Several rumors about the return of the rotary engine have circulated on the Internet for years before Mazda made it official last January with the unveiling of its small hybrid SUV: the MX-30 e-Skyactiv R-EV.

June 22 in Japan at the factory of the brand Ujina No. 1, the production of a rotary engine, which is used as a range extender, began in Hiroshima.

Will the athlete return soon?

Coincidentally (or not), the RX-8, the brand’s last model to feature a “true” rotary engine, ceased production 11 years ago in June 2012, when the last of the 1,000 RX-8 Spirits were produced. R reserved for Japan collected.

To date, the brand has assembled almost 1.99 million cars equipped with a rotary engine. This is evidenced by numerous patents Mazda did not abandon the idea of ​​a new sports car with a rotary engine. However, there will still be a long way to go between a patent filing and a car going into production, especially in the current context where models are becoming more electrified.

Historical engine

At the beginning of the year, the deputy director of the power unit development division, Yoshiaki Noguchi, said that “rotors are our symbol”. Yoshiaki Noguchi added that the successful application is still in the process “dream”Now.

Although the RX-Vision concept car, symbolizing the return of the rotary sports car, gave fans hope, the model is now eight years old. Enthusiasts will definitely not be against an identical serial version, but this is not part of the brand’s plans.

The first Mazda to get a rotary engine was the 1967 Cosmo Sport 110S with a twin-rotor Wankel engine developing 110 horsepower. It remains to be seen whether there is a modern equivalent with a displacement of 830 cc³ and runs from a 50 liter tank, will be installed on other models or if equipped only with the MX-30 e-Skyactiv R-EV. In an SUV, this rotary engine has a single rotor and develops a power of 74 horsepower. It has no mechanical connection with the wheels, as it acts as a generator.