo of an existing car with PhotoShop or other Image Manipulation Program)

At this point, it isn't even clear if there will be an RX-7 at the Tokyo Autoshow. Some sources close to Mazda seem to think there won't be a concept until the following show, in 2005. Others seem to think the RX-7 will merely be a 2 door version of the RX-8, to be shown this year. Some "insiders" point to the revival of the rotary, and Mazda's re-interest in sports cars as a reason for bringing the RX-7 out, others point to the newly released RX-8, and claim it is too soon to have a new RX-7. Finally, others will talk about a possible RX-3, and a US-Spec MazdaSpeed RX-8 (like the Mazdaspeed Protege), or even something as far out there is a RX-9.

We, at RotaryNews, will keep tabs of all the rumors going on, and when something comes down the pipe that we can confirm, we will post it.