Mazda could make a rotary-powered sports car.
Mazda has been playing with the future of its rotary engine since the end of production on the Mazda RX-8 in 2012. Is there a new rotary-powered sportscar? It is becoming increasingly difficult to make this a reality. But that doesn’t mean that the engine is dead. Mazda has uploaded a strange video to YouTube that suggests that the Japanese automaker is still using the rotary.
The video, “Rotary’s 50th Anniversary”, is 12 minutes long and features “Mazda Rotary Heritage B-Roll,” which highlights the history of Mazda’s rotary engine. The video is not informative. The video description gives the potential future of the rotary engine at Mazda a possibility, saying “The story is not over with Mazda and Rotary.” We just don’t know how Mazda will use the engine.
Although that’s not a complete list, the automaker has not been silent about its plans for the mill. Mazda stated last month that there is still hope for a rotary engine-powered sports car but that it is not yet in development. Patents that improve the rotary engine’s efficiency, intake efficiency, and other aspects were discovered earlier in the year. Patents also suggested that the mill could be turbocharged.
Mazda’s mixed messaging regarding the and rotary over time haven’t helped speculation. Mazda stated that it intended to use the engine initially as a range extender, but that it has since found the mill much more versatile. Mazda CEO Akira Marumoto stated again in June that the company still wants a rotary-powered sportscar, but it is not a priority since the company focuses on lowering emissions.
A future Mazda vehicle could have a rotary motor. It is not yet clear how Mazda will use it. It could be the range extender that we have been told is coming. Mazda could find the time to work on a rotary-powered sports car. However, the odds are against Mazda.