Rotary engine to return in 2013!!
 

OK this is not new news, however this has come from our cousins from across the ditch....via Fairfax Media (Aussie)

Mazda Rotary Engine To Return In 2013 - motoring | Stuff.co.nz

RETURNING: The rotary engine is coming back, says Mazda.

A new generation of Mazda's iconic rotary engine will make a return in a plug-in electric car as part of a low volume trial to take part in Japan from 2013.

To be powered by hydrogen rather than petrol, the all new rotary engine will be teamed with an electric motor and batteries to act as a range extender. The car would be able to be driven purely on electricity and recharged from a household powerpoint with the rotary engine solely used to recharge the batteries rather than drive the wheels.

Speaking ahead of the 2012 Sydney motor show Mazda's global president and CEO Takashi Yamanouchi confirmed Mazda would next year begin selling a small number of hydrogen-electric rotary-powered cars.

"Next year we will market ... electric vehicles with a rotary engine range extender," said Yamanouchi. "If you're running the rotary engine at a constant 2000rpm it provides very good fuel economy plus low vibration and has the advantage in being compact.

"The range extender application [for the rotary engine] has a high potential."

He also confirmed the new engine would run on hydrogen - a fuel Mazda has been trialling with rotary engines for a few years. It only produces heat and water with zero harmful exhaust emissions.

"The forthcoming range extender application will use hydrogen," said Yamanouchi.

In line with a desire for Mazda to embark on more alliances in future - it recently announced it would jointly develop the next generation MX-5 with Fiat/Alfa Romeo - Yamanouchi said any hydrogen plug-in rotary technology could eventually be sold to other brands.

"I think there will be others who will be interested," he said.

Yamanouchi refused to detail what car the plug-in hydrogen-powered rotary engine would feature in, although given it will be limited to Japanese sales it would make sense to use a smaller vehicle. The Mazda 2 and 3 are due for replacement in the next couple of years and could make a logical choice.

Yamanouchi, who began work at Mazda in 1967 one month before the original Mazda Cosmo rotary went on sale, said he thinks a new generation rotary engine could play an important role in future Mazda models.

He was particularly positive about its applications for a plug-in electric car and said Mazda wanted to learn more about electric vehicles so it was prepared when demand ramps up.

He said having a rotary was a crucial part of the Mazda DNA.

"I never want to see the flame of the rotary engine extinguished," he said.

"We still consider it to be iconic technology."

Yamanouchi also said the rotary engine could be used in a more traditional sports car application, with the free-revving engine directly driving the wheels.

"One [option] is a sports car type of vehicle ... it's a possibility, we have not given up."

He said such an engine would have to improve on two rotary engine shortcomings - "fuel economy and low-end torque".

"Right now we are working on a rotary engine with bigger diameter which has bigger displacement of the eccentric shafts," he said.

"We do consider this engine [rotary] to have future potential."

Mazda has long been rumoured to have been working on a return of the legendary RX-7, the most famous nameplate to be powered by a rotary engine.

Such a car logically would be produced off the same architecture as the next generation MX-5.

Those same underpinnings could even be used to create a 2+2 sports car to effectively replace the RX-8 that was discontinued earlier this year.

"The new MX-5 will provide us with opportunities in new markets, Yamanouchi said. "I won't say it's a stretched two-plus-two but will leave it to your imagination."

-Fairfax News Australia

Where is Fred...he just LOVEs Hydrogen...and in Rotaries!!!

Hydrogen :puke:

THIS IS BRILLIANT!:rollingla

"The new MX-5 will provide us with opportunities in new markets, Yamanouchi said.
"I won't say it's a stretched two-plus-two but will leave it to your imagination"..

Perhaps, repeat perhaps, they should have made an RX-* off the current NC platform, as I have said before production costs would have been minimal, and the market would not have collided with then RX-8 sales...all too late for this one...

All but a dream, Mazda lost this golden opportunity.....again...

Don't do it again...please!

:shocking::shocking::shocking: BRILLIANT!!!!! :cwm27:

:kiss:

a hydrogen rotary powered battery charger... might as well be a Rube Goldberg machine.

You always knew Mazda could put a rotary in a MX5/Miata.

Check out this Rotary Watch...ONLY $119.5K...I will take two...lol

Mazda May Have Killed the Wankel, but You Can Wear One On Your Wrist - autoevolution

The rotary as we know it will never be on sale again. It needs a major re engineering to pass current and future emmissions laws

http://imageshack.us/a/img836/9799/c...yfunnypics.gif

Heretic

only time will hopefully something good will come from this.

Ash i hate you.
I read this thread almost first thing in the morning and now i'll be delusional for the rest of the day!

This is such good news, I really hope Mazda can pull this off. I just hope they're not trying to turn the rotary into some fuel efficient none performance oriented engine though.

That is exactly what the intended use is in this case.

A proper rotary is years away. I would guess 5+ yrs

....:)

2015 will have some awesome cars available. The new Barracuda and Mustang for example. Who knows what Hunydai and Subaru has in mind.
If Mazda wants to capture a sports market it will require a good bit more horsepower over what is presently offered/projected. Or at least a 9:1 hp/lb ratio....if they are to gain any performance respect.
Thats just the facts.

Good news, but we'll have to wait and see...

Yeah, guessing the same but in the same way they need to make a fuel efficient one. Rotaries have always been lacking in that criteria as most people who purchase sports cars apparently expect 40mpg?

But if you look at it this way, this leaves room for a 50th anniversary Rx7 or Rx9. ;)

Mazda has sell more regular cars and turning a profit. Only then can it afford to drop money into a "halo"car for prosterity.

Toyota and Honda has gone for years without a super sports car and maybe Mazda will go through a similar hiatus before the return of the rotary.

This is definately a good point! Cars like ours are a niche car and not really a money maker (especially in the rx8's case) It's not just coincidence that ford shut down the svt division when things got bad.
They sell far more base mustangs and fusions than the special edition high hp cars. I'm guessing when honda finally comes back around we're going to see the ressurection of the nsx :-D At least they kept around the civic si. Kinda like mazda hanging onto the rx8 and the speed series cars :-)

If it is a small two seater they should keep the Rx-7 name, lots of history and recognition behing it. Leave the Rx-8 avialiable if they want to make a four seat car with funky doors. Rx-9 could be for a larger GT car.

My sentiments exactly.

Paul.

I demand an explanation of the meaning behind this smile... I feel like you're hiding something and surprised no one else has questioned it...

i think that Ash had read/heard something like this.

casually is from Oz ;)

an Rx7 is scheduled into this plan

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