Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[SEMA 2009: Turbo rotary Mazda MX-5 begs to be flogged]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/05/sema-2009-turbo-rotary-mazda-mx-5-begs-to-be-flogged/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/05/sema-2009-turbo-rotary-mazda-mx-5-begs-to-be-flogged/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/05/sema-2009-turbo-rotary-mazda-mx-5-begs-to-be-flogged/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Turbo Rotary Mazda MX-5 - Click above for high-res image gallery

If you get the impression things are all high gloss and dubs in Vegas, you wouldn't be far off. But walk around the SEMA compound long enough and you come across something cool that that speaks to the gearhead, track rat in each of us.

Unfortunately, we don't have a lot of details about this red NA Mazda MX-5, but we do know it's been worked over by Mike Burlas Designs from Rialto, California, and it has a turbocharged 13B rotary underhood. Further, it has been kitted out with an adjustable suspension, upgraded brakes and what appears to be a fiberglass (or Kevlar) blistered fender kit.

But the crowning jewel is the carbon fiber fastback roof which the company is selling in fiberglass form for $1,800. It's not quite as cool as the MX-5 coupe concept from way-back-when, but it's nice to see the Miata getting some S2000-style fixed roof love in Sin City.


Gallery: SEMA 2009: Turbo Rotary Mazda MX5/Miata

SEMA 2009: Turbo rotary Mazda MX-5 begs to be flogged originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 16:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>13b13b rotary13bRotaryBurlas DesignsBurlasDesignsLas VegasLasVegasMazda MiataMazda MX-5mazda rotaryMazdaMiataMazdaMx-5MazdaRotaryMiataMX-5MX5rotary engineRotaryEngineSemaSema 2009Sema2009wankelThu, 05 Nov 2009 16:20:00 EST<![CDATA[Mazda debuts new-gen Rotary in Taiki show car]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/10/27/mazda-debuts-new-gen-rotary-in-taiki-show-car/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/10/27/mazda-debuts-new-gen-rotary-in-taiki-show-car/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/10/27/mazda-debuts-new-gen-rotary-in-taiki-show-car/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Say what you will about the styling of the Mazda Taiki concept that's currently on display in Tokyo. It's quite possible that what's underneath is more interesting, anyway. Under the hood of the Taiki is a new gen rotary engine from Mazda called the 16X Renesis. Of course, the Rotary engine has its share of detractors, but Mazda's sticking with it anyway.

Further refining Felix Wankel's trochoid wonder, the Renesis (known internally as the 13B-MSP) has been massaged and enlarged for the first time in a very long time. Capacity is now 800cc per rotor, bringing total size up to 1.6 liters. Direct injection allows the 16X Renesis to put out more power and torque while running cleaner than a port injection setup would have allowed. Attention was also paid to reducing the oil consumption that Wankels are known for. The size of the engine is still pony-keg compact, and the rotor housing is now aluminum, which should save a little weight. While the new larger chamber design and direct injection offer more efficiency, it still remains to be seen whether or not the Rotary is capable of modern horsepower numbers without turbochargers (difficult with the side-port design) or swilling fuel like a sailor on shore leave. The 16X may show up in a special version of the current RX-8, or Mazda may hold off until a new RX-8 bows in 2011.

[Source: AutoWeek, Photo: Winding Road]

Gallery: Mazda Taiki

Mazda debuts new-gen Rotary in Taiki show car originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 27 Oct 2007 17:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>13-b13b16x16X renesis16xRenesisMazdaredesignrenesisrotarytaikitokyotokyo motor showTokyoMotorShowwankelSat, 27 Oct 2007 17:52:00 EST<![CDATA[Celebrate 40 years of rotary power with Mazda]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/05/30/celebrate-40-years-of-rotary-power-with-mazda/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/05/30/celebrate-40-years-of-rotary-power-with-mazda/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/05/30/celebrate-40-years-of-rotary-power-with-mazda/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Click image for a gallery of the Mazda Cosmo Sport

The good old internal combustion engine has been in service since the 17th century when Sir Samuel Morland rather impractically used gunpowder to drive water pumps. It was not until 1876 when Nikolaus Otto invented the modern four stroke engine that the internal combustion engine became practical for automobiles, however. Those same four cycles, intake, compression, combustion and exhaust are used in the Wankel rotary engine, although instead of the strokes of a piston the rotary creates it's cycles as a roughly triangular shaped rotor spins inside its housing. Doesn't make sense? Click here.

2007 marks Mazda's 40th in using the rotary engine. Our favorite application of it would have to be the Cosmo Sport, of course. Many of you will choose the RX-7 as a personal favorite. It's also alive in the current RX-8, which even sports a hydrogen-powered version for the alternative fuel crowd. And we'd be remiss if we forgot to mention the jaw-dropping four-rotor 787B racer that won the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Those of us who own, or have owned, a rotary engined vehicle and loved it can take this moment to say "thanks" to Felix Wankel and to Mazda for its commitment to the rotary. Forty years and going strong!

We've assembled four galleries of famous Mazda rotaries, including the Cosmo Sport gallery below, as well as galleries of the RX-7, RX-8 and 787B Le Mans racer.

[Source: Mazda]

Gallery: Mazda Cosmo Sport

Continue reading Celebrate 40 years of rotary power with Mazda

Celebrate 40 years of rotary power with Mazda originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 30 May 2007 13:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>12a13bfelix wankelFelixWankelmazdarotaryrotary engineRotaryEnginerotorrx 7rx 8rx-7rx-8rx7Rx8wankelWed, 30 May 2007 13:25:00 EST<![CDATA[RR of the Day: 1983 Mazda RX-7 GSL]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2006/12/01/rr-of-the-day-1983-mazda-rx-7-gsl/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/12/01/rr-of-the-day-1983-mazda-rx-7-gsl/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/12/01/rr-of-the-day-1983-mazda-rx-7-gsl/#commentsFiled under: , ,



Ah, the RX-7. The first generation, it could be argued, are the best. They were inexpensive, sharp looking, sharper driving and durable. They burst on the scene looking a little like a cross between the Porsche 930 slantnose and the 924 greenhouse and rear end. Flickr member TacitBlue discovered the ersatz-Porsche goodness and affordable thrills of this 1983 RX-7 GSL and realized that it ticked every box on his "perfect car" list. Once he nabbed it, he did the right thing and went right to taking it apart.

Read on for the full story, a list of modifications and more pictures after the jump.

If you'd like to see your own ride featured here, simply upload photos of your ride into our Flickr group. Next week's theme is forced induction, so be sure to add your own unnaturally aspirated whip to the group. Detailed instructions can be found after the jump.

Continue reading RR of the Day: 1983 Mazda RX-7 GSL

RR of the Day: 1983 Mazda RX-7 GSL originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 01 Dec 2006 10:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>12A13BMazdaRotaryRX-7RX7WankelFri, 01 Dec 2006 10:19:00 EST