Rotary Revival Bid With MAZDA'S RX-9
03-22-2009 | 04:22 AM
#1
Thread Starter
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Joined: Apr 2005
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From: Australia
Rotary Revival Bid With MAZDA'S RX-9
This was in my States Weekend Motoring Newspaper Lift-out. ( Carsguide.com.au.)
I have retyped the story out...there were NO Pics...
ROTARY REVIVAL BID WITH MAZDA'S RX-9
By Peter Lyon
The classic Mazda RX-7 sports car is being readied for a comeback. Honda might be cancelling it's
V10-powered NSX supercar and ending production of its S2000 drop-top, as Toyota and Subaru also
end their sports car collaboration, but Mazda has no intention of letting its rotary engine wither or die.
It is working hard on a new home and direction for the rotary, and intends to drop today's four-place
RX-8 and replace it with a harder-edged two-seater.
The newcomer will take its inspiration from the RX-7 but don't expect it to wear the same badge - it
is most likely to be called the RX-9.
Mazda insiders admit the end of the RX-8 and the coming of an RX-9, but are most focused on the
coming update and improvements to the rotary engine.
The new powerplant is called the 16X and will produce close to 200KW (270HP) with a significant
boost in power from the current 13B. But it will not have a turbo-charger. Not at first, anyway.
The new 16X engine will still be a two-chamber rotary, but the normal capacity rises to 1600cc,
up from the current 1308.
Apart from the power boost, Mazda believes it can improve fuel economy - always the weakest
link for the rotary engine - by around 20 per cent. It also intends to end any questions about the
emissions and excessive oil use of earlier rotaries.
The new rotary is still planned for a front-mid installation in the coming RX-9, which means it will
still sit ahead of the cabin but behind the front axle line.
Its transmission will also be completely new, with a twin-clutch six-speed manual.
It will not have a clutch pedal but, in a claimed advance over the twin-clutch gearboxes in Volkswagen
Group products, Mazda engineers are working on a system which will allow the driver to set the revs at
which the clutches engage.
I have retyped the story out...there were NO Pics...
ROTARY REVIVAL BID WITH MAZDA'S RX-9
By Peter Lyon
The classic Mazda RX-7 sports car is being readied for a comeback. Honda might be cancelling it's
V10-powered NSX supercar and ending production of its S2000 drop-top, as Toyota and Subaru also
end their sports car collaboration, but Mazda has no intention of letting its rotary engine wither or die.
It is working hard on a new home and direction for the rotary, and intends to drop today's four-place
RX-8 and replace it with a harder-edged two-seater.
The newcomer will take its inspiration from the RX-7 but don't expect it to wear the same badge - it
is most likely to be called the RX-9.
Mazda insiders admit the end of the RX-8 and the coming of an RX-9, but are most focused on the
coming update and improvements to the rotary engine.
The new powerplant is called the 16X and will produce close to 200KW (270HP) with a significant
boost in power from the current 13B. But it will not have a turbo-charger. Not at first, anyway.
The new 16X engine will still be a two-chamber rotary, but the normal capacity rises to 1600cc,
up from the current 1308.
Apart from the power boost, Mazda believes it can improve fuel economy - always the weakest
link for the rotary engine - by around 20 per cent. It also intends to end any questions about the
emissions and excessive oil use of earlier rotaries.
The new rotary is still planned for a front-mid installation in the coming RX-9, which means it will
still sit ahead of the cabin but behind the front axle line.
Its transmission will also be completely new, with a twin-clutch six-speed manual.
It will not have a clutch pedal but, in a claimed advance over the twin-clutch gearboxes in Volkswagen
Group products, Mazda engineers are working on a system which will allow the driver to set the revs at
which the clutches engage.
03-22-2009 | 05:12 AM
#3
Wiseguy
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 1,084
Likes: 37
From: Italy
I don't understand why call it "rx-9" and not "rx-7".....when rx-8 came out people from Mazda explained that "8" means a differnent model (and purpose) from "7"...and no doubt that 8 it's different product from FD
....in my opinion we'll see something (a "more close to reality" proto?) in Tokyo Motorshow 2009 (october)
....in my opinion we'll see something (a "more close to reality" proto?) in Tokyo Motorshow 2009 (october)
03-22-2009 | 07:00 AM
#4
4th batch : Apr 03'
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,840
Likes: 1
From: Bor. Isle
more likely in this news? you get what i mean..
http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do...mktid=cj260233
http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do...mktid=cj260233
03-22-2009 | 11:55 AM
#5
omfg. the question is when.
2010? 2011?
i could forgo my turbocharging plans for this.
and i honestly believe this is more than just speculation. i mean, we already know there is no way mazda would let the rotary die. and after getting its butt kicked in sales by all the two seaters, we know thats where mazda would go again. and especially now, with a lot of the other big companies pulling out of the coupe market, is a good time for mazda to do it.
2010? 2011?
i could forgo my turbocharging plans for this.
and i honestly believe this is more than just speculation. i mean, we already know there is no way mazda would let the rotary die. and after getting its butt kicked in sales by all the two seaters, we know thats where mazda would go again. and especially now, with a lot of the other big companies pulling out of the coupe market, is a good time for mazda to do it.
03-22-2009 | 04:39 PM
#8
I don't understand why call it "rx-9" and not "rx-7".....when rx-8 came out people from Mazda explained that "8" means a differnent model (and purpose) from "7"...and no doubt that 8 it's different product from FD
....in my opinion we'll see something (a "more close to reality" proto?) in Tokyo Motorshow 2009 (october)
....in my opinion we'll see something (a "more close to reality" proto?) in Tokyo Motorshow 2009 (october)
03-22-2009 | 04:39 PM
#9
Thread Starter
Super Moderator
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 10,869
Likes: 327
From: Australia
more likely in this news? you get what i mean..
http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do...mktid=cj260233
http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do...mktid=cj260233
03-22-2009 | 04:43 PM
#10
Thread Starter
Super Moderator
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 10,869
Likes: 327
From: Australia
03-22-2009 | 04:51 PM
#12
Wiseguy
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 1,084
Likes: 37
From: Italy
[QUOTE=Easy_E1;2927715]Mazda has never gone backwards and reissued a model number. It will always go forward.
yes BUT we had 3 gen rx-7 and than rx-8...rx-8 it's a different model (in Mazda's toughts) for:
-performance (not into "low porsche area" like its predecessors)
-door system and space (mazda had advert a lot on "4 adults space", almost here in EU)
still bet on: (but economic condition can change this):
-return of rx-7 model (very explanied into jap magazines and others)
-rx-9 a bigger model SOBSTITUTE of 8 (maybe w/hybrid)...wil mantain freestyle doors
yes BUT we had 3 gen rx-7 and than rx-8...rx-8 it's a different model (in Mazda's toughts) for:
-performance (not into "low porsche area" like its predecessors)
-door system and space (mazda had advert a lot on "4 adults space", almost here in EU)
still bet on: (but economic condition can change this):
-return of rx-7 model (very explanied into jap magazines and others)
-rx-9 a bigger model SOBSTITUTE of 8 (maybe w/hybrid)...wil mantain freestyle doors
Last edited by MattMPS; 03-22-2009 at 04:56 PM.
03-22-2009 | 10:45 PM
#15
4th batch : Apr 03'
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,840
Likes: 1
From: Bor. Isle
03-23-2009 | 08:25 AM
#19
Registered
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 2,256
Likes: 0
From: Montreal,QC
My ***, did you see what they did to the poor v6 version of the Mazda 6? They kept it with an automatic and it turned off many people because of that. It's one of those things like you don't care about the option right up until you lose it.
03-23-2009 | 09:02 AM
#20
*By 'Alot', I use the same inflection of people that say that the rotory has 'alot' of problems. It is probably over exaggerated, but still a known issue.
I agree though. It must keep a pure manual. The manumatic replacing the automatic I am fine with. But I can't see how they could make their new flagship miss an essential driver interaction component, the driver feel and feedback that they bank their sales on. The 6 is a separate issue I think, and that has more to do with it's cross branding over to Ford I think.
03-23-2009 | 01:39 PM
#22
rotary courage
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 1,208
Likes: 0
From: :uoıʇɐɔoן
omfg. the question is when.
2010? 2011?
i could forgo my turbocharging plans for this.
and i honestly believe this is more than just speculation. i mean, we already know there is no way mazda would let the rotary die. and after getting its butt kicked in sales by all the two seaters, we know thats where mazda would go again. and especially now, with a lot of the other big companies pulling out of the coupe market, is a good time for mazda to do it.
2010? 2011?
i could forgo my turbocharging plans for this.
and i honestly believe this is more than just speculation. i mean, we already know there is no way mazda would let the rotary die. and after getting its butt kicked in sales by all the two seaters, we know thats where mazda would go again. and especially now, with a lot of the other big companies pulling out of the coupe market, is a good time for mazda to do it.
03-23-2009 | 02:01 PM
#23
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Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 5,027
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From: Austin, Texas
wish mazda would keep the rx7 name or at least call it savanna rx-9. every one else keeps their name such as Fairlady, Supra, Skyline etc. oh well, cant wait to see waht happens. hope but no clutch pedal is kinda of making dissapointed. i know the new tech is suppose to help with driving. guess ill just have to wait and see.
03-23-2009 | 03:22 PM
#25
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Posts: 491
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I don't care much for the RX-7 name on the new rotary, let it go. Anything called RX-7 has an FD3S stigma attached. A lot of the newbs forget/disregard that the RX-7 started as a low power light weight, so every ****** wants a turbo.