|
2010 mazda rx8 with the new 1.6 rotary engine,
Mazda will not let the rotary engine die with the current RX-8, sources tell IL. The company is well along in development of its next-generation RX-7, fitted with a front midship-mounted 16X rotary engine. The engine will generate upward of 270 horsepower from a normally aspirated power unit, they say.
The new twin-rotor engine will feature an 800cc x 2 configuration, up from the current 13B's 654cc x 2 format, while improving fuel economy by 20 percent. By building such an engine, Mazda is looking to clean up a rotary image that was fraught with poor economy and emissions and excessive oil use. The next RX-7's transmission is also all new. It's a twin-clutch, two-pedal six-speed unit with a twist that allows drivers to set the revs at which the clutches engage.
Engineers are also reportedly working on weight issues. By developing a new chassis, they have been able to shed some 220 pounds, reducing the RX-7's curb weight to the 2,640-pound range, according to one source
|