Weekend thought: Next-gen RX model, What will you change?

"Zipppy, Mazdurp builder, Probeski owner and former ricerboy" (zipppyart)
11/29/2014 at 05:34 • Filed to: Mazda, Rotary, wankel, Rx-7, Rx-8, Furai

Let's say Mazda was making a next-gen rotary model, I'd like to know what would you change on the new car vs the older ones.

For me, the engine.

Whoa, calm down there, I didn't say swap out the rotary powerplant for a different type of engine, but rather: change the engine itself for a "better" rotary unit (by better, I mean a better design; the Dorito rotors keep wearing down too much for a road car in the long run), and maybe tie it in with the next-gen Skyactiv tech. This means having a system that doesn't rely as much on spark, and getting better fuel economy.

There was a startup that made rotary engines that could run on almost any fuel, and its name escapes me EDIT: !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , it had a different shaped rotor, that claims to be an inside-out Wankel.

And one question remains, "What would you change?"

DISCUSSION (7)

nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul > Zipppy, Mazdurp builder, Probeski owner and former ricerboy
11/29/2014 at 09:08

It does look like a really weird wankel adaptation but almost more complicated than it needs to be. Also with the wankel the issue was with the apex seals on the ends of the rotor... Well on this those are going to be on the housing instead of the rotor and likely have the same issue.

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Grindintosecond > Zipppy, Mazdurp builder, Probeski owner and former ricerboy
11/29/2014 at 09:11

if their goal is a light weight perfectly balanced car, then id like to see a mid engined jobby.

MultiplaOrgasms > Zipppy, Mazdurp builder, Probeski owner and former ricerboy
11/29/2014 at 09:46

The problem with the Wankel engine is that barely anyone tried to develop it to its full potential. It has only been with us for 50 odd years or so, and most companies gave up their development very quickly. If it had been around for as long as the reciprocating engine things may look differently now. Remember, the reason piston engines are as good as they are today is that they saw 150 years of constant development, with many billions of R&D money spent on them by a load of companies. The Wankel only had 50 years with a lot less money spent on R&D by a few brave companies.

It's a tragic engineering hero.

Zipppy, Mazdurp builder, Probeski owner and former ricerboy > MultiplaOrgasms
11/29/2014 at 10:06

yeah, I see it, but from what I saw with Liquidpiston's engine, they made an engine that is meant as a range extender/generator for various applications

Zipppy, Mazdurp builder, Probeski owner and former ricerboy > nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul
11/29/2014 at 10:14

If they simplified this design a little bit more, it could work out easier.

MultiplaOrgasms > Zipppy, Mazdurp builder, Probeski owner and former ricerboy
11/29/2014 at 10:29

Aren't Wankels mostly used as generators as well?

Zipppy, Mazdurp builder, Probeski owner and former ricerboy > MultiplaOrgasms
11/29/2014 at 10:36

Never noticed, I'm surprised that I haven't seen them being used.