Rotary
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The rotary engine is back, though it's no longer fitted to a sports car.
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Mazda's rotary set for return as EV range extender in Europe
Mazda has confirmed the rotary's return as a range extender for the electric version of the MX-30 compact crossover.
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Wild rotary-powered Mazda 3 to take on Pikes Peak
A New Zealand drifter plans to race a four-rotor Mazda 3 hatchback up Pikes Peak this June.
Stephen Edelstein -
Patent reveals Mazda might still be working on RWD rotary-powered hybrid
A patent filing suggests once again that Mazda may bring back the rotary engine, this time for a hybrid powertrain.
Stephen Edelstein -
This is the only piston-less race car to ever win the 24 Hours of Le Mans
There was a time when Mazda's rotary engine was winning races around the globe.
Stephen Edelstein -
Preview: 2022 Mazda MX-30 electric crossover priced from $34,645, limited to California
The MX-30 only has a 35.5-kilowatt-hour battery but for longer drives a rotary range extender will be offered.
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Mazda has launched restoration parts for the RX-7 in Japan, and with any luck we'll see them in the U.S.
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Deep dive: Han's Veilside Mazda RX-7 from "The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift"
Learn the backstory on one of the more popular cars of the “Fast and the Furious” saga.
Stephen Edelstein -
A 2-rotor, 11.6-liter rotary diesel engine was almost a thing
A rotary engine with over 1,000 horsepower was designed for marine applications but the idea never took off.
Stephen Edelstein -
New Mazda RX-Vision GT3 ready to race in the virtual world
Mazda has revealed a racing version of its stunning RX-Vision concept, but this one is for the virtual world only.
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Mazda teases electric SUV debuting at 2019 Tokyo Motor Show
Mazda's first EV could see the return of a rotary engine as a range extender.
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Patent shows Mazda working on new rear-wheel-drive platform, possibly for the RX-9
A patent filing in Japan suggests Mazda may be working on a rear-wheel-drive platform, possibly for the RX-9.
Byron Hurd -
If you've ever wondered what makes up the famed rotary engine from Mazda, now is the chance to dive in. Engineering Explained showed off an incredible 3D-printed rotary engine scale model, and host Jason Fenske walks us through what makes the peculiar powertrain tick. Specifically, this is a 1.3-liter 13B rotary engine from a Mazda RX-7, at about the third of the size of the real thing. The Japanese automaker manufactured the engine from 1992 until 2002. It features twin turbochargers and it's seriously tiny. While the model is at one-third scale, the real-life engine only measures one cubic...
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Mazda CEO: No plan for Mazdaspeed 3, rotary sports car
Mazda on Wednesday unveiled a stylish new generation of its popular 3 hatchback and sedan but fans pining for a high-performance Mazdaspeed version are set for disappointment. Speaking to Drive at the reveal of the new 3 at the 2018 Los Angeles auto show, Mazda CEO Akira Marumoto said the company...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Father of Mazda's rotary engine has passed away
Kenichi Yamamoto, the man behind Mazda's iconic rotary engine, has passed away at the age of 95, Japanese Nostalgic Car reported on Monday. Yamamoto wasn't only the man behind the brand's rotary engine, but he also helped ensure Mazda's future in the aftermath of World War II. After co-managing an...
Sean Szymkowski -
Rotary sports car to miss Mazda’s 2020 centennial, offer hybrid option
Mazda is committed to the rotary’s revival. That much is clear. Where we’ll see the engine end up is a completely different story, however. It’s safe to assume that Mazda originally wanted to introduce a new rotary in a sports car. The RX-Vision concept unveiled two years ago is a...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Mazda engineer drops more hints about rotary range-extender
Mazda continues to tease us with a rotary engine, which last found a home in a production vehicle in the 2012 RX-8 sports car. At the 2017 Tokyo Motor Show, neither of the brand's gorgeous concepts housed a rotary engine, but managing executive officer Mitsuo Hitomi, who oversees engine...
Sean Szymkowski -
Rotary could return in both sports car and extended-range EV, says Mazda exec
Mazda is committed to the rotary, though whether the unique engine design is used to directly power a sports car or serve as a range-extender for an electric car remains to be seen. Mazda has hinted at both options in recent years but so far has tended to flip-flop between the two. Now, though, a...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Despite its recent breakthrough in sparkless ignition gasoline engines, Mazda has no plans to abandon the rotary engine which its executives insist is still being developed for future applications. “We’re still continuing development of the next-generation rotary engine,” Mazda engineering executive Mitsuo Hitomi told Wheels during a recent tech briefing on the sparkless ignition engine, which Mazda refers to as a Spark Controlled Compression Ignition (SPCCI) engine because it still uses spark ignition in some situations. Hitomi also admitted to the Australian publication...
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Mazda marks 50 years of rotary cars
It was 50 years ago today that Mazda unveiled its first rotary-powered car to the world. The car was the Cosmo 110S sports car which made its debut at the 1967 Tokyo auto show. It was Mazda’s first sports car, and all the more newsworthy because the automaker up till then had only been known...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Jay Leno drives a rotary-powered Volkswagen Beetle
You never know what's going to turn up at Jay Leno's Garage. Leno is a fan of Wankel rotary engines and has featured a couple on the show in vehicles like a Mazda Cosmo 110S and a modified 1973 RX-3. This time, though, he featured a rotary engine in something a bit more unorthodox. This 1966...
Stephen Edelstein -
Four reasons why the rotary engine is currently dead
Mazda's misunderstood Wankel rotary engine is among the most respected—and maligned—powertrain designs ever, as Engineering Explained's Jason Fenske points out in this especially informative video. With his knack for making even the most complicated subjects approachable, Jason tells us...
Andrew Ganz -
Mazda’s New Rotary To Arrive With Turbocharging, Not Electrification: Report
At the recent 2015 Tokyo Motor Show, Mazda rolled out a stunning sports car concept powered by a rotary engine said to be more fuel efficient than any previous rotary design. Unfortunately, no technical details were revealed for the engine, which has adopted Mazda’s SkyActiv moniker for...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Mazda RX-Vision concept hints at next rotary engine
Mazda today unveiled the RX-Vision concept car at the 2015 Tokyo Motor Show and it points to the return of the rotary engine. The low-slung sports car is a front-engine, rear-wheel-drive, two-seat coupe that showcases the latest version of Mazda's Kodo design language. CHECK OUT: Mercedes-Benz...
Kirk Bell