When we last saw the Mazda RX-Vision concept, it debuted in 2015 at the Tokyo Auto Show, and it was meant to preview what a next-generation RX would look like while also bringing the rotary engine back to a production Mazda. Alot has changed, but the production version has still not appeared. However, the RX-Vision has had a second wind in the Gran Turismo video game franchise, and the concept is once again returning to the game, but this time as an Evo variant.

RX-Vision GT3 Evo is a digital evolution

Dubbed the RX-Vision GT3 Evo, the digitized concept has benefited from several upgrades. They include tweaked bodywork with wider fenders, and the rear of the car gets new bodywork that makes it stick out further than before. A bigger wing, large rear diffuser, and a deeper front splitter also sharpen up the car’s looks.

The end result is a car that will offer more digitized performance, but it remains to be seen if this updated virtual racer will surpass the 562 horsepower figure posted by its predecessor, which used a four-rotor SkyActiv-R engine.

The rotary engine is not dead

While this virtual racer is not going into production anytime soon, it does show that Mazda is still serious about bringing the Rotary back into full-scale productiona nd is willing to use media like Gran Turismo 7 to explore how this idea can be applied to a wide variety of setups.

The closest Mazda has come to this goal recently is the MX-30 R-EV, a range-extended version of the MX-30 that’s only sold in Europe and other international markets, with the rotary motor in that model being used as a generator for the battery pack. Reportedly, a big obstacle for the company is funding, which has so far proven to be a formidable obstacle for the rotary engine’s development.