Rotary
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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 -
Mazda rotary returns in 2022 as range extender for MX-30
The Mazda MX-30 compact crossover SUV will offer an extended-range electric powertrain in 2022.
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
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 on.
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 MX-30 electric SUV debuts with RX-8-style doors
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's first EV could see the return of a rotary engine as a range extender.
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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 -
Dive into this 3D-printed rotary engine
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...
Sean Szymkowski -
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 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 development, dropped more clues to Autocar about how the company will include its famed rotary engine in future electrified cars. Although the automaker has flip-flopped on whether rotary engine development proceeds as a stand-alone engine or as a range-extender for electric cars, Hitomi said both are...
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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 -
Mazda execs continue to tease future rotary without any more details
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...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
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 -
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 fuel-efficient, low-emissions technology, which means we’re likely some years away from seeing it in production. Hold up. Haven’t we been here before? Yes, as some readers may recall, Mazda rolled out a sexy sports car concept powered by a rotary engine at the 2007 Tokyo Motor Show. It was a...
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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 -
Mazda Confirms Development Of New Rotary, Will Preview It In Tokyo Concept
Mazda has been hinting at a new rotary for pretty much the last decade yet it seems that we’re still no closer to seeing the unique, Wankel-designed engine fitted to one of the automaker’s cars. The last rotary-powered Mazda was the RX-8, which bowed out of production back in 2012...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Mazda Teases New Sports Car Concept Ahead Of 2015 Tokyo Motor Show
Mazda may be close to confirming plans for an all-new, rotary-powered sports car to fill the void left by the RX-8 which bowed out of production in 2012. The Japanese automaker today released a single teaser shot of a new sports car concept that makes its debut late next month at the 2015 Tokyo...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Jay Leno Drives RX-7-Powered 1973 Mazda RX-3: Video
If Jay Leno waits around a parking lot so he can talk to you about your car, rest assured, you've done a hell of a job with it. And that's exactly what happened here. ALSO SEE: The Inner Workings Of The Turbocharger Explained: Video Leno intercepted Savant Young, the owner of this stellar 1973...
John Coyle -
The Rotary Engine's Inner Mysteries Explained: Video
While Motor Authority has written plenty about the rotary, or Wankel, engine over the years, our stories have generally gone in two distinct directions. The first flavor cites either official sources or informed—and hopeful—speculation to debate the question of whether Mazda will ever...
John Coyle