When the Mazda RX-8 died in 2012, it seemed like the writing was on the wall for the rotary engine. Inconceivably, though, the Japanese manufacturer has brought the Wankel back in as a single-rotor range extender in the MX-30 R-EV, and soon, there’ll be a twin-rotor follow-up.
Such a thing was teased with the release of the Iconic SP concept, which Mazda says is powered by a 370bhp, longitudinally mounted engine packing a pair of Doritos. But comments from Mazda CEO Masahiro Miro to Automotive News suggest the brand has an interest in a new twin-rotor engine beyond snazzy show cars. Why? Because a single-rotor engine simply won’t cut it in America.
“We have tested with the single rotor,” he said, adding, “The next phase will be moving to two. The rotors spin separately in different chambers with one shaft. We need to generate more electricity. Two rotors will generate more power, which is more suitable to US market characteristics.”
Note that bit about “generate more power,” which makes it sound as though the engine in any production Iconic SP (which might evolve into the next-generation MX-5) will be another range-extender application that tops up a battery rather than directly powering the wheels.
It’ll be a very different animal to drive than Mazda rotary sports cars of old like the RX-7 and RX-8, but it also has the potential to be much more interesting than the few fully electric sports cars to have emerged thus far.
For those interested in a purer driving experience, there’s good news, as the company’s anticipated ‘SkyActiv-Z’ unit is described by Miro-san as the “ultimate ICE engine.
Going into further detail, he said:
“Normally aspirated engines would have to decrease output by 30 per cent to comply with such stringent standards. But this engine defies that usual theory and keeps output while delivering outstanding environmental capability.”
Watch this space.
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