Do Mazda's still have rotary engines?

Question

What models have/had them?

Answer 1

the rx7 now the rx8

Answer 2

Yes the Mazda RX-8 Sports Car. Its 2+2, two front seats and two small back seats (very small). It does have a cool club door to get into the back seats. The RX-7 and RX-8 has a loyal following.

The current 2008-2009 cost is about $27,000 to $31,000. 16 mpg city and 22 mpg highway. As far as I know they are making a 2009 model.

Mazda has been making rotary powered cars since the 1970's. Basically the only successful long term rotary powered consumer vehicle. The rotary is known for making power at high Revs (RPM), The current RX-8 is rated at over 200 HP (212-232) at 7,200 RPM! Because there are no pistons and valves going up and down it can Rev very high and be very smooth doing it. When you are accelerating and get into the "power ban", it really goes.

The down side of the rotary which has always been true....poor gas milage, like 16 mpg city. Mixed driving you can expect less than 20 mpg average. At $4/gal that is a factor.

They also use or consumes synthetic oil as you drive by design, which needs to be added between oil changes. Most late model piston engines typically don't need oil added between oil changes, 6 months or 3 to 5 thousand miles. The rotary will need oil added every few tanks of gas because the rotary uses it to lubricate the seals. This is a small price to pay, especially for the driver enthusiast and a sports car. For a mini van, not a good engine. Mazda started offering piston engines in the USA along with rotary early on in the 70's. Now most of Mazdas line-up uses standard piston engines and has for a few decades.

My hat is off to MAZDA, the only one with a commercially made rotary or Wankel car. (Dr. Wankel, Germany, invented the rotary engine in the 50's and further developed in the 60's; Mazda licensed the technology and improved it). They where really the first and only car company to use the Rotary in large scale. In fact Mazda had only rotary engines when they first started selling cars in the USA. It was later they added standard piston engines.

Others made efforts to produce Rotary vehicles in the 70's, cars, motorcycles, outboard motors, snowmobiles and other motor vehicles, but Mazda is the most successful. They keep it in their lineup as a flag-ship. If it was not for the poor gas milage it would be a great engine today, due to small size & weight for power.

You have to compare the RX-8 rotary with other high power sports cars and high power engines, so 16-22 MPG is not bad, just not great. With a sports car you don't care about milage usually. Economy is NOT why you buy a sports car.

Answer 3

RX-7 RX-8