Happy Birthday Mazda
Thursday 31st May 2007
The Cosmo SportIt was on May 30, 1967 that Mazda commenced sales of the world’s first dual-rotor RE car, the Cosmo Sport. This was followed by models such as the Familia Rotary Coupe, Savanna and Eunos Cosmo.
Mazda RX-8The firm is looking ahead with its development of the hydrogen RE, which emits no carbon dioxide (CO2). Development of the hydrogen RE started in 1991 and has thus far resulted in the RX-8 Hydrogen RE, which in February 2006 became the world’s first hydrogen RE vehicle to be commercially leased. Currently, seven hydrogen RE vehicles are on the road in Japan under commercial lease.
The 787B winning at Le MansMost notably of all, Mazda won Le Mans outright in 1991 with an office favourite of the PH team – the 787B. The quad rotor race car became the first of the Japanese manufacturers to triumph outright at Le Mans, despite multi-million pound attempts from large rivals such as Nissan and Toyota. It was the culmination of decades of hard work from Mazda at the famous race.
Happy Birthday Mazda
40 years of Mazda's rotary engine
Many happy returns to the Mazda rotary engine: it hits the big four – o today.
Despite various technological challenges and drawbacks over the years, the Japanese manufacturer has stayed loyal to the technology, which currently powers the RX8 sports car.
As of the end of April 2007, Mazda has manufactured approximately 1,970,000 rotary vehicles since production first began.
The Cosmo Sport
In the UK, the Mazda rotary is best known for sitting in the nose of the RX-7, a car that has thrilled enthusiasts over three generations (although often without raking in the sales).
Mazda’s Representative Director, Chairman of the Board, President and CEO, Hisakazu Imaki, said, “The rotary engine symbolizes Mazda. It was born from the tireless efforts of our past leaders and a corporate culture which embraces tough challenges. Keeping this proud tradition going forward, we will continue our research and development of the rotary engine in accordance with the Sustainable Zoom-Zoom plan that we announced in March 2007. As Mazda’s next generation eco-engine, the hydrogen rotary engine holds great promise and, in fact, is already running on public roads. Mazda will aspire to adding new value to our rotary technologies by investing further in hydrogen rotary engine Research & Development.”
Mazda RX-8
Mazda began its involvement in motor sports in 1968, following the release of the Cosmo Sport, when RE cars started turning up at race events. Since then, over 100 wins have been notched up in both the touring car series in Japan and in the IMSA series in the United States.
The 787B winning at Le Mans
Click on the youtube link below to see one of these beats in action recently.
Discussion
Munter said:
umm. Wasn't the rotary engine designed in the 1920's by Mr Wankle from Germany. Ok Mazda "ran" with the technology but NSU definately fitted mr Wankels engine in teh 50's/60's? and I would think before Mazda...
Correct..but I believe Mazda bought the rights to "Wankel" Rotary severaL years ago or maybe builds under license.Munter said:
umm. Wasn't the rotary engine designed in the 1920's by Mr Wankle from Germany. Ok Mazda "ran" with the technology but NSU definately fitted mr Wankels engine in teh 50's/60's? and I would think before Mazda...
Mazda was first with the TWIN rotor engine though, the Mazda Cosmo Sport started production in May 1967, the NSU Ro80 didn't start production until October 1967, so Mazda beat them to it by a few months. Plenty of others have tried rotaries before and since, but only Mazda has successfully stuck with it and produced them in large numbers that work fairly well.Road_Terrorist said:
but only Mazda has successfully stuck with it and produced them in large numbers that work fairly well.
Yes all credit to Mazda for sticking with it, but I honestly think the RX8 has gone beyond the point of " working fairly well ". I bought a new RX8 last August and I think it matches my previous S2000 in all aspects and with the addition of 2 seats. The flooding issues appears to have been eradicated with last call in, so all in all ( and being totally biased ), I think it works exceptionally well. Bob
Maza aren't claiming to have invented it, just that this is the 40th anniversary of them first using it. How do I know this? Er, I read what is on the show above...
Mazda deserve some credit. As true as i is that NSU dabbled, we don't see Audis running Wankels still, do we?
They definitely need to drop that Zoom Zoom bo
ocks though.
Mazda deserve some credit. As true as i is that NSU dabbled, we don't see Audis running Wankels still, do we?
They definitely need to drop that Zoom Zoom bo
ocks though.Must confess to never understanding the RE, Mazda had ploughed all that money into it to the point that it's almost as good as a regular engine! What's the point, if it was super efficient or cost effective in some way it would make sense but the RX8 returns a lower MPG than a Corvette Z06.
I think the RX8 is a stunning looking car but I couldn't live with such a screamer or the crappy milage!
I think the RX8 is a stunning looking car but I couldn't live with such a screamer or the crappy milage!
The Mazda rotary engine is not a wankel design.
Herr Wankel designed a motor car engine based on the roatary engines that started to appear in aircraft, due to the smoothness when running. His had a circular motion where the rotor rotated around a central shaft.
The Mazda design was also influenced by aircraft engines, but is different on concept. In this one the rotars are fixed to the central shaft and follow an eliptical orbit.
Also of note, while Herr Wankel came up with his concepts in the 1920s, he did not start work on them until the 1950s, about the same time as Mazda. The Wankel engine came out ~1957, the Mazda one around 1960.
Herr Wankel designed a motor car engine based on the roatary engines that started to appear in aircraft, due to the smoothness when running. His had a circular motion where the rotor rotated around a central shaft.
The Mazda design was also influenced by aircraft engines, but is different on concept. In this one the rotars are fixed to the central shaft and follow an eliptical orbit.
Also of note, while Herr Wankel came up with his concepts in the 1920s, he did not start work on them until the 1950s, about the same time as Mazda. The Wankel engine came out ~1957, the Mazda one around 1960.
qube_TA said:
Must confess to never understanding the RE, Mazda had ploughed all that money into it to the point that it's almost as good as a regular engine! What's the point, if it was super efficient or cost effective in some way it would make sense but the RX8 returns a lower MPG than a Corvette Z06.
I think the RX8 is a stunning looking car but I couldn't live with such a screamer or the crappy milage!
Well, the engine itself is cheap, light, compact, and very smooth. I'm glad that there are companies like Mazda prepared to continue to invest away from the mainstream. What amazes me about the rotary engine is that whilst on balance it is not yet overall as "good" as a traditional piston engine, it is pretty close, especially when you think how much money in total has been spent on rotary engine development compared to piston engine!I think the RX8 is a stunning looking car but I couldn't live with such a screamer or the crappy milage!
Believe me these engines are just as good as any piston engine!
They are simple to work on, and give just as much power once you add a turbo to it.
The engines are, as correctly pointed out, light weight...but more so offer a lower C of G.
All I can say is mine beat 4 Ferrari 360 CS's
So credit where credit is due....there's loads of Zoom Zoom!
They are simple to work on, and give just as much power once you add a turbo to it.
The engines are, as correctly pointed out, light weight...but more so offer a lower C of G.
All I can say is mine beat 4 Ferrari 360 CS's
So credit where credit is due....there's loads of Zoom Zoom!
AtomicRex said:
Believe me these engines are just as good as any piston engine!
They are simple to work on, and give just as much power once you add a turbo to it.
The engines are, as correctly pointed out, light weight...but more so offer a lower C of G.
[small]All I can say is mine beat 4 Ferrari 360 CS's
So credit where credit is due....there's loads of Zoom Zoom!
Whic is one reason why it was developed by Norton in their v. successful race bike (& the Norton Interpol for the fuzz)They are simple to work on, and give just as much power once you add a turbo to it.
The engines are, as correctly pointed out, light weight...but more so offer a lower C of G.
[small]All I can say is mine beat 4 Ferrari 360 CS's
So credit where credit is due....there's loads of Zoom Zoom!
Edited by sprinter885 on Friday 1st June 09:11
mikdys said:
The Mazda rotary engine at the moment must be one of the least fuel efficient engines made).
A bold statement , but total rubbish. You've obviously never owned a chevy V8. My last Corvette 5.7L 190hp@14mpg ( on a good day ). Hendry said:
Maza aren't claiming to have invented it.
the story said:
“The rotary engine symbolizes Mazda. It was born from the tireless efforts of our past leaders and a corporate culture which embraces tough challenges. "
Ok they dont claim to be the inventors but they do claim that their leaders gave birth to it. To me they are suggesting Mazda invented it.Following from dapprman's comment i think the reason Mr wankel didn't do anything with his 1920's design until the 50's was because Hitler chucked him in jail... It kinda slowed him down a bit.
Edited by Munter on Friday 1st June 10:02
dapprman said:
The Mazda design was also influenced by aircraft engines, but is different on concept. In this one the rotars are fixed to the central shaft and follow an eliptical orbit.
The rotor in the Renesis isn't fixed to the output shaft - the output shaft rotates at 1/3 the speed of the rotor.As for why? Take a look in the engine bay of an RX8. You have to peer a long way down and back to see the actual engine. Due to it's compactness, it's entirely behind the front axle and very low in the engine bay. The resulting balance makes the car so easy to drive quickly.
VladD said:
What a noise that 787B makes. Makes you realise what Le Mans is missing a bit of at the moment by allowing diesels.
Got back from Germany last week after spending time at Mazda Europe HQ for the pre-launch presentation of the new CX7, Mazda2 and Mazda6. Had a chance to have a good look at that Le Mans winner in the flesh. It truly is a stunning piece of kit 
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