Mazda to revive RX-7 in... 2017?

There is a special place in our hearts reserved for the Mazda RX-7. Its screaming rotary engine made the '80s and '90s a time of high-revving fun. While Mazda continued the rotary with the four-door RX-8, the two are not the same car, and eventually the latter was phased out.

The Motor Report is the latest outlet to crank up the rumormill over a return to Wankel power and an RX sports car for the troubled Japanese brand. According to TMR, a rotary engine could come back – and so could the RX-7 nameplate – albeit not overnight. The return of the RX-7 is said to be set for 2017, and the source quoted is none other than Mazda sports car boss Nobuhiro Yamamoto.

Speaking with the press at a local launch of the updated MX-5 Miata, Yamamoto said the future RX-7 would have a curb weight close to that of the Toyota GT 86 (about 2,600 pounds), and have a larger emphasis on the driver's involvement. Yamamoto was also the powertrain chief for the JDM-market FD3S generation (1992-2002 model) and was extremely proud of that engine. Yamamoto reportedly says he would prefer a naturally aspirated version of that engine over any kind of forced induction solution, claiming that the 16X rotary engine that has been developed would be capable of 220kW (295 hp) in that configuration. The 16X was developed in 2007 but has yet to find its way into a production vehicle.

2017 would mark the 50th anniversary of the introduction of the rotary engine. Frankly, it would be a shame if some form of the quirky and revvy powerplant was not found under the hood of a sports car anywhere in the market.

http://www.autoblog.com/2012/11/06/m...-rx-7-in-2017/

 

I really wish for return of Wankel.

 

Would love to see this happen. Also, love the commitment to low weight (2600lbs would bring it back to FC weight, lighter than even the last-gen FD) and driver involvement. Chalk it up as another car that the FT86 influenced.

 

RX-7 & "Revive" should never be in the same sentence.
Mazda, come on, do the right thing and listen to your loyal followers, get the right engineering team, bean counters and make this car happen before 2017. The market (competition) is not gonna wait on you!

 

This is great news. The NSX, RX7, R36 have all been confirmed.

Where the hell are you Toyota??? Bring back the Supra please

 

In for the sexy looks, out for the horrible reliability

 

It really would be nice to see storied name plates back. supra, MR2, celica, 3000GT, Eclipse turbo, RX-7, 300ZX, S2000 as just a few

 

THIS. Rotories are great when they run right. The design is just to fragile IMO to really work in the real world, a lot of rotary problems tend to be catastrophic and VERY expensive to fix(failed apex seals anyone?)

 

Whatever this car ends up being, 2600lbs and 300hp would be

 

The Wankel rotary engine shall make its comeback