Is this a reality or a rumour??
http://consumerguideauto.howstuffwor...-mazda-rx7.htm

 

Well it is all speculation until someone gets the keys to one.

 

It's just another beat-up, the product of some journo's desperation on facing a blank screen with only an hour to go before deadline after spending too long in the pub for Friday lunch.

I would suggest that unless Mazda comes up with some super technology to drastically sink petrol consumption, the rotary motor will be legislated out of existence by carbon penalties imposed by governments. It's happening in the UK and Europe, and our bumch of nannies here have already floated the idea. Even now, any car over $57k with >7L/100km fuel consumption cops the extra 8% luxury tax. Expect more of the same.

Mazda have a lot of catch-up cricket to do in the field of fuel efficiency, with VW leading the race in super-efficient petrol motors, and Toyota and Honda leading the pack in the hybrid stakes with the prissy Prius (as driven by prissy Kevin 747) and the Civic.

Regardless of the merits of the carbon foootprint argument, the fact is that the market has moved on and now perceives fuel efficiency as good. If I were Mazda, I'd be focusing on how I could make a highly fuel efficient, performance-oriented sports sedan as my halo car, regardless of whether it had a rotary under the bonnet or not.

 

At the SevenStock banquet we were asked how we would like to see a 4th Gen 7. The question lacked the usual 'I cannot make promises' that even Bernie uses.

Maybe it was to be sure we were awake.