A New Mazda Rotary Engine Has Finally Been Confirmed

With rotary engines long since having died a death from which most people assumed there would be no resurrection, Mazda has finally confirmed that a new one does exist, and that it's almost ready for production
A New Mazda Rotary Engine Has Finally Been Confirmed

A new Mazda rotary engine is officially coming within the next few years, but as expected it’s probably not the revolution in brap that you might have hoped for.

Wheels magazine in Australia has published an interview with senior Mazda figures ahead of the Frankfurt Motor Show, in which Mitsuo Hitomi, whose job title is very long and involves technical development, confirmed that a new rotary powerplant is in an advanced stage of development.

With 2020 approaching, bringing with it Mazda’s centenary, it’s possible that a rotary-powered sports car could be revealed as a celebration model, whether or not it takes the shape of the much-rumoured and much-denied RX-9.

A New Mazda Rotary Engine Has Finally Been Confirmed

However, Hitomi-san also confirmed that rotary fundamentally can’t match the emissions and fuel economy of modern cylinder-based petrol engines, but added that the company is looking at laser and plasma ignition to try to achieve a cleaner burn. We already know that Mazda is shying away from the heavy batteries and duller driving experiences of hybrids, but in all likelihood, a screaming rotary-powered sports car is probably not on the agenda unless it comes with hybrid mitigation.

The engineers are also focusing on trying to minimise oil consumption and apex seal wear, two recurring problems in older rotary engines that aren’t looked after to the manufacturer’s exact spec.

Some shareholders are still unconvinced by the amount of potential for profits in the rotary idea, according to Wheels, and don’t want to see a repeat of Mazda’s past decisions to put simply building fun cars before the interests of bank balances. That would be a shame, though, as Mazda’s brilliant eccentricity is one of its historic defining features.

Sponsored Posts

Comments

Anonymous

Finally the brap brap brap will return.

09/06/2017 - 15:03 |
306 | 4
Anonymous

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

Even if it is for hybrids

09/06/2017 - 15:04 |
22 | 2
Jesse Mast (back to Scirocco)

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

If this is in hybrid form it might still be fun, if it doesn’t get to heavy…

09/06/2017 - 16:09 |
60 | 0
Anonymous

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

can it port?

09/07/2017 - 02:59 |
2 | 2
Anton 3

[DELETED]

09/06/2017 - 15:03 |
4 | 0
Anonymous

ALL ABOARD THE BRAP TRAIN
BRAP BRAP

09/06/2017 - 15:05 |
28 | 2
Anonymous

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

I don’t know about any rotary train.
All aboard the rotary party BUS!!

09/10/2017 - 10:30 |
2 | 0
Roget

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

09/06/2017 - 15:05 |
4 | 0
Roadster / Tail Red

There’s a difference between what Mazda says and what Mazda actually is doing behind the scenes…

#JustGiveUsTheRX9Mazda

09/06/2017 - 15:05 |
78 | 2
ThatV70Guy

Le Mans?

09/06/2017 - 15:07 |
2 | 0

I wouldn’t count on it.

09/06/2017 - 15:20 |
0 | 0

Rotaries are banned from Le Mans

09/06/2017 - 15:30 |
0 | 0
Nishant Dash

Opened CT App.
Clicked News and Features.
Saw this.
.
.
.
Shat self, dropped phone, screamed like a girl….

Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyy

09/06/2017 - 15:07 |
192 | 2

I pray that it will be a full blown lightweight sports car

09/06/2017 - 15:25 |
38 | 0
Nishant Dash

Debodeep embrace hombre

09/06/2017 - 15:07 |
0 | 0
Anonymous

So they are making a high maintenance horrible sounding engine, good idea Mazda.

09/06/2017 - 15:21 |
2 | 34
Olivier (CT's grammar commie)

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

How does this doesn’t have more downvotes

09/06/2017 - 15:58 |
2 | 0
Freewie

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

You’re kidding me right? The high maintenance part is so much bs.

09/06/2017 - 16:12 |
2 | 2
I'd rather be on my Grom

JamesOConnor yeeee

09/06/2017 - 15:25 |
2 | 0

I wont hold my breath man! Sounds like a load of conjecture to me. Ive been reading this since the rx8 went out of production in 2012 so will believe it when i see it in a showroom only I think!

09/06/2017 - 15:37 |
4 | 0