View Full Version : Mazda's Renesis Rotary Engine Named International Engine Of The Year


sukispeed
06-03-2003, 09:55 PM
http://www.mazda.com.au/currentNews.asp


MAZDA'S RENESIS ROTARY ENGINE NAMED INTERNATIONAL ENGINE OF THE YEAR
04-JUN-2003



Mazda’s new RENESIS rotary engine, which powers the all-new Mazda RX-8, has been named "International Engine of the Year 2003." The prestigious award was presented today at Engine Expo 2003 in Stuttgart, Germany.

Mazda's RENESIS, which also placed first in two additional categories, "Best New Engine of 2003" and "2.5-litre to 3.0-litre," can now rightly claim the title of "the world's greatest engine."

One of the most sought-after awards of its kind, the International Engine of the Year is selected by a majority vote of 50 motoring journalists from 22 countries around the world. All current production engines between sub-1.0-litre to above 4.0-litre capacities are judged in areas such as drivability, performance, economy, refinement, and the successful application of advanced technology. There are 12 categories in all, including the grand prize, International Engine of the Year.

"From our first application of rotary technology in the 1967 Cosmo Sport, to the only rotary-engine win at Le Mans, in 1991, Mazda has never given up on this technology," said Nobuhiro Hayama, Executive Officer and General Manager of Mazda's Powertrain Division in accepting the awards.

"That persistence, that devotion to engineering fundamentals, is the hallmark of the engineering spirit and heritage at Mazda. And it is that spirit which drives our company’s resurgence today."

The RENESIS engine was launched in the Mazda RX-8 recently in Japan and is poised to hit showrooms in Europe, North America and Australia from about August. It represents nothing less than a revolution in rotary engine technology, as it delivers smooth, high-revving performance, achieves acceptable fuel consumption and is able to meet some of the toughest emission standards in the world, including Euro Stage III standards in Australia.

"Mazda's International Engine of the Year Award success is a remarkable achievement," said Graham Johnson, editor of Engine Technology International magazine and Chairman of the Awards. "The judges are hugely impressed by the RX-8's smoothness, refinement, performance and eco-friendliness. Indeed, 44 of the judges voted for this rotary engine to become International Engine of the Year 2003 - a new Awards record. Mazda can rightly state that it produces the finest automobile engine in the world."

The RENISIS engine is unlike any other internal combustion engine in the world. It performs the four processes of intake, compression, combustion, and exhaust in succession by turning a triangular-shaped rotor in a cocoon-shaped combustion chamber to generate the engine power. Compared to traditional internal combustion engines, it is significantly smaller and exceptionally smooth and high revving.

One of the key engineering breakthroughs with the RENESIS engine is the use of advanced side-exhaust technology. The exhaust ports, previously located on the trochoidal housing of a conventional rotary engine, are now situated on the side housing of the rotor chamber, which allowed engineers to optimize the engine’s port profiles and eliminate exhaust and intake port overlap.

RENESIS also employs variable induction control, electronic throttle valving and new, highly efficient fuel injectors combined with while high-performance spark plugs to deliver better ignition of the fuel-air mixture. This combination of ultra-fine fuel spray and powerful ignition results in nearly complete combustion. RENESIS is also able to retain most of the unburned hydrocarbons for combustion in the next cycle, a process that greatly reduces emissions.

This advanced rotary technology provides Mazda’s new RENESIS with a maximum output of 177kW (ECE) at 8200 rpm and maximum torque of 211Nm (ECE) at 5500 rpm for the High power version which will powered manual models in Australia.

Because it does not need turbocharging, RENESIS is extremely compact and light. So compact, in fact, that it is mounted more towards the rear of the Mazda RX-8 in a so-called “advanced front midship” layout, which greatly reduces the vehicle's yaw inertia moment and helps deliver an ideal 50/50 weight distribution over the front and rear axles. So not only is RENESIS a technologically advanced, high revving engine that is great to drive, it contributes directly to Mazda RX-8’s superior sports car handling.

“An astonishing new engine,” said awards judge Alberto Bellucci of Mazda’s new RENESIS rotary engine, “with power, acceleration and silence better than a real sports car.”

Hercules
06-03-2003, 10:28 PM
Found out about this earlier, it was posted on my site too :)

Thanks though, good info :)

vipeRX7
06-03-2003, 11:49 PM
Mazda can rightly state that it produces the finest automobile engine in the world.

mmmmmhmmmmmmmmmm :D

tribal azn2
06-04-2003, 12:00 AM
anyone who won the past awards?

ZoomZoomH
06-04-2003, 12:33 AM
Originally posted by tribal azn2
anyone who won the past awards?

http://www.ukintpress.com/engineoftheyear/previouswin.html

previous overall winners:

International Engine of the Year 2002: BMW 4.4-litre Valvetronic

International Engine of the Year 2001: BMW 3.2-litre

International Engine of the Year 2000: Honda Hybrid 1-litre Insight

International Engine of the Year 1999: Toyota Yaris 1-liter

pretty good company I'd say ;)

and the only one with no pistons!!! :D

RobDickinson
06-04-2003, 03:57 AM
Nice to see .au jumping the gun, r3esults arnt officialy out until 2pm German time :)

Looks like we have a winna!

Lensman
06-04-2003, 07:41 AM
“with power, acceleration and silence better than a real sports car.”

Is this damning with faint praise...?
No, I'm happy. :D

Lensman
06-04-2003, 08:05 AM
It's official now: it won International Engine of the Year and best 2.5 to 3 litre engine. Whoo-hoo!!!

MarkW
06-04-2003, 08:27 AM
It won 'Best New Engine' as well, making 3 awards in total !!!

DreamWarrior
06-04-2003, 08:37 AM
Originally posted by Lensman
It's official now: it won International Engine of the Year and best 2.5 to 3 litre engine. Whoo-hoo!!!
Is there no 0 to 2.49999999999999999999999 category, because doesn't Mazda place the engine in the 1.3 L category?

wakeech
06-04-2003, 08:39 AM
Originally posted by DreamWarrior

Is there no 0 to 2.49999999999999999999999 category, because doesn't Mazda place the engine in the 1.3 L category?

no, Mazda says it's a 1.3L the same way a 250cc 2 stroke says it's 250cc, but these guys know better that it displaces 2.6L, as the 250 would equate to 500, when compared with 4-stroke piston engines...

DreamWarrior
06-04-2003, 08:50 AM
Originally posted by wakeech


no, Mazda says it's a 1.3L the same way a 250cc 2 stroke says it's 250cc, but these guys know better that it displaces 2.6L, as the 250 would equate to 500, when compared with 4-stroke piston engines...
Oh...is that because of the combustion cycle is longer? Because the volumetric displacement of the engine is 1.3 right? But because of the longer combustion cycle, the displacement during combustion is 2.6??

ZoomZoomH
06-04-2003, 08:57 AM
basically the RENESIS displaces 1.3L, but breathes like a 2.6L during combustion, hence the high power-displacement ratio.

RotorGeek
06-04-2003, 09:58 AM
Look at who got beat



RESULTS POINTS

Mazda RENESIS Rotary (RX-8) 186
Audi 4.2-litre V8 (RS6) 114
BMW 6-litre V12 (760i) 91
BMW Diesel 3-litre (330d, 730d) 89
Mercedes-Benz 5.5-litre (S600, CL600) 80
Maybach 5.5-litre 67

Smoker
06-04-2003, 09:59 AM
Excellent !!! I just forwarded the link to all my car buddies who jumped all over me when I told them I wanted to get the RX-8 back in December.....

You know, the ones who goes "What ?! but Rotary Sucks, blah blah blah...."


Here's the official web site:
http://www.ukintpress.com/engineoftheyear/categories.html