From the Car Connection:

http://www.thecarconnection.com/index.asp?article=7662[/URL]

Pics at Nurburgring plus a little verbiage blurb at the end:

"...A rotary engine is expected as an option on the new Miata, due in dealerships late in 2005."

Whoa... almost everything 'official sounding' I've heard to this point has continually denied a rotary will ever sit under the hood of a Miata. Period.

Anyone with insider connections able to deny or confirm this option offering??

 

The world is also ending in 2000.

I'll belive it when I see it

 

Bob Hall, who worked for Mazda from 1983 to 1995 in their product planning group and is known as the 'father of the Miata' (ie first proposed the lightweight sports car and led the product planning work on the development of the NA Miata introduced in 1989), maintains extremely close insider ties with Mazda. For example, he's seen the NC Miata undisguised at Mazda, rather than just these disguised spy photos. Obviously he can't say much, but he has said that Mazda is extremely committed to the fact that the MX-5/Miata is a 4 cylinder piston engine car, and that there will never be a rotary option in the MX-5 (the Miata name is likely to be dropped with the introduction of the NC MX-5).

Aside from a Mazda design/engineering employee (dealership employees do NOT count ), that's as insider as it gets!

Regards,
Gordon

 

would miata fans even want the rotary

 

Hmmm, they could call it the Miata RX-5. Oh but wait, Mazda already did a RX-5 back in the 70's and it didn't sell well. A rotary in a Miata just seems weird.

 

A lot of miata enthusiasts would love to see a rotary miata, but there are some others who wouldn't want one. I for one would love to see a rotary miata but don't think its going to happen. I think a more powerful larger displacement 4 cylinder is the way to, something like an all aluminum 2.3L and lose some weight, go for 190 or 200HP naturally aspirated, 2200lbs but enough HP to really scoot.

 

The miata does pretty much everything you'd want a great sports car to do, and does it well. Except it could use more power. But for the money, a great car.

I'd like to see Mazda sell a limited-edition super-Miata. Give it a hardtop, and style it more aggressively (front and back bumpers, maybe even some wider fenders for more rubber on the ground). Drop in the RX-8 drivetrain, hopefully with the Mazdaspeed flywheel as standard equipment, and with a more aggressive sounding exhaust. Maybe the RX-8 brakes too. Aim for 10 lbs. per HP or better, with fairly aggressive suspension settings.

2-seat rotary car, super light, great handling, superb power/weight ratio...it would be an RX-7 in all but name. Only you wouldn't have to worry about the problems and expense of turbos.

 

It has the same heavy-*** muffler as our rx-8!