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Mazda Stops Production of the Last Rotary Engine Powered Car
Hugh Pickens writes "After a 45-year production run, Mazda Motor Corp announced that the latest edition of the Mazda RX-8 will end production in June 2012. The Japanese automaker ... introduced its first rotary engine car in 1967 and is the only automaker in the world that makes rotary engine vehicles, once the darling of the automotive industry. Such engines have fewer moving parts and are quieter than comparable piston engines but are more expensive to manufacture and consume more fuel. Cumulative sales of Mazda vehicles with rotary engines total about 1.995 million but Mazda sold only 2,896 RX-8 cars last year, with 1,245 of them in North America and 963 in Japan. 'Although R-X production is ending, the rotary engine will always represent the spirits of Mazda, and Mazda remains committed to its ongoing development,' says Mazda Chief Executive and President Takashi Yamanouchi recalling the victory of Mazda's rotary engine at Le Mans 20 years ago... Mazda does not have flashy green technologies in its lineup that its bigger Japanese rivals do — such as the hybrids at Toyota Motor Corp. or electric vehicles at Nissan Motor Co. The fading away of its prized rotary engine — although largely symbolic — is yet another blow."
The displacement number in rotary engines is quite misleading. The design is so different than a piston based engine that it's not a fair comparison. You're getting more power because you're getting more power strokes per rotation. Because you're getting more power strokes, you're doing more intake strokes (more fuel). So while power/displacement ratio is better, that doesn't necessarily affect the power/fuel ratio at all.
technology coming down the pike. the new diesels look especially intriguing. And it appears the rotary isn't dead, it's just restin'.
Never let a lack of data get in the way of a good rant.
Reality check, the upcoming CX5 will be far and away the most fuel efficient AWD vehicle available in North America when it's introduced later this year. In 2013 (2014 model year) if they bring the Skyactiv diesel to the US like they've announced then you will be able to get an ~42mpg AWD crossover. They are doing this without the very expensive and environmentally dubious hybrid or electric drivetrains, just good old fashioned engineering.
There are 4 boxes to use in the defense of liberty: soap, ballot, jury, ammo. Use in that order. Starting now.
The advantages of the rotary engine are power (relative to weight) and simplicity. Even though the rotary engine has fewer moving parts than a piston engine, service life is LESS. In theory, IF there were many manufacturers competing and making interchangeable parts, rotary engines might become cheap enough to be disposable. But with Mazda as the only game in town, forget it.
As engines evolved, people discovered it was easier to reduce the weight of a piston engine than to build a long-life rotary engine. Of all the components that can fail in a car, the pistons, engine blocks, rings, rods, valves, fuel injectors, and camshafts are normally good for the life of the vehicle. With the possible exception of timing belts, the simplicity of the rotary engine does not translate to lower maintenance cost because the admittedly complicated piston engines are generally quite reliable.
One of my former flatmates had a RX-7, he used to keep a spare engine on the landing.
Riding with him was always an adrenaline pumping experience, he lived in inner city Melbourne (Australia) and used to make a point of dragging off trams and pulling in front of them at intersections, accellerating and breaking heavily on tram tracks so as not to run the red light, with several tonnes of tram having to break heavily behind him so as not to rear end him.
Sara
Designer, Gamer, Macgrrl in an XP World
No offence, but your former flatmate sounds like a complete dickhead.
As someone who has experienced Melbourne trams having to break hard to avoid an accident which resulted in all the passengers being hurled forwards (some off their feet) it is just not cool.
http://www.zombieapocalypse.tv/
Mazda is just not producing anymore renesis rotary engines. Does not mean they are not producing a new rotary engine. "Thank you so much for all your supportive messages concerning the RX-8 and the rotary engine! We are also excited. Mazda is aiming to achieve a breakthrough with the ‘Skyactiv’ technology, and we are zealously working on new models to house the next generation rotary engine. Thank you for your continued support!" http://carscoop.blogspot.com/2011/10/mazda-pr-tweets-that-company-is-working.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Carscoop+(CARSCOOP) This article is so wrong on so many levels that its funny.