Automotive News is reporting that Mazda has stopped production of its RX-8 sports car due to lackluster sales and ever tighter global emissions standards. Mazda managed to move a mere 1,134 of the models last year, and 2011 hasn't treated the rotary any better. Sales are down 21 percent through July. The Japanese automaker was forced to remove the model from European showrooms last year after it failed to meet emissions standards, and the com
Fear not, rotaryphiles. According to a report from The Detroit News, Mazda isn't giving up on the rotary engine anytime soon. Though the RX-8 is headed for the production guillotine, Mazda execs have apparently confirmed that engineers are working on a more efficient and more powerful version of the Wankel. While the project was technically back-burnered during the economic downturn, the research wasn't canned outright. That means that there'
Mazda Kabura Concept – Click above for high-res image gallery
Renesis rotary engine in 2009 Mazda RX-8 – Click above for high-res image gallery
Quite a few automakers have had success with certified pre-owned used car programs, and now Mazda is jumping on board by offering a CPO plan of its own. After all, used vehicles that have passed a rigorous inspection are more attractive to potential buyers, even though certified cars commonly carry a heavier price tag than their non-inspected lot mates.
Porsche 911 Turbo – Click above for high-res image gallery
2009 Mazda RX-8 – Click above for high-res image gallery
2009 Mazda RX-8 – Click above for high-res image gallery
Mazda Furai Concept – Click above for high-res image gallery
Mazda Furai Concept – Click above for high-res image gallery
Mazda RX-8 R3 - Click above for high-res image gallery
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.
BMI Racing Mazda RX-8 four-rotor - Click above for high-res image gallery
2009 Mazda RX-8 - Click above for high-res image gallery
According to The New York Times' Wheels blog, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is currently in the early stages of investigating issues involving the 2005 Ford F-150 and 2004-2008 Mazda RX-8 models equipped with manual transmissions.
Mazda RX-8 R3 - Click above for high-res image gallery
Mazda's Wankel rotary engine has always been unique in the automotive landscape as a mass-produced internal combustion engine that eschews such unsightly items as pistons, valves and camshafts. The Wankel packs lots of power into a very small package, but one thing it's never been is fuel efficient, despite its relatively meager 1.3-liters of displacement. It seems the Japanese automaker is working hard to change that reputation with the next ge
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Mazda is in a unique position in the automobile world with its rotary engine. The Wankel engine happens to run rather well on hydrogen and is not as susceptible to many of hydrogen's shortcomings as other internal combustion engines. The Japanese automaker has had hydrogen-fueled rotary-powered cars on the roads for the last few years and the automaker has previously suggested that it hopes to have a hydrogen-fueled car in production Jeremy Korzeniewski
