Mazda 16X rotary engine two years away, will arrive in all-new model

We last reported on Mazda's next-generation rotary engine project in June of 2012 when the automaker built its last Renesis-powered RX-8, but rumors of this new engine's development had been around way before that final car left the production line in Japan, last year.

We now have enthusiastic confirmation that this next-gen rotary engine is really and truly going forward. It is still referred to as 16X and has several priorities. First is to lower fuel consumption compared to the RX-8's engine, while still making gains in terms of performance. The second is to reduce the burning of oil that was happening at the highest revs. And the third and final priority, and perhaps most key for enthusiasts, is to give the powertrain a big torque upgrade.

What we were told by a Mazda USA insider (while we are all here together at the festivities in Monterey) is that the first application of the new 16X engine will be happening in two years' time in an as yet undisclosed new model. Oh, the mind races to our eternal Mazda wish list...

How to solve the failings of the Renesis engine that preceded all of this? "The key to both higher torque and better fuel consumption," said the insider, "is creating a longer stroke engine." But we're talking a rotary engine with the fat-triangle rotor and toroidal cam, so how does one determine the way to call this long-stroke or not? "By the path of travel within the combustion space dictated by the engineers," says Mr. Insider.

What this means for the relative engine capacity and blueprint of the 16X engine is yet to be shown. Longer stroke engines can create greater torque and do so at lower revs. This, it is thought, is what will drastically improve fuel efficiency, emissions, and oil abuse in the 16X.

This is good news and confirmation for us. Having a Wankel engine in the tech mix makes engine discussion so much more interesting, plus we have always liked the drive experience. Good to know they're not dumping this jewel in the Mazda brand crown.

http://www.autoblog.com/2013/08/16/m...all-new-model/

 

Mazda 9 flagship?

 

RX-7/8/9 I presume

 

Sounds like good news.

 

Good news. I have always been an admirer for the RX-series since FC. I can't wait for the all new fourth generation MX-5, its the trump card from Mazda. GT-R and Z from Nissan, GT86 from Toyota, NSX and type Rs from Honda, MX-5 and RX-7 from Mazda, Evo from Mitsubishi, and STI from Subaru......wow, I am going back to bed and try to dream about all these new sports cars together.....

 

The Wankel Rotary engine is making a comeback real soon.

This is indeed a unique powertrain that should not be underestimated

 

Old Tech - Original Rotary engines are use in Aviation. Nothing new about this except re-vamp, re-booting a old design. Hope they can make it work for real world use in "cars". Rotary consider to be highly reliable in Airplanes but in cars?? Well I was always a fan of the RX-7.. the Rx-8 wasn't that great so whats up next, RX-9?

Make it great or don't make it at all.

 

No, you are thinking of the wrong rotary. This is a Wankel engine, airplanes used rotary engines with pistons. Completely different.

 

The old, WW1-era airplane rotary engine and the Wankel Rotary engine are two completely different engines.

The aircraft rotary was a reciprocating piston-type engine similar in operation to the piston engines in cars that we are familiar with. But the cylinders and pistons were arranged in a circle around a FIXED crankshaft. With the crankshaft that did not turn, the whole engine spun around the crankshaft (thus "rotary"). There was another type of reciprocating piston engine in which the cylinders and pistons were also arranged in a circle around a central crankshaft, but in this engine the crankshaft turned and the cylinders remained in place -- this was known as a radial engine. These are still 4-stroke engines with only 1 power stroke for every 4 rotations of the crankshaft (1 out of 4).

The Wankel Rotary engine does NOT have cylinders and pistons but instead uses a rounded triangle-shaped rotor turning inside an oval-shaped combustion chamber; the spinning rotor turns the crankshaft. With this unique design, there are 3 power strokes for every 1 rotation of the crankshaft (3 out of 1). The Wankel engine is thus very small yet offering the same power as a much larger reciprocating piston engine.

 

sounds great. Lets see if they can make it reliable to where it doesnt need to be rebuilt at 2-3 times the frequency normal motors need to be rebuilt.

 

until this 2 years time frame expire....Toyota and Mitsubishi Hybrid has probably push all the Internal Non Hybrid engine into the pass.....common Mazda