Rotary engine development halted at Mazda?

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Filed under: Coupe, Sedan, Performance, Japan, Mazda, Rumormill



At the end of 2011, the Mazda RX-8 rotary-powered sport coupe/sedan will cease to exist in new-car showrooms. With it, the mass-produced rotary engine will take another hiatus. The original plan was to have the Renesis, the world's only mass-produced rotary, come back maybe as early as 2017 in a new sports car. In fact, we just heard reports that Mazda's rotor-obsessed gearhead engineers were still manning the program, albeit at a reduced pace.

According to Wards Auto, though, that plan may soon go south thanks to a weakened Japanese economy. The Renesis program is reportedly at the top of the list of programs to kill, and development on a new rotary has supposedly been halted for now. Mazda hopes it will be able to pick up its work in rotaries again sometime in the future, but the piston-free mills also have fuel economy and emissions woes to contend with, which may dampen their chances even further.

So, where does the truth ultimately lie? Our guess is that it would take a lot to get Mazda to abandon its rotary program entirely, considering how much history the Japanese automaker has tied up in the Wankel. That said, unless major inroads are made in efficiency, future rotary applications my be extremely few and far between... and a revival of the iconic RX line may never come to fruition.

Until we hear any official word from Mazda, you can find us in the corner crossing our fingers at 9,000 rpm.Rotary engine development halted at Mazda? originally appeared on Autoblog 5.0 on Thu, 11 Aug 2011 08:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.



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[luke 3mps]

That would be a shame!!

[SarcasticOne]

hope not...

[Terra]

Hope I don't get flamed but...

If they aren't strapping a turbo to it why have a rotor in a sports car that has a hard time and getting out paced by a falcon or Aurion unless its through a round about?

I would love a RX8 body with a 2.0 turbo or a 3.0 six in it. Think Mazdas RWD answer to the 370Z but with rear seats! (all be it little ones).

Now having said that if they are strapping a turbo to it then
AND I could then justify the obscene fuel economy too.

[Victa]

I would love a RX8 body with a 2.0 turbo or a 3.0 six in it. Think Mazdas RWD answer to the 370Z but with rear seats! (all be it little ones).

+100000000

I have 2 sales for this car right here in my office...

Less performance than my 20 year old, 377000K's on the clock, MX-6 was what turned me away from the RX-8...

Which is a pity because they are sooo damn sexy...

Chris.

[SarcasticOne]

Hope I don't get flamed but...

If they aren't strapping a turbo to it why have a rotor in a sports car that has a hard time and getting out paced by a falcon or Aurion unless its through a round about?

I would love a RX8 body with a 2.0 turbo or a 3.0 six in it. Think Mazdas RWD answer to the 370Z but with rear seats! (all be it little ones).

Now having said that if they are strapping a turbo to it then
AND I could then justify the obscene fuel economy too.

Things a rotary has going for it, size, weight, smoothness and noise...
Chucking a 4 or 6 in a rx8 would ruin the 50:50 weight distribution.

Also, rotary people are nuts, I don't want the craziness to end

[Victa]

Things a rotary has going for it, size, weight, smoothness and noise...
Chucking a 4 or 6 in a rx8 would ruin the 50:50 weight distribution.

Agreed, but a super or turbo charger does not weigh that much... and upping it to a 20b probably wouldn't affect balance too much either...

Chris.

[kelvin33]

Hope it does not end here..

[Caffeine Fiend]

Don't they come out with this every few years though?

And then they end up bringing out a new version anyway?


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[bd581]

Problem is, until recently the push towards environmentally friendly engines hasn't been as strong.

Rotary problems are because they are essentially 2 stroke
If they could turn it 4 stroke, by adding a combustion chamber with hydraulic or pnumatic valves like a F1 or motoGP bike a lot if issues can be solved.
Problem with that is its still costly, complex and relatively unreliable.