Mazda to Scrap Rotary Engines

ajmat · 7th October 2011, 14:37

Mazda will stop producing vehicles with its signature rotary engines in June next year because of poor sales and the costs of meeting emissions standards.

The firm said the latest edition of the RX-8, the only model in its line-up with the rotary engine, will go on sale on November 24, targeting sales of 1,000 vehicles, but will end production in June 2012.

Mazda, which introduced its first rotary engine car in 1967, is the only car maker in the world that makes vehicles with rotary engines. They have fewer moving parts and are quieter than comparable piston engines but are more expensive to manufacture and consume more fuel.

Mazda's decision underlines how consumer tastes are changing to preferring green vehicles over sporty ones

Source - The Independent

sgiitk · 7th October 2011, 15:10

Very sad day for motoring. I was looking forward to a few Wankel's once Mazda came to our shores.

srishiva · 7th October 2011, 15:49

Not surprised. They were lighter no doubt, but customers wouldn't care for any of this and was not cheaper. Having driven one on Mazda for a person driving the car, it doesn't make any difference. Piston engines themselves come with so many different behaviours.

MileCruncher · 8th October 2011, 13:49

Damn!

Wenkel engines are the forefront of technology and also produce much higher BHP/Litre compared to a normal piston engine. How I wish wenkel engines were adopted in F1 thereby leading to further innovations in this field.

Cheers

John · 8th October 2011, 15:07

Wonder what happened to our indegenous Wankel engine that was designed and built for the Nishant UAV?

However it appears that Mazda is not giving up the Wankel engine -
“Although RX-8 production is ending, the rotary engine will always represent the spirit of Mazda and Mazda remains committed to its ongoing development," Mazda CEO Takashi Yamanouchi said, suggesting that a Wankel rotary-powered car from the Japanese automaker could eventually return."

devarshi84 · 8th October 2011, 17:19

Wankels will be missed. Smaller engines and bigger power is where the world is heading right now.

Unfortunately no other car maker jumped in the bed with Mazda to provide the economies of scale needed to keep the R&D going. Let's hope the technology gets to live before its death really comes.

Sutripta · 8th October 2011, 20:30

Sad.
There goes a bit of diversity and idiosyncrasy. Welcome to globalised sameness.

Sutripta

Arch-Angel · 18th June 2013, 09:51

Has the production really stopped? I'll miss the sound of the RX 7's B13 from now. From my brother in the states, he said that even though the B13 displaces only 1.3L, its horsepower is close to 240 HP+. I felt that atleast rotaries should be kept alive for just this reason, poor gas mileage be damned!

7th October 2011, 14:37	#1
ajmat Team-BHP Support Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Bangalore Posts: 14,860 Thanked: 27,956 Times View My Garage	Mazda to Scrap Rotary Engines Mazda will stop producing vehicles with its signature rotary engines in June next year because of poor sales and the costs of meeting emissions standards. The firm said the latest edition of the RX-8, the only model in its line-up with the rotary engine, will go on sale on November 24, targeting sales of 1,000 vehicles, but will end production in June 2012. Mazda, which introduced its first rotary engine car in 1967, is the only car maker in the world that makes vehicles with rotary engines. They have fewer moving parts and are quieter than comparable piston engines but are more expensive to manufacture and consume more fuel. Mazda's decision underlines how consumer tastes are changing to preferring green vehicles over sporty ones Source - The Independent
	(1) Thanks

7th October 2011, 15:10	#2
sgiitk BANNED Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Gurugram Posts: 7,969 Thanked: 4,788 Times	Re: Mazda to Scrap Rotary Engines Very sad day for motoring. I was looking forward to a few Wankel's once Mazda came to our shores.
	() Thanks

7th October 2011, 15:49	#3
srishiva Senior - BHPian Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Bengaluru Posts: 4,375 Thanked: 2,256 Times	Re: Mazda to Scrap Rotary Engines Not surprised. They were lighter no doubt, but customers wouldn't care for any of this and was not cheaper. Having driven one on Mazda for a person driving the car, it doesn't make any difference. Piston engines themselves come with so many different behaviours.
	(1) Thanks

8th October 2011, 13:49	#4
MileCruncher Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: MH01 Posts: 4,235 Thanked: 592 Times View My Garage	Re: Mazda to Scrap Rotary Engines Damn! Wenkel engines are the forefront of technology and also produce much higher BHP/Litre compared to a normal piston engine. How I wish wenkel engines were adopted in F1 thereby leading to further innovations in this field. Cheers
	() Thanks

8th October 2011, 15:07	#5
John BHPian Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Secunderabad Posts: 382 Thanked: 519 Times	Re: Mazda to Scrap Rotary Engines Wonder what happened to our indegenous Wankel engine that was designed and built for the Nishant UAV? However it appears that Mazda is not giving up the Wankel engine - “Although RX-8 production is ending, the rotary engine will always represent the spirit of Mazda and Mazda remains committed to its ongoing development," Mazda CEO Takashi Yamanouchi said, suggesting that a Wankel rotary-powered car from the Japanese automaker could eventually return."
	() Thanks

8th October 2011, 17:19	#6
devarshi84 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Ahmedabad - Tor Posts: 4,024 Thanked: 211 Times View My Garage	Re: Mazda to Scrap Rotary Engines Wankels will be missed. Smaller engines and bigger power is where the world is heading right now. Unfortunately no other car maker jumped in the bed with Mazda to provide the economies of scale needed to keep the R&D going. Let's hope the technology gets to live before its death really comes.
	() Thanks

8th October 2011, 20:30	#7
Sutripta Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Calcutta Posts: 4,668 Thanked: 6,217 Times	Re: Mazda to Scrap Rotary Engines Sad. There goes a bit of diversity and idiosyncrasy. Welcome to globalised sameness. Sutripta
	() Thanks

18th June 2013, 09:51	#8
Arch-Angel BHPian Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Chn(Atrocity) Posts: 553 Thanked: 285 Times	Re: Mazda to Scrap Rotary Engines Has the production really stopped? I'll miss the sound of the RX 7's B13 from now. From my brother in the states, he said that even though the B13 displaces only 1.3L, its horsepower is close to 240 HP+. I felt that atleast rotaries should be kept alive for just this reason, poor gas mileage be damned!
	() Thanks