Last week on June 22, 2012, the last Mazda rotary engine (for the time being I hope) was built for the RX-8.
http://www.bendbulletin.com/article/...107/206290331/
Mazda builds final rotary engine
Last week on June 22, 2012, the last Mazda rotary engine (for the time being I hope) was built for the RX-8.
http://www.bendbulletin.com/article/...107/206290331/
Mazda builds final rotary engine
I do hope they can get a new one happening. They should probably look into providing an OEM plug-in hybrid solution with any new version to assist with recouping costs.
Life's too short to drive bad cars.
Felix Wankel had high hopes, but as good a powerplant as it is there's always been resistance from manufacturers... especially as teething problems threatened first adopters. NSU sure felt and paid the price. Even with metalurgy and seal improvements that made it truly viable,
fuel economy has never been the Wankel's strong suit. With so many thriftier alternatives, that seems the main reason it's been abandoned.
Racers will continue to field them though, so parts and support will be around for some time.
Enjoy the sound of rotary fury:
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=az39eqLIbyU&feature=related"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=az39eqLIbyU&feature=related[/ame]
Never own more cars than you can keep charged batteries in...
Never was a particular fan, but rest in pace.
Now can you Mazda make an MX-8 out of the RX-8?
Lack of charisma can be fatal.
Visca Catalunya!
I had an idea once where they should make a new RX-8 or 9 or whatever but then make a compromise- share the platform with a piston engined using the Skyactive technology in a coupe but sell it for cheaper.
Then make a halo car using the same platform with a rotary. I don't think Mazda can afford to make the rotary powered car a bespoke platform, with development costs and all.
Or they could make a piston powered MX-5 and a rotary MX-5.
And if they have big bucks, I guess they can try making it mid engined, something like the Mercedes C111 concepts.
In any case, my family always had ties to Mazda- my father had a RX-3 when he was in Hong Kong and he always loved that car.
Last edited by NSXType-R; 06-30-2012 at 06:20 AM.
Was the RX-8 chasis bespoke, or was it shared or related to another model within Mazda/Ford?
Lack of charisma can be fatal.
Visca Catalunya!
It would be pretty hard to do an MX-8 of similar power without having to make major changes - the car is design around the Wankel Rotary, and as such, normal piston engines will be too tall.
Rumor has it Mazda isn't done with the Wankel. They were working on a replacement to the current motor. I'm not sure if it's dead or not. The current motor is dead because it went away with the RX-8. We'll have to wait to see if Mazda has really given up on the engine entirely.
The official like is that development continues on the 16X project.. slowly. Unfortunately they're a little strapped for cash at the moment...
Life's too short to drive bad cars.
The reference link of BestBulletin is nice.
The rotary is also seen as a good candidate for a multi-fuel capable vehicle in the future.
Also it's use in UAVs shows that when used at the right revs it has good performance/weight and much more reasonable fuel economy.
SO .... more likley to see it turn up initially as part of a hybrid train with the focus being on the electric power usage and generation frmo a rotary driven generator.
WOudl miss all the fun of brap-brap-brap tho and hopefully we will see a rotary halo-car in the future. Just not try to disguise it as a 4 seater family sensibel couple next time. 2 seats please
"A woman without curves is like a road without bends, you might get to your destination quicker but the ride is boring as hell'
^^^ Good points, Peter... let's hope so. The world of motorsports would be poorer without brap-brap-brap.
Reprise the RX7. Three rotors, please.
Never own more cars than you can keep charged batteries in...
Modular rotors.. need more power? Just whack another rotor or two on top!
Life's too short to drive bad cars.
Pretty much what you could do with any rotary engine up till the RX-8 Renesies.
THe Renesis used a side port as exhaust outlet making it impossoble to "simply stack" the chambers. 6 rotor 13Bs are surprisingly common
"A woman without curves is like a road without bends, you might get to your destination quicker but the ride is boring as hell'
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