Mazda’s Manila Auto Salon display was a preview for a potential BT-50 one-make race

If you dropped by the Mazda Philippines booth at last weekend’s Manila Auto Salon, you might have seen a customized Mazda BT-50 on display towing the well-known #00 MX-5 Miata Cup 23rd Anniversary Edition, fitted fully with AutoExe parts.

But beyond the display lies something much more surprising— this is not only a brand-new variant not available yet to our market—3.0 4×4 M/T—but it is also a concept car for what could be a new one-make race series for 2026.

The idea for the Mazda BT-50 4×4 M/T BT Racing Concept came to fruition during the first leg of the Mazda Fan Festa PH. After the BT-50 track experience left a positive reception in the community, Mazda Philippines decided to push it further with the intention of developing a BT-50 one-make race series for 2026, similar to how Toyota Motor Philippines is developing the Tamaraw OMR for next year too.

Unlike the Tamaraw race trucks, the BT-50 concept leans more into the rugged side of things. For one, this comes with Cusco suspension and performance parts, which Mazda Philippines is now a newly appointed distributor of, to further push the potential of the truck.

Then, there are six 17-inch Concept One Outback wheels shod in GT Radial M/T Pro tires (265/70R17), alongside a Mammoth Aluminum roof rack, Rhino Armor Crossbars, a bed-mounted wheelchair, Raid mudflaps, PIAA LTX 590 and V-RF 40” LED light bar, and a bespoke livery designed by Groundworks Design, wrapped by Vinyl Frog.

Should this concept come to fruition, would you expect the BT-50 race series to be more on or off-road oriented?

^{Photos by Sam Surla}