Mazda has registered both the RX-7 and the RX-9 designations with the Japanese trademark office, so good news for rotary power enthusiasts. The Mazda Consmo rotary-engined sports car is set to celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2017 and this is when the first of Mazda’s Wankel engines, a spiritual successor for the RX-7, is expected to show up. Also, Mazda may be working on something special, namely the RX-9, for the Tokyo Olympics in 2020.
From the technical point of view, Mazda engineers have been reportedly working on improving their implementation of the Wankel design for a few years now. The engine was retired with the RX-8 back in 2012, due to emission regulations. The associated efficiency issues, as well as the limited reliability must also be taken care of.
The latest rumor points out Mazda’s 16X in-development rotary engine would deliver about 300 hp for the RX-7. On the RX-9, the unit could be aided by electric turbocharging power.
The platform will be from the upcoming Miata/MX-5 chassis, an all-new development, could be modified to underpin at least one, if not both the future RX-7 and RX-9.Mazda posted record profit of USD1.88 billion for the 2013 fiscal year, which ended in March 2014.
