Autoblog

Report: Mazda rotary reportedly at least a year behind schedule, but work continues

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 18:01:00 EST

Renesis rotary engine in 2009 Mazda RX-8 - Click above for high-res image gallery

"We will never give up," says Mitsuo Hitomi, general manager of Mazda's powertrain division, referring to the automaker's long-running investment into the rotary engine. This vote of confidence in Felix Wankel's replacement for displacement will surely come as welcome news to rotor-heads the world over, but that doesn't mean there aren't problems in World of Wankel.

Apparently, the so-called 16X engine, which is the latest take on the pony-keg-sized engine that spins into the stratosphere, is failing to meet emissions requirements set by the engineering team at Mazda, despite the fact that it is 30 percent more fuel efficient than the previous Renesis rotary. Impressively, Hitomi stated that the 1.6-liter 16X is slightly more fuel efficient than the automaker's standard 2.0-liter gas engine.

It would seem that the rotary's well-known thirst for fuel has at least partly been quenched, but until the 16X is tuned to hit its emissions targets we can expect it to stay in the engineering department and off the showroom floor. So, when might we see a new rotary-powered machine from Mazda? "Maybe within two years we can tell you when we will introduce it to the market," responds Hitomi.

Now, let the debate continue as to what kind of body and platform that engine will be featured in...

Gallery: 2009 Mazda RX-8 R3

[Source: Automotive News - Sub. Req'd]

Report: Mazda rotary reportedly at least a year behind schedule, but work continues originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 21 Oct 2010 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mazda RX-8 to exit U.S. market after 2011 model year?

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Wed, 05 May 2010 12:31:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Mazda, Rumormill

2009 Mazda RX-8 - Click above for high-res image gallery

According to "a well placed source at Mazda's North American Operations," Motor Trend is reporting that the aging RX-8 is set to exit stage left here in the States after the 2011 model year. As it is, the rotary-powered sportscar is slated to see the European guillotine at the same time due to its inability to meet Euro V emissions standards.

There are a number of issues that all manufacturers that have chosen to borrow the rotary engine design from Felix Wankel have had to deal with, not the least of which have been poor fuel efficiency, comparatively high exhaust emissions and excessive oil consumption. It seems that these same long-running plagues may kill off yet another fun-to-drive rotary-powered model from Mazda.

Mazda has not made any formal announcements as to the death of the RX-8 or the rebirth of the perennially rumored RX-7 revival. That said, we'd be more than a little shocked if Mazda didn't renew its commitment to the high-revving, barrel-shaped rotary engine wrapped up in some sort of innovative package within the next few model years. We'll see.

Gallery: 2009 Mazda RX-8 R3

[Source: Motor Trend]

Mazda RX-8 to exit U.S. market after 2011 model year? originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 05 May 2010 12:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Next Mazda RX-7 in development, but don't hold your breath

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 19:57:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Mazda, Rumormill, Diesel

Mazda Furai Concept - Click above for high-res image gallery

It's the rumor that just refuses to die. We're not sure if that means there's a lot of truth behind it or it's just wishful thinking, but once again we're hearing that Mazda is hard at work on a new RX-7 sportscar. And while you might think such a vehicle would be as easy as adding a turbocharger to the existing Renesis-powered RX-8 and jettisoning the back seat (or pulling a Kabura with the MX-5's platform), Mazda apparently has much more grandiose intentions for its next range-topping sportscar.

According to Motor Trend, Mazda's oft-talked-about 16X rotary engine is now capable of running on either gasoline or diesel with nary a difference in performance. We have to wonder about the accuracy of such claims, but if true, perhaps running on diesel or biofuels would give Mazda the eco-cred it's aiming for - specifically boosted fuel economy and lower CO2 output. In any case, MT says that Mazda is aiming for something north of 300 horsepower with improved fuel consumption, emissions and oil intake over the current Renesis.

As ever, we're taking a wait-and-see approach to these continuing rumors. As much as we'd love to see a new RX on the scene, we're beginning to wonder if it's ever going to happen. In the meantime, enjoy the photo gallery of the too-awesome-for-words Mazda Furai concept.

Gallery: Mazda Furai Concept

[Source: Motor Trend]

Report: Next Mazda RX-7 in development, but don't hold your breath originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 22 Apr 2010 19:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Mazda RX-8 denied re-entry into Europe

Damon Lavrinc — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 14:32:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Europe, Mazda

Mazda RX-8 R3 - Click above for high-res image gallery

According to the crew at Auto Motor und Sport, the Mazda RX-8 won't be coming back to Europe for the 2011 model year. Why? The rev-rific rotary can't pass the Euro-5 emission standards and a replacement won't arrive until 2013.

Mazda Germany exec, Joseph Alois Schmid, told AMuS that retrofitting the current engine would be too cost prohibitive and the Wankel can't adapt quickly enough to Europe's stringent emission standards.

Although a replacement is in the works - and a hydrogen version could arrive within the next few years - the next rotary mill will have to be significantly reworked to adhere to the new standards. But even a revised rotary could have problems in 2014, when the new Euro 6 emission rules take effect.

Gallery: 2009 Mazda RX-8 R3

[Source: Auto Motor und Sport via TTAC]

Report: Mazda RX-8 denied re-entry into Europe originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 14 Apr 2010 14:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mazda RX-8 to die as RX-7 resurfaces for 2012?

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 12:45:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Mazda, Rumormill

The rumormill just can't stop churning out stories of an impending Mazda RX-7 revival. We've been hearing that we should expect the rotary-powered sports car any day now... for the last few years. It's still yet to show its smiling face. Still, here we are with another report indicating that the next RX-7 is just around the corner, this time as a 2011 or 2012 model.

Inside Line reports that the birth of the two-seat Mazda RX-7 will mean the death of the current four-door, four-seat RX-8 that's been in circulation since 2004. Furthermore, the gang in Santa Monica says that next-gen rotary sportscar may not up the performance ante of either the last twin-turbo RX-7 or even the current RX-8's 1.3-liter 232-horsepower Renesis engine. This, despite earlier rumors that the latest 1.6-liter 16X powerplant was kicking out as much as 350 horses while still achieving superior fuel economy over its forebears.

Mazda could instead return to the ethos of the first RX-7 from 1979, fielding a lightweight two-seater powered by a new version of the Wankel producing somewhere between 200 and 250 horsepower. If true, we can expect the next RX-7 to cost somewhere around $25,000 and be positioned against cars like the Hyundai Genesis Coupe and the upcoming RWD Toyota/Subaru.

Gallery: 2009 Mazda RX-8 R3

[Source: Inside Line]

Mazda RX-8 to die as RX-7 resurfaces for 2012? originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 26 Dec 2009 12:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SEMA 2009: World's only known four-rotor Mazda RX-8

Frank Filipponio — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 09:40:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, Motorsports, SEMA Show, Coupe, Performance, Mazda

BMI Racing Mazda RX-8 four-rotor - Click above for high-res image gallery

We came across this RX-8 at SEMA and it immediately rang a bell. Time Attack, four-rotor, Mazda RX-8? It's the BMI Racing car we saw on Streetfire a while back. It's said to be the only four-rotor RX-8 in the world and it looks and sounds incredible. Don't believe us? You can see a couple of videos after the jump and judge for yourself.

Gallery: SEMA 2009: 4-Rotor Mazda RX-8

Continue reading SEMA 2009: World's only known four-rotor Mazda RX-8

SEMA 2009: World's only known four-rotor Mazda RX-8 originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 09:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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REPORT: Mazda's next-generation rotary needs more work

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Mazda

2009 Mazda RX-8 - Click above for high-res image gallery

Though the rotary engine certainly has its fair share of detractors, many who find themselves behind the wheel of a Wankel-powered machine from Mazda fall in love with the engine's zippy and rev-happy characteristics... including this particular blogger, who purchased a new RX-8 back in 2004. Regardless, nobody can deny that the rotary has always been a thirsty little bugger, especially when compared to powerplants with similarly rated displacements.

We've been hearing for the last few years - and seemingly every other time a new rendition of the Wankel engine came to market - that the next version of Mazda's rotary would address complaints about its high fuel consumption and emissions. Perhaps the early projections about the so-called 16X engine were a wee bit premature. According to Seita Kanai, head of R&D at Mazda:

The 16X demonstrated the possibility, but that performance is not good enough. We are doing R&D which will incorporate more new technology... The 16X is more a profile of a rotary still in our concept stage. It needs more evolution.

That really doesn't sound all that confidence inspiring to us. At this point, only time will tell if the 16X will actually be ready for prime time when the long-rumored next-gen rotary-powered car from Mazda hits the scene in 2012 or so.

Gallery: 2009 Mazda RX-8 R3

[Source: Automotive News - Sub. Req'd]

REPORT: Mazda's next-generation rotary needs more work originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 23 Oct 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Review: 2009 Mazda RX-8 R3, return of the "hummer"

Sam Abuelsamid — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 12:38:00 EST

Filed under: In the Autoblog Garage, Performance, Mazda

2009 Mazda RX-8 R3 - Click above for high-res image gallery

Hard as it may be to believe, the word "hummer" didn't always bring up visions of obnoxious, polarizing SUVs. In fact, there was a time not so very long ago that uttering that word evoked something entirely different, namely cars powered by Wankel rotary engines. For the past three decades, the world's sole purveyor of rotary-powered automobiles has been Mazda. The "Zoom-Zoom" brand has always been a little different from its compatriots. Back in 1963, a young Kenichi Yamamoto was heading up the research department at Mazda and latched on to the concept developed a decade earlier by Felix Wankel.

Just as two-stroke engines were all the rage for a time in the early 1990s and fuel cells in the middle of this decade, the Wankel rotary seemed to be the next big thing in the 1960s and early '70s. For a time it seemed every major automaker had licensed the design from Wankel and was trying to commercialize it. Some like NSU did build rotaries while General Motors and Daimler Benz built an assortment of concept cars. By the mid-'70s, all had given up except Yamamoto-san and Mazda. From the original 1967 Cosmo, Mazda has built an unbroken string of hummers culminating with the recently updated 2009 RX-8 R3. The pony-keg sized power plant isn't the only unique element of the RX-8, which you can read all about that after the jump.

Gallery: Review: 2009 Mazda RX-8 R3

Continue reading Review: 2009 Mazda RX-8 R3, return of the "hummer"

Review: 2009 Mazda RX-8 R3, return of the "hummer" originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 08 Oct 2008 12:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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UK to get updated RX-8 starting in late August

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 16:24:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Coupe, Performance, Mazda, UK

Click above for more high-res images of the 2009 RX-8

Buyers in the U.K. are about to get their first crack at the revised 2009 Mazda RX-8, as the quad-door sportscar officially goes on sale in late August. All RX-8's destined for the U.K. will get the full body-kit that's optional in other markets. We've already seen all the images of the only rotary-powered mass market car in the world that we can stand, so lets move on to what's changed under the skin. Shorter final drive gearing combined with a steeper (numerically lower) sixth gear will allow the high-strung engine to reach its power-band earlier in gears one through five while still maintaining reasonable revs when cruising in sixth. New Recaro sport seats spice up the cabin and 19-inch rims with rotor-shaped spokes add some flair to the exterior.

Though power levels remain unchanged, the Renesis rotary engine sees minor revisions as well, with improved cooling as one main feature. Also updated are the oil metering pump -- all rotary engines ingest oil during normal operation -- and computer software which limits high-speed operation until the velvety-smooth powerplant has reached a proper operating temperature, likely to improve reliability somewhat. All in all, the '09 update of the sports coupe is pretty thorough, though the result is still instantly recognizable as an RX-8.

[Source: Mazda U.K.]

Continue reading UK to get updated RX-8 starting in late August

UK to get updated RX-8 starting in late August originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 14 Jul 2008 16:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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More proof that Mazda RX-8 owners want to be Ferrari owners

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 08:58:00 EST

Filed under: Performance, Etc., Supercars, Mazda, Ferrari, Humor

Click above for more shots of the Mazda-rrari RX-8

Thanks to an astute reader, we now have further proof that owners of Mazda's rotary powered RX-8 wish they were driving a Ferrari instead. Not that we blame them or anything, as the Prancing Horse has been plastered on many of the finest sportscars that this world has ever seen. What we don't recommend, however, is actually attempting to replicate a Ferrari of your own with a Mazda RX-8, as the owner of said car seen in our gallery has done. It's not that the car is an RX-8, a fine vehicle in its own right,- but a Ferrari it is not. The rotary is a fun engine to wring out on the way to its 9,000 RPM redline, but it just doesn't quite match the aural pleasure that a fine Italian V12 is able to deliver.

This particular Mazda-rrari was caught at a mall in Denton, Texas, and we believe it's probably the only one in existence. Before you get real upset about all that's been done to it though, remember that it could be worse. Much, much worse. Just don't tell the guys in Maranello, they tend to get rather upset about this kind of thing. Thanks for the tip, David!

Gallery: Mazda-rrari RX-8

More proof that Mazda RX-8 owners want to be Ferrari owners originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 11 Jun 2008 08:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mazda extends rotary warranty on RX-8 to 100k miles

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 10:28:00 EST

Filed under: Maintenance, Coupe, Performance, I.C.E., Marketing/Advertising, Recalls, Mazda

Click above for high-res gallery of the 2009 Mazda RX-8.

You've got to hand it to Mazda for its perseverance with the Wankel rotary engine design. Ever since it's engineers managed to make it semi-reliable, the turbine-like smoothness of the quick-spinning lump has seen duty in numerous Mazda-branded vehicles, and even a few others as well. Still, despite constant engineering work and updates to the basic rotary engine design, there is a lingering question about the reliability of the design. Most owners seem happy with the engines in their RX, that is, until a seal blows or they forget to keep the oil supply topped up and it fails to restart. Or it floods in the winter, needing a tow. Alright... so there may be a few problems.

To ease the minds of RX-8 owners and owners-to-be, Mazda has reportedly decided to extend the warranty coverage for the 2004-2008 Renesis rotary engine for a period of eight years or 100,000 miles. Mazda even goes so far as to offer reimbursement to those who've spent money on engine repairs before 100,000 miles. This seems like a nice measure made in good faith on Mazda's part. After all, most educated owners of the rotary-powered cars knew what they were getting when these purchases were made, and the engine was already covered under the same basic warranty that comes standard with all Mazda vehicles. Nice work, Mazda.

In the interest of full disclosure, this particular blogger bought an RX-8 new in 2004, though it was sold two years later.

Gallery: 2009 Mazda RX-8 R3

[Source: RX8Club.com]

Mazda extends rotary warranty on RX-8 to 100k miles originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 05 Jun 2008 10:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Detroit 2008: 2009 Mazda RX-8

Damon Lavrinc — Sun, 13 Jan 2008 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Coupe, Mazda

Click the image above for a gallery of the 2009 Mazda RX-8.

Mazda's redesigned RX-8 has officially been released into the wild and, surprise, it's exactly the same as the RS model that debuted at the Tokyo Auto Salon, right down to the wheels. Mazda admits that the 2009 RX-8 is simply a mild evolution of the outgoing model, with a few changes to the exterior and interior, along with a couple of mechanical revisions and a new suspension package.

On the outside, the RX-8's shape is largely unchanged, with a new front and rear bumper, restyled front fascia and larger exhaust pipes. Inside, Mazda has redone the instrument panel and included a "variable red-zone" on the tach that indicates when the Wankel is up to operating temperature (similar to BMW's M-powered products).

Follow the jump for more...

Gallery: 2009 Mazda RX-8 R3

Continue reading Detroit 2008: 2009 Mazda RX-8

Detroit 2008: 2009 Mazda RX-8 originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 13 Jan 2008 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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