robrecht

Having just removed my stock air cleaner element for the first time, I no longer have any faith or confidence or good feeling whatsoever about Mazda engineers succeeding at anything, let alone the next generation rotary engine.

Deslock

I'll be the voice of dissent here... I want a lightweight RWD car with a short wheel base, but I need at least 3 seats. So no MX5 and no 2-seat RX7 for me. If there is an RX9, it'll probably be too heavy for my tastes.

My best case scenario would be for the new RX7 to essentially be the Kabura with the 16x.

Ever Hernandez

Yeah, someone mention it was an old rendering. It doesn't reflect the design direction of future Mazdas.

Sephiroth

If mazda does it right then ill get rid of my sti for the 7.

Tamas

iTrader: (1)

Huh? What happened?

robrecht

It's just a pain in the ***, especially if you have a model with the air hose running over the inlet:

https://www.rx8club.com/series-i-do-yourself-forum-73/diy-easy-removal-air-filter-box-54827/

https://www.rx8club.com/series-i-tech-garage-22/stock-air-filter-removal-73417/

alz0rz

iTrader: (41)

um.. it takes less then a minute to get that airbox out, replace the filter, and get it back in.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nw6Gk0Z8IrA

and all rx8's have that air hose.. it shouldn't be a problem at all it's a vacuum hose for the vfad. jeez.

brillo

I have a hard time believing Mazda would have 3 separate sports cars as small as they are. I think the information on the two projects is likely legit, but I bet on one sees the light of day. Thats the problem with future product rumors, automakers have all kinda of projects going on that never see the light of day as its a function of planning for all contingencies. Thats why we've gotten all these on again off again rx7 rumors. Does mazda have a viable rx7/rx9 car? I'm sure they do, its just a question of do they green light the project.

robrecht

Uh, that's the same video as in the link I posted. I still think the design is a pain in the *** and so did the person who posted the video the first time he had to do it. It's just meant as a little humor, take it easy.

ZoomZoomH

iTrader: (1)

why not? I bet they will be building all 3 off the same assembly line, since the idea is to build all 3 off of the same platform with just minor wheelbase/width differences right? and sharing 1 rotary engine with 2 cars will also increase volume and keep cost down right? I'd actually think this is a GOOD thing for keeping factory workers at Hiroshima busy lol

moRotorMotor

Even if half of this news is true, it would turn the rotary fan base on its head. You remember when people said that when Mazda kills off a rotary model, they don't revive it? There was once an RX-9 and an RX-7.

brillo

its not just the production costs, its also market appetite for sports cars, CAFE effects, and products competition with other products in the mazda portfolio. I'm not trying to be a downer, I want to be wrong believe me, but given my ability to analyze numbers/costs, the general state of the world economy and the automakers, I think we'll be lucky if the rotary survives.

I can make an economic case for a Miata and and RX of some sort, but two RX's would be a stretch.

delhi

I hope Mazda don't make an RX-7. That way I can get that Z4 M Coupe or Cayman S. This rotary thing is getting too addictive.

laulongfei

I don't think RX7 is necessary, but a RX9 isn't a bad idea, 20B with small turbo with RX8 frame(GTR with 350Z frame), but rx9 will be a GTR version of RX8, and best of all it perform better than GTR and look better than rx8. price range should be $70k. compete with Future NSX, Supra, 911 etc

Ever Hernandez

Hell would freeze if that happens in the near future. If Mazda decided not to give us two rotary powered cars and keep the RX series as their only halo car, thats fine.

I see nothing wrong with keeping the Mx5 as the only convertible (and PRHT version) Then, maybe an Mx3 (based off the Kabura) something sporty for the young guns and at the top of the food chain our beloved Rx sports car.

If all three cars -Mx5, Mx3, Rx- were built off the same platform, then ZoomZoom comment makes sense.

LionZoo

Personally I don't think a business case exists for two rotary powered cars. Even though we by and large love the rotary engine, and I know I do, the rotary is damaged goods in the eyes of most consumers. I hope Mazda goes with the 2 seater RX-7 as the primary idea, but that's a selfish idea as that's what I really want. As it is, the next rotary car might not ever see the light of day, though I feel Mazda will make a go of it as they've already put a lot of effort into the 16X. Not to mention Mazda's identity has a lot to with the rotary, despite what the miata.netters will tell you...

Nonetheless, IF Mazda were to make two rotary powered cars, here's how I would do it.

1) RX-7 pure 2 seater sports car. NA 270 hp 16X and 2640 pound weight sounds nice. Basically a coupe Miata with a rotary engine. I have no disagreements with IL, that is exactly what I want.

2) RX-9 flagship sports sedan. Probably a light pressure turbo'd 16X to increase low end power so that you can run taller gearing to lower cruising rpm and improve fuel mileage. In addition, an idle shutoff feature is essential as rotaries burn a lot of fuel at idle. The point here is to try to make something that is more acceptable for the mainstream customer and that means trying to get respectable fuel mileage first and foremost.

Symbioticgenius

Having stock turbos are what caused many of the misconceptions for the rotary engine.
Mostly because immediately you'd have people messing with the boost, turning up the heat, and boom Rotary fails chants wail from the heavens.

I'd agree with every point LionZoo made except the turbo, and I LOVE the idle shutoff idea.

alfy28

I think that would be a dumb move by mazda if they did. you should see how fast porsh and ferrari overheats vs the other front engine cars in Motorsports..

personally Rotary+mid engine= bad combo in the heating dept.

rotarygod

I would never have 2 rotary cars with the RX-7 being the lesser vehicle. It should be the flagship car if there were to be a choice between 2. I also don't see 2 rotary cars coming out. I think we'll see one or the other and quite frankly if it came down to that I'd rather see the RX-8 (9, whatever) die and let the 7 come back. That's the car that would get the most attention and what would truly deserve to be the source of attention. It could be the lighter, more nimble car that could compete against the 370Z. A 4 seater just isn't going to do it. I do like the 8 but if it came down to picking between it and a 7, it's a no brainer. The 7 wins.

PotatoSoup

All this speculation is fine and dandy, but at the end of the day there's nothing to back it up. These days, no new car makes it to market without having been caught by spy photographers or previewed by a "90% production ready" concept. This even goes for currently-shelved projects like the LF-A, next NSX, and even the Subaru/Toyota coupe.

No carmaker just does a "Surprise buttsecks!!" reveal anymore. Everybody at least has some idea of what's coming based on spy shots, car blogs, etc.

Mazda may be "far along in development" in that they have done some design studies and involved a few key suppliers and know what direction they want to go in. But they obviously aren't far enough along in the process to even have mules running around the 'Ring, etc.

With this economic mess worldwide, it seems all known Japanese sports car development projects are on either hold or have been canceled. If it's not already on the market, it isn't going to show up within the next 2 years, which is when the situation might start improving at the EARLIEST.

Don't forget: The RENESIS and RX-8 platform were "far along in development" during the better part of the 1990s, but it wasn't until around 2000 that they got an official green light and full funding.

I'll also remind everyone, once again, that the RX-8 was conceived as a 10-year platform, which is now only in its 6th year. We've got some time to go before we see Mazda's next rotary car.

robrecht

As much as I love my 8, it is just so obvious that the rotary is best showcased in a lightweight 2-seater. Paradoxically perhaps, the 8 would get a lot more realistic reception if there was still a contemporary RX-7 around to undeniably illustrate just how much of a compromise sports car the 8 is. That said, it is truly amazing how well it competed against cars like the 350z and the s2k, but there's just been so much unrealistic disillusionment about the 8 that never needed to be the case.

ZoomZoomH

iTrader: (1)

if the 8 was a pure 2-seater, i would've never bought one, must have 4 seats if it's gonna be my do-everything car, and i think i'm not the only person that had this requirement

and they probably would've sold much less 8's as result.

PotatoSoup

fixed

LionZoo

Yup. I think at the moment it's a hard sell to just have one rotary car, but since that is pretty much Mazda's identity I think they'll go for it. I simply can't see them doing two rotary cars as there's just no business justification and you won't get the market support. However, I was fantasizing about if there were two rotary cars what it would be. I feel a range topping rotary might be better served with a more well rounded vehicle like the old Cosmos. I feel the car market is shifting away from pure sports cars as the flagship and rather going more towards the luxury/sports have it every way except lightweight as a top of the line model. Sometimes it's nice to dream, but then you get taken straight back to reality.

ZoomZoomH

iTrader: (1)

i disagree. there will always be a market for pure sports cars and/or sporty coupes.

the trick for the car companies is to somehow squeeze their sports car program amongst their moneymaking bread and butter vehicles so they don't bleed too much money through it, lol