[car fanatics]

Source
Photo credit: Mazda
June 28, 2012
By: CF staff

The last Mazda using the rotary will roll off the assembly line this month in Hiroshima. The 45-year rise and fall of the engine tells a broader story of the past, present and — Mazda is betting — future of automaking. Shoji Meguro's very mixed feelings give a window into the reasons.

"Fuel-efficiency is horrible," said Meguro, a 41-year-old music producer in Tokyo who drives a Mazda RX-8 sports coupe. "But I don't know any car that beats this. I'm going to miss it."

The nation's only unprofitable automaker said it believes demand for more environmentally friendly cars will continue to grow and help it post its first profit in five years.

"Production of the RX-8 will end, but the rotary engine will live on as an important part of Mazda's spirit," Takashi Yamanouchi, Mazda's president, said in a statement.

[REVolution]

I'm looking forward to the next generation. Eh, who am I kidding, I'd yank that out and drop a 20b in there.

[Speed Devil]

Sounds pimpy man

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Poor Rotary, there goes another good engine :sad:

[Thed]

Is there a video of the last one rolling off the line like the last Crown Vic and the last Ranger?

[lengnert]

Isn't the most efficient use of a rotary engine when it is 'spooled' up and running at higher rpm's?

If so, wouldn't it be a great motor for using in a hybrid type system where the ICE isn't used for primary propulsion but for regeneration and propulsion assist? (ala the Volt system)

[REVolution]

Yea, they're most efficient at a constant RPM. Not necessarily at a high RPM. They would make for excellent generators and would be great in a system like the Volt.

[lengnert]

RotaryKing aka Rev;215167 Wrote:Yea, they're most efficient at a constant RPM. Not necessarily at a high RPM. They would make for excellent generators and would be great in a system like the Volt.

Then I would hope that Mazda is working on something akin to that in order to keep the Wankel alive.

Efficient packaging put to it's optimal use!