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Report: No Plans for Mazda RX-8 Successor, Says CEO
This is news from the CEO. My feeling is that if Mazda does a new 6 coupe that will be the nail in the coffin for the rotary. Regulations are just getting too tight, too fast. I would love to see one though and hopefully their engineers are working on it in secret.
This is news from the CEO. My feeling is that if Mazda does a new 6 coupe that will be the nail in the coffin for the rotary. Regulations are just getting too tight, too fast. I would love to see one though and hopefully their engineers are working on it in secret.
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It's really unfortunate, but with the way that piston and electric motors have become, wankels haven't really been able to keep up. As awesome as the tech is, they really never put enough R&D to nail down the reliability and fuel efficiency compared to other newer motors. I'd really like another company to pick up the tech though, as I feel that a more niche company could make some really crazy stuff with the rotary engines without having to worry about shareholders and massive sales figures like Mazda has to worry about.
40th anniversary Edition
Joined: May 2008
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From: Grapevine, Texas
Hey thzpcs, Mazda has put over 46 years of R&D into the rotary, and they have improved the reliability and fuel efficiency over those decades. Changing world emission and mpg standards have challenged Mazda to discover newer tech to keep the rotary a viable powerplant. Having owned seven of them over 41 years and witnessed the continuing progress made, I have no doubt that Mazda engineers can and will solve any issues. There are hints that they have made significant progress on the emissions and fuel efficiency front. Mazda is a very small, niche automaker and it has limited development and manufacturing monies. Money spent on rotary development must come from money they can spend on their other cars.
Right now it makes economic sense for them to focus on their second edition skyactiv cars, that is where they are making their best profits after many years in the red.
Do not expect another company to spend a ton on money on rotary development. Audi has played with it as a hybrid generator single rotor, but that is about it. Mazda owns most of the patents that make a rotary engine work, so anyone else would have to start their own different path or get a licensing agreement with Mazda for its decades of tech. No other automaker will spend the untold millions on a engine with limited return sales potential. That is what it would cost.
Our best hope is that as Mazda continues strong skyactiv sales and profits, it chooses to bring the rotary back. But if not Mazda, then the odds are it will not happen at all.
Right now it makes economic sense for them to focus on their second edition skyactiv cars, that is where they are making their best profits after many years in the red.
Do not expect another company to spend a ton on money on rotary development. Audi has played with it as a hybrid generator single rotor, but that is about it. Mazda owns most of the patents that make a rotary engine work, so anyone else would have to start their own different path or get a licensing agreement with Mazda for its decades of tech. No other automaker will spend the untold millions on a engine with limited return sales potential. That is what it would cost.
Our best hope is that as Mazda continues strong skyactiv sales and profits, it chooses to bring the rotary back. But if not Mazda, then the odds are it will not happen at all.
The CEO already clarified what he meant, because all the magazines interpreted it wrong. (Not much of a surprise there)
From RotaryNews FB page:
In an effort to clear up where the Rotary Engine currently stands at Mazda, RotaryNews.Com sat down today for an exclusive interview with Mazda CEO, Masamichi Kogai-San. Kogai-San has been misquoted in articles that have appeared over the last few days, so we wanted to clear waters.
The chat was short and concise and focused exclusively on the Rotary Engine. The following is the key messaging quotes Kogai-San wanted to convey on the future of RE at Mazda:
"I can tell you that Mazda IS proceeding with the research and development of the Rotary Engine, and the team doing the work does exist"
"as part of our responsibility (as the only manufacturer who has successfully commercialized the RE) , I do not think Mazda is allowed to discontinue the development of the Rotary Engine. But at the present time Mazda has no specific program or project (assigned) for the Rotary Engine, but Mazda will continue to explore all potential uses for the Rotary Engine."
Essentially no specific RE project has been green-lighted at Mazda, but we left the interview very optimistic at the future of RE at the company, and we were pleasantly surprised with the passion Kogai-San demonstrated for the little engine that could. So now you know!
In an effort to clear up where the Rotary Engine currently stands at Mazda, RotaryNews.Com sat down today for an exclusive interview with Mazda CEO, Masamichi Kogai-San. Kogai-San has been misquoted in articles that have appeared over the last few days, so we wanted to clear waters.
The chat was short and concise and focused exclusively on the Rotary Engine. The following is the key messaging quotes Kogai-San wanted to convey on the future of RE at Mazda:
"I can tell you that Mazda IS proceeding with the research and development of the Rotary Engine, and the team doing the work does exist"
"as part of our responsibility (as the only manufacturer who has successfully commercialized the RE) , I do not think Mazda is allowed to discontinue the development of the Rotary Engine. But at the present time Mazda has no specific program or project (assigned) for the Rotary Engine, but Mazda will continue to explore all potential uses for the Rotary Engine."
Essentially no specific RE project has been green-lighted at Mazda, but we left the interview very optimistic at the future of RE at the company, and we were pleasantly surprised with the passion Kogai-San demonstrated for the little engine that could. So now you know!
40th anniversary Edition
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 2,951
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From: Grapevine, Texas
I have faith that there will be a rotary car in the automotive world future. It is what gave Mazda is identity and yes, as the CEO said, it is part of their responsibility to continue development.
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