Mazda’s American PR director has confirmed that the manufacturer is indeed bringing back its famous rotary engines, with more than 100 engineers currently working on it.
According to Jeremy Barnes, research and work on the legendary rotary has never stopped, despite the fact that the engine hasn’t appeared in a car since the RX-8 was phased out in 2012.
The Wankel rotary engine, a pistonless rotating internal combustion unit that’s vastly different to traditional engines, has come to define the brand since its introduction in the 1965 Mazda Cosmo.
100 engineers working on it
However, given that the engine was unable to overcome disadvantages with its high emissions and low fuel efficiency, it was taken off market four years ago to comply with emissions standards.
Mazda’s recent introduction of the new RX Vision concept at the Tokyo Motor Show last year teased the possible return of the rotary, and now Mazda appears to have confirmed it outright.
Speaking about the return of the rotary, Barnes said: “There's this incredible passion [for rotary engines] within the company. If we can make a significant breakthrough, it's possible.”
SKYACTIV rotary technology
Believed to be designated the 16X, there’s not much known about the new rotary engine currently in development, but it’s possible that it’ll have a larger displacement than its 13B predecessor.
Emissions problems still remain as a result of the engine’s inherent design, but it’s believed that Mazda is hoping to apply its years of experience with the fuel-efficient SKYACTIV technologies to it.
Possible new innovations could see a rotary that runs on a combination of petrol and hydrogen, on pure hydrogen alone, or as part of a range extender hybrid setup in conjunction with batteries.