It's not time to write the Rotary engine's obituary quite yet, says Mazda
09-14-2007, 07:58 AM
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It's not time to write the Rotary engine's obituary quite yet, says Mazda
The new issue of Sports Car International (Nov '07) has a great piece about Mazda and the rotary engine—"Past, Present, Future"—by Dan Carney. The article talks about how Mazda has always proudly identified itself with the rotary engine, and continues to do so. It then goes on to talk about the RX-8—here's an excerpt:
But customers have been puzzled by the RX-8, with its humpbacked styling and rear-hinged mini-doors for access to the back seat, and sales volumes have never grown to the level where the future of the rotary would seem secure. "In terms of volume, the RX-8 is marginal," conceded (Jay) Amestoy (Mazda's VP of Public Affairs).
Yet today the company promises that come what may, Mazda will not abandon its signature engine design. "The rotary is going to stay alive and well as the heartbeat of Mazda," promised Jim O'Sullivan, President and CEO of Mazda Motors North America. Sports-car enthusiasts pine for a return of the two-seat RX-7, built this time with today's cleaner, more cost-effective, non-turbocharged Renesis engine and potentially sharing suspension components with the MX-5. Mazda won't comment on the likelihood of that scenario playing out, but enthusiasts will like Mazda's next rotary model, assured Amestoy. "It will be a sporty application," he revealed. Whether that is the true sports car the faithful await remains to be seen.
Ironically, the same factors of fuel economy and emission control that nearly killed the rotary engine in the '70s may contribute to its future success. While engineers the world over seek ways to employ alternative clean fuels, the rotary enjoys a little-known benefit: "The rotary engine is the only one you can run on hydrogen and gasoline without doing anything to it," pointed out O'Sullivan. Rotary engines will even run on kerosene, positioning them to potentially use biodiesel fuel.
But customers have been puzzled by the RX-8, with its humpbacked styling and rear-hinged mini-doors for access to the back seat, and sales volumes have never grown to the level where the future of the rotary would seem secure. "In terms of volume, the RX-8 is marginal," conceded (Jay) Amestoy (Mazda's VP of Public Affairs).
Yet today the company promises that come what may, Mazda will not abandon its signature engine design. "The rotary is going to stay alive and well as the heartbeat of Mazda," promised Jim O'Sullivan, President and CEO of Mazda Motors North America. Sports-car enthusiasts pine for a return of the two-seat RX-7, built this time with today's cleaner, more cost-effective, non-turbocharged Renesis engine and potentially sharing suspension components with the MX-5. Mazda won't comment on the likelihood of that scenario playing out, but enthusiasts will like Mazda's next rotary model, assured Amestoy. "It will be a sporty application," he revealed. Whether that is the true sports car the faithful await remains to be seen.
Ironically, the same factors of fuel economy and emission control that nearly killed the rotary engine in the '70s may contribute to its future success. While engineers the world over seek ways to employ alternative clean fuels, the rotary enjoys a little-known benefit: "The rotary engine is the only one you can run on hydrogen and gasoline without doing anything to it," pointed out O'Sullivan. Rotary engines will even run on kerosene, positioning them to potentially use biodiesel fuel.
Last edited by New Yorker; 09-14-2007 at 08:09 AM.
09-14-2007, 10:40 AM
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ok heres the one thinking outside the box.if the 8 can burn flexfuel i would think if they bumped up the spark,changed the timng a little,redo the intake a little more this car could haul *** w/300whp and a 21-34 mpg!but this is outside the box and might **** off a few here and there making there money off the gas guz tax and such.i love my car the way it is but if they pull some hp out of it and some more mpg?hell i would pay a little more for that kind of wish come true!would you not?
09-14-2007, 10:51 AM
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it'll be weird when our cars start getting called 1st Gen RX-8's.
09-14-2007, 11:28 AM
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ok heres the one thinking outside the box.if the 8 can burn flexfuel i would think if they bumped up the spark,changed the timng a little,redo the intake a little more this car could haul *** w/300whp and a 21-34 mpg!but this is outside the box and might **** off a few here and there making there money off the gas guz tax and such.i love my car the way it is but if they pull some hp out of it and some more mpg?hell i would pay a little more for that kind of wish come true!would you not?
09-14-2007, 01:44 PM
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09-14-2007, 02:09 PM
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I just shat myself
I'm really intrigued by the hydrogen aspect. But the large problem remains, how to store significant amounts of hydrogen safely. It can't come from a tank, it'll have to be created on-demand from other materials/chemicals...
![](http://rotarynews.com/images/fullsize/2004010_1027p.jpg" src="http://rotarynews.com/images/fullsize/2004010_1027p.jpg)
09-14-2007, 02:49 PM
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I'd love a hydrogen powered RX8.
I believe we actually have materials that can be used for the storage of hydrogen. I've read that some metal can be cooled and saturated with hydrogen, and it stays stable and safely contained in the metal until you heat it up, which causes the hydrogen to be released.
Hydrogen isn't as dangerous as everyone seems to think. yeah, it can cause a pretty bad fire, and sometimes a tank can explode. but really, doesn't gasoline have the exact same problems, with the added danger of how a liquid can splash on you and continue to burn in a manner a gas cannot?
The real problem with hydrogen is there's no good way to produce it in mass quantities. If we could make hydrogen at 5 cents a cubic foot, I'm sure we'd be using it, even without an entirely safe storage system.
I believe we actually have materials that can be used for the storage of hydrogen. I've read that some metal can be cooled and saturated with hydrogen, and it stays stable and safely contained in the metal until you heat it up, which causes the hydrogen to be released.
Hydrogen isn't as dangerous as everyone seems to think. yeah, it can cause a pretty bad fire, and sometimes a tank can explode. but really, doesn't gasoline have the exact same problems, with the added danger of how a liquid can splash on you and continue to burn in a manner a gas cannot?
The real problem with hydrogen is there's no good way to produce it in mass quantities. If we could make hydrogen at 5 cents a cubic foot, I'm sure we'd be using it, even without an entirely safe storage system.
09-14-2007, 03:19 PM
#18
I just shat myself
Gas will burn like crazy, but it's not very explosive in our minimally pressurized tanks..
Take a look at this video and tell me if you'd feel safe having this 4 feet behind your head..
Propane Tank on a rope
Take a look at this video and tell me if you'd feel safe having this 4 feet behind your head..
Propane Tank on a rope
09-14-2007, 03:48 PM
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Gas will burn like crazy, but it's not very explosive in our minimally pressurized tanks..
Take a look at this video and tell me if you'd feel safe having this 4 feet behind your head..
Propane Tank on a rope
Take a look at this video and tell me if you'd feel safe having this 4 feet behind your head..
Propane Tank on a rope
09-14-2007, 04:04 PM
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why does everyone scream 'WHERES THE TURBO??"
this is a valid future project of our engine, it turns out it will greatly help the future of alternative fuels, to me this is nothing short of fantastic news.
this is a valid future project of our engine, it turns out it will greatly help the future of alternative fuels, to me this is nothing short of fantastic news.
09-14-2007, 04:42 PM
#24
I'd love a hydrogen powered RX8.
I believe we actually have materials that can be used for the storage of hydrogen. I've read that some metal can be cooled and saturated with hydrogen, and it stays stable and safely contained in the metal until you heat it up, which causes the hydrogen to be released.
Hydrogen isn't as dangerous as everyone seems to think. yeah, it can cause a pretty bad fire, and sometimes a tank can explode. but really, doesn't gasoline have the exact same problems, with the added danger of how a liquid can splash on you and continue to burn in a manner a gas cannot?
The real problem with hydrogen is there's no good way to produce it in mass quantities. If we could make hydrogen at 5 cents a cubic foot, I'm sure we'd be using it, even without an entirely safe storage system.
I believe we actually have materials that can be used for the storage of hydrogen. I've read that some metal can be cooled and saturated with hydrogen, and it stays stable and safely contained in the metal until you heat it up, which causes the hydrogen to be released.
Hydrogen isn't as dangerous as everyone seems to think. yeah, it can cause a pretty bad fire, and sometimes a tank can explode. but really, doesn't gasoline have the exact same problems, with the added danger of how a liquid can splash on you and continue to burn in a manner a gas cannot?
The real problem with hydrogen is there's no good way to produce it in mass quantities. If we could make hydrogen at 5 cents a cubic foot, I'm sure we'd be using it, even without an entirely safe storage system.
09-14-2007, 08:43 PM
#25
Having owned 3 generations of the wankel, I'll always take the blower-driven motor over the N/A, turbo lag and all that comes with it.