Mazda says rotary development will continue

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By Brett Davis | November 17th, 2011

The Mazda RX-8 may be headed for the automotive graveyard when production of the four-door coupe ceases in June 2012, but Mazda CEO Takashi Yamanouchi says development of a next-generation rotary will continue under his reign.

At this week’s 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show, Yamanouchi spoke out about his feelings on the brand’s rotary heritage.

“I’m very attached to the rotary engine,” he said. “So long as I am president then research and development in this area will continue.”

Mazda first released a rotary-engined vehicle back in 1967 in the Mazda Cosmo 110S, and from there we saw a string of RX sports coupes right up until today’s Mazda RX-8. Now, an ‘RX-9′ is on the horizon – the name is yet to be finalised.

Some of the issues slowing development of the new model – said to be powered by a ’16X’ Renesis engine – involve resolving the typical fuel efficiency and pollution issues to allow it to meet the Euro 6 emissions.

Mazda engineers have previously confirmed they are working on a new ignition technology, dubbed ‘laser-ignition’. A senior engineer at Mazda revealed earlier this year that the new model will feature a “special kind of ignition system”, potentially improving efficiency.

Mazda will also apply its latest SKYACTIV engineering technology to the upcoming model. The SKYACTIV philosophy includes an aim to reduce the weight of all future Mazdas by 100kg. A lightweight platform for the RX-9 will contribute to not only high performance driving characteristics, but fuel efficiency as well.

Interestingly, Yamanouchi has hinted at a potential reintroduction of the rotary in motorsport, remembering Mazda’s famous Le Mans victory in 1991 with the quad-rotor Mazda 787b.

“I’m not saying we will participate in Le Mans, but most people know that the companies that win use diesel, and our SKYACTIV technology is very efficient and gives strong torque.

“Unfortunately right now the Yen situation is putting huge pressure on profitability, but once the Yen improves or the situation is overcome then we will give a desire to return more actively to motorsport.”

Timing for the new RX-9 is impossible to tell at this stage.

Do you think it’s good to see Mazda sticking to its roots and pushing on with the rotary despite all of the hurdles? Would you like to see the rotary engine evolve? Let us know in the comments section below.

Rubes

Good to see they are at least saying that they would like to continue. Would love to see Honda be as transparent as this. Apart from that concept car in the Avengers Movie, I can’t see anything that demonstrates a motorsport heritage.
YoLex

Yes PLEASE!! (Had the S5 RX7, own an S3 RX7 for the past 15 years)
Stooge

As long as you turbo it, you can’t lose! Ie RX7.
barry

I think this is good news. I remember owning an early rotary and to see the tacho rise to 9k and want to keep going was amazing. The engine was very quiet and you had to watch the tacho to change gear somewhere around 8-9k
I would buy another today if my wife would allow
Just good memories
Ford Fairlane

Smells like there is an RX7 on its way.

You would think a rotory engine is the perfect motor to be hybidized,it could almost bolt on the engines front and if there ever was a car that need to supplement fuel economy its a rotory?

Noel

If memory servers me correctly, a rotary works well with Hydrogen too.

Jerrycan

I think you right, the burn characteristics of hydrogen seems to suit rotaries better than piston engines. I’m not sure if hydrogen burns faster or slower than petrol vapour?

Devil’s Advocate

The main reason why a rotary is better than a reciprocating engine with hydrogen is because the intake/combustion/exhaust all happen in completely different areas of the engine. This reduces the risk of pre-ignition which a reciprocating engine is susceptible to due to the “hot spots” etc in the top of the engine due to everything happening all in the one place. IIRC the longer cycle of the rotary engine also helps.

IfItAintARotorItAintAMotor

As I understand it, the rotary is the ‘easiest’ of any engine style to convert to run on different fuels.
Eric

They have been testing this on Norway.

Technofreak

YAY!!
Moe

RX7 was the only proper modern rotary
Harry

worst case scenario they could sell them as crate engines GM style, 26B please.
nickdl

Great news. It’s awesome to see some variety still exists in the car world. I’m getting sick of seeing manufacturers only making I4s and V6s, hooked up to a low pressure turbo.
Old Man

MX5 Rotary could be fun..

Blue Soup

Now your talking!!!!

Jerrycan

The laser ignition sounds very interesting, but others have tried this before and failed.
Mazda have a history of trying to be technologically different but it is not always accepted by the buying public (rotary, miller cycle engines etc).
Their recent commercial successes have been with bog standard engines and suspension, just built and tuned well.
Skyactive promises to break this trend.
If they can get laser ignition to work in a rotary then you would think it would also contribute to the skyactive suite?
JESSE

just awesome. sometimes a car is worth building even if it, alone, isn’t a cash cow.
IfItAintARotorItAintAMotor

Whether you’re a rotor fan or not, this can only be viewed as good news. It means that for just a bit longer, enthusiasts still have a say in whats cars are being built.

The future isn’t completely dulled yet.
Falcodore

History shows that when Mazda hit a problem, not only do they solve it, it usually results in a technological breakthrough. Believe me, they will succeed and it will be brilliant.

Falcodore

And it would be great to see them have a real crack at motorsports again…..remembering the Bathurst 12hr races when they always kicked Porche’s butt.

YoLex

And BMW! They sent over a couple M3-Rs one year but withdrew when they worked out they couldn’t win.
Devil’s Advocate

The interesting thing Falcodore is that over in the US, more Mazdas are raced in club level motorsport than any other brand! Not all of them are rotaries however.

Homer

Going to go against the flow here. Which would be the better car for day to day use and weekend blasts. The current RX8 or same car with a two litre turbo with say 170kw and 320nm of torque? I know which one I’d buy in a heartbeat.
David Kymdell

Lol…HAVE they actually confirmed laser ignition? All I’ve read is that its “a special ignition” with lots of car journo’s then jumping at the chance to recycle what they read in the rumour mill….ever few weeks it seems….nothing new here.
MPG > HP

I’ve owned rotarys exclusively since 1984 and once you learn how to care for them (never lug, always rev) they are good for upwards of 300K, which is pretty bulletproof. The RX-8 is definitely the most refined of all models and amazing road AND track cars out of the box with no mods, except maybe a set of Starspecs. Every ’8 owner owes it to themselves to learn how to take it to the limit and enjoy a track such as Laguna Seca. Remember to turn off DSC and ABS to allow those deep dive bombs into Turn 11 and you’ll think you’ve left the planet as you ZOOM toward Turn 1!

What rotarys really need is KERS for low end torque and commensurate improvements in mileage. The laser ignition sounds facinating and, if able to “trace” the fuel charge around the trochoid, could possibly return great HP and MPG benefits. Keep at it rotor heads!
Brinkernie

ernie brink we have the fix two the rotary down fall very very bad bad fuel sucker sucker and hot hot hot exh here it comes ready you need two make the leading spark plug hole a1 .5mm slot to stop leakage between two cylinders most rotarys waste half the intake stroke into the next chamber the other half it runs on think about it