Mazda Won't Make Another Rotary Engined Sports Car

We have a product plan for Mazda that would fix this.

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Complex Original

Image via Complex Original

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We knew that Mazda was planning a successor to the RX-8, and the engine, named alternatively 16X or Renesis 2, was going tobe much more efficient and produce 300 horsepower. We were pumped.

Now Mazda's new CEO, Masamichi Kogai, is saying that there will only be a new rotary engined car if they can sell 100,000 of them annually. Basically, there's not going to be a new rotary engined car. We understand that Mazda is a business, and that making money has to be the primary goal, but there must be a case to be made for this engine. Here's our suggestion:

  • RX-9: Awesome rotary engined performance car.
  • Mazdaspeed3: It hasn't been unveiled yet, so drop a Wankle in it. With this kind of power, AWD would be advisable.
  • Mazdaspeed6: The new Mazda6 is dead sexy, and dropping the 16X in it would be incredible.

Come on, Mazda, just make it work.

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[via Autoweek

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