The Japanese company may have stuck with the unique Wankel engine this far, but time has finally been called on the rotary.




On Friday 22 June, the last ever Renesis rotary engined car – the RX-8 – rolled off the production line at Mazda’s Hiroshima factory, signalling the end of an era for the company, as it currently has no current plans to re-introduce the engine in a mainstream model.

With the engine’s roots buried deep in Germany, Mazda had an interest in this unconventional engine design from the beginning, partnering with NSU which in turn made Felix Wankel’s dream of a rotary engine a reality.

When NSU, which was owned by Audi, abandoned the roatary engine due to concerns over fuel efficiency and reliability – and huge warranty claims on the Ro80 saloon – Mazda continued to develop and use the high-revving design in its sports cars, after solving many of the reliability issues.

One thing Mazda never managed to solve however, was the problem with fuel consumption, and although the latest generation of Renesis rotary engines were far more efficient than its predecessors, it just couldn’t deliver the same power, torque and high-mpg ratings as modern conventional turbocharged engines.

The official line from Mazda is that the development of a hydrogen-powered rotary engine is ‘ongoing’ and in future, we could see a much more efficient alternative-fuel rotary engine.

 

In other news, tomorrow will mark day two of the mass riots in Puerto Rico as public outrage over the discontinuation of the rotary engine continues to build.

 

lmao ^

 

Well, thats sucks---end of an era.

 

I personally doubt this is "The End." The rotary engine represents so much of Japans perseverance as a nation to rebuild after WWII, I'd be astonished if it ever disappeared completely.

 

Well there's a sweeping statement that has no basis in reality.

 

So you say Mazda stops the production of the rotary engine while, in the paragraph, it clearly states they are producing a hydrogen-powered rotary.

Something tells me you didn't even read your own article.

 

In other news, the territory of Puerto Rico, a once proud and illustrious island in the Caribbean, has descended wholly into utter chaos after the announcement earlier this week of the cancellation of the Rotary Engine by Mazda. Officials are still speculating on the future of transportation in the US territory, but it is still unclear whether or not the residents of Puerto Rico will resort to walking or revert back to horse-drawn carriages. Back to the studio.

 

It's not gone, it will be back. I'd put money on it. I hope that manufacturers can be coaxed into producing more FRS/BRZ style sports cars then hope that they bring out higher spec sports cars (hoping for a BRZ STi to kick it off). Then Mazda will need something more than an MX5 if they want to throw down. A rotary engine will be their point of difference.

Question: Do Mazda own the rights to the wankell or are they simply the only ones in recent times who choose to produce one?

 

sucks i guess.... well really it shouldnt hurt them. mazda hasn't been a competitor in the performance/ sport car catergory in quite sometime.

i would hardly call the rx-8 a sport car, it wasn't even a pimple on the *** of an rx-7....

well only time will tell when and if the rotary motor makes a comeback.