Mazda will not let the rotary engine die with the current RX-8, sources tell IL. The company is well along in development of its next-generation RX-7, fitted with a front midship-mounted 16X rotary engine. The engine will generate upward of 270 horsepower from a normally aspirated power unit, they say.
The new twin-rotor engine will feature an 800cc x 2 configuration, up from the current 13B's 654cc x 2 format, while improving fuel economy by 20 percent.
By building such an engine, Mazda is looking to clean up a rotary image that was fraught with poor economy and emissions and excessive oil use.
The next RX-7's transmission is also all new. It's a twin-clutch, two-pedal six-speed unit with a twist that allows drivers to set the revs at which the clutches engage.
Engineers are also reportedly working on weight issues. By developing a new chassis, they have been able to shed some 220 pounds, reducing the RX-7's curb weight to the 2,640-pound range, according to one source.
Inside Line says: After the recent cancellation of the Honda S2000 and the V10-equipped Acura NSX project, the prospect of another Mazda RX-7 is exciting news indeed. — Peter Lyon, Correspondent
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sebastianmack says:
10:10 PM, 05/27/2010
The RX7 name alone brings back exceptionally fond memories of my time with a 1981 FB model. Bring back the rotary powered car true to its roots! Small, light, lean, and aerodynamic with a no bull**** design! Seriously call it retro if you must but the first generation had the balance just right. It wasn't much to do with numbers either. Its about the feel! The thing felt like a futuristic landspeeder and enticed drivers with its thin sexy body and overall smallness. It felt as though it was an extension of one's own body. Saddly I'm sure Mazda will screw their last chance up with an unrefined amalgamation of all sorts of design cues deriving largely from ever beefier "thick" designs. 16X needs a light, aerodynamic home thats no bigger than a miata. Damnit this should be obvious but the rx8's sheer existence has me questioning Mazda's engineers and design teams.
clough132 says:
11:28 AM, 05/15/2010
Long live RX-7 and Mazda Sports cars