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Jul 07, 2023

Beyond Convention: The Story Of Mazda Rotary Engines And What Lies Ahead

Mazda's relationship with the rotary engine is nothing short of inspiring. Here’s the story behind Mazda's incredible rotary engine and what's to come In 1967, Mazda stunned the automotive world by

Mazda's relationship with the rotary engine is nothing short of inspiring. Here’s the story behind Mazda's incredible rotary engine and what's to come

In 1967, Mazda stunned the automotive world by releasing a rotary-engined production car. Utilizing technology developed by Felix Wankel, Mazda perfected the rotary engine recipe through sheer innovation, allowing the Japanese automaker to build its entire reputation based on the quirky powerplant. Mazda’s exploits with the rotary engine have lasted for an incredible 50 years, Famously powering the iconic Mazda RX-Series alongside a slew of supercar concepts and a bus.

However, all good things must come to an end, and Mazda officially retired the oil-guzzling rotary engine back in 2017, citing high production costs alongside the rotary engines' inefficient fuel consumption as reasons to part ways. Mazda’s decision dealt an emotional blow to the automotive world. You see, nearly every automaker experimented with the high-revving rotary engine, yet only Mazda could produce such an effective product. The rotary engine became a symbol of Mazda, and Mazda, a symbol of the rotary engine.

Using data from Mazda.com, let’s look at the Mazda rotary engine. How did it get here? And will it ever return?

The rotary engine dates back to the late 1800s, powering bicycles and aircraft throughout WWI and the 1920s. Famous examples such as the French Le Rhône and Bentleys BR1 developed north of 100 hp as the rotary engine sought to revolutionize the combustion engine. Despite a varying degree of success, the rotary engine's complex nature rendered the powerplant obsolete during the 1920s, with manufacturers favoring a simplistic inline piston format.

However, a particular German mechanical engineer couldn’t let go; Felix Wankel began designing his very own rotary engine in 1934, refusing to drop the charismatic formula. Felix Wankel would spend WWII with his plans on hold. However, he retained his patent for the Wankel rotary engine. Fast-forward to 1960, The German inventor/engineer found himself crafting the twin-rotor KKM 250 for the now-defunct German automaker NSU, stubbornly insisting the lightweight high-revving engine deserved a place within the automotive industry.

Although NSU crafted multiple rotary-powered vehicles, the Wankel rotary engine reached perfection under the guidance of a little-known Japanese automaker, Mazda. Under the leadership of chief engineer Kenichi Yamamoto, Mazda licensed the Felix Wankel rotary engine in 1961, quickly getting to work on the powerplants inherent floors. Mazda cured the rotary engines' “devil claws,” which involved apex seals scratching the inner surface of the engine casing, a colossal innovation that helped the rotary engines flailing durability.

Mazda's use of graphite-aluminum alloy seals also reduced the rotary engines' chronic oil consumption and increased low-end torque, both issues which plagued the pioneering combustion engine aboard various NSU vehicles, such as the NSU Ro 80.

The Japanese automakers' stubborn yet innovative approach to the Wankel rotary engine made the design a feasible option in the real world, making the small Japanese automaker the go-to brand for rotary-powered vehicles. However, the Mazda rotary engine needed to make a splash, so in 1965, Mazda unleashed the very first rotary-powered production car.

The 1965 Mazda Cosmo arrived with a 982cc twin-rotor Wankel engine onboard. Mazda’s stunning creation developed a modest 110 hp from the company’s 0810 rotary engine, a fair display of what the rotary engine could do.

To further prove the benefits of the rotary engine, Mazda subjected the Cosmo to the grueling 1968 84-hour Marathon de la route, which took place at the infamous Nürburgring. Despite one of the two Cosmo racers retiring in the 82nd hour, Mazda ensured its rotary engine was a dependable beast, ultimately finishing in fourth place. The racing Cosmo’s featured a 1967 0813 rotary engine developing 130 hp, which made its way into the Mazda Cosmo Series II.

The Mazda Cosmo took both rotary technology and Mazda to the next level. The Cosmo nameplate lasted between 1967-1996 across four generations, even launching Mazda's “Eunos” luxury marque under the power of a Mazda rotary engine. In fact, the final Eunos Cosmo featured the Japanese automaker's most potent production rotary to date, the 20B-REW tri-rotor. A twin-turbocharged 2.0-liter engine developed north of 250 hp!

RELATED: 10 Things To Know About the Mazda Cosmo: A Classic Icon

Named per the ongoing space race, Mazda created one of their rarest cars to date. The Mazda Cosmo saw just 1,176 units produced between 1965-1972. The rarest are the pricey Series I cars featuring the 0810 Wankel rotary engine. Just 343 Series I (L10A) Cosmo sports cars hit the tarmac.

0-60 MPH

8.8 Seconds

Top Speed

115 mph

Curb Weight

2,072 lbs

Horsepower

110 hp

Torque

96 lb-ft

Layout

RWD

To this day, the Mazda R130 Luce is the only FWD rotary-powered Mazda to reach production. Mazda’s luxurious coupe arrived in 1969 to rival Europe's finest. In fact, the Japanese automaker turned to Giorgetto Giugiaro when designing the JDM exclusive R130 Luce, giving the executive automobile a similar look to its German counterparts over at NSU. Furthermore, Mazda manufactured just 976 Luce R130 coupes between 1969-1972, making it rarer than the Mazda Cosmo!

RELATED: Rotary Engine Power: 10 Fascinating Facts About The Mazda R130

0-60 MPH

8.3 Second

Top Speed

118 mph

Curb Weight

2,612 lbs

Horsepower

126 hp

Torque

127 lb-ft

Layout

FWD

Mazda's RX-7 arrived in three generations produced between 1978-2002, maxing out with a 1.3-liter 13B-REW Wankel rotary engine for the 1992 FD model. It's the first mass-produced engine from Japan featuring a sequential twin-turbocharged system to reach foreign markets.

The 1992 RX7 FD features striking lines penned by Yoichi Sato, the same engineer responsible for the MX-5. However, unlike the Miata, the Mazda RX-7 was a serious competitor over all three generations, winning both the 1980/81 British touring car championships and dominating the GTU class at Daytona 24 hours in 1979! Despite being a genuine race winner, the 255 hp RX-7 FD wins popularity contests thanks to its featuring in 2 Fast 2 Furious.

0-60 MPH

5.3 Seconds

Top Speed

155 mph

Curb Weight

2,888 lbs

Horsepower

255 hp

Torque

217 lb-ft

Layout

RWD

Mazda retired its final rotary-powered production car in 2012, the Mazda RX8. Although the coupe drew power from the company’s famous 1.3-liter RENESIS twin-rotor engine, the RX-8 lacked the allure of its predecessors, developing between 190-240 hp, the RX-8 remained unique, albeit floored by the rotary engine as Mazda’s competitors grew stronger sporting far more innovative piston engines. The rotary engine remained in production until 2017 aboard Mazda racing products.

However, despite canning the rotary engine after 50 years of innovation, Mazda’s rotary engine is set to return in a far more innocent guise. The Mazda MX-30 R-EV will feature a hybrid powertrain powered by a 0.8-liter single-rotor engine block mated to a 17.8 kWh lithium-ion battery. Although 75 hp is far from ideal, the rotary engine's compact nature makes it an ideal candidate to guide Mazda’s future one last time.

An automotive writer based in the UK, suffering with an unhealthy obsession for cars and Formula One.​​​Providing commanding content that attracts attention and entertains all at the same time is key.At the weekends, you can find him Driving past Williams Racing making high pitch V10 noises with his mouth.... daring to dream...