Mazda 16x - The Future of the Rotary Engine

The Mazda RX2, Mazda RX3, Mazda RX4, Mazdacompared to rotaries of the past. Harmful emissions
RX7 and now Mazda RX8 are all examples ofwill be greatly reduced as well and power should be
successful rotary engine sports cars. The New Mazdaslightly increased compared to common multi-point fuel
16x Rotary Engine should further popularize thisinjected rotaries such as the 13B. This should lean the
offbeat combustion engine which features (as rotariesfuel-air mixture out as well and may improve the
always have) a compact design with an exceptionalrotaries nasty habit of flooding every time you move
power-to-weight ratio all in just 1.6 Liters.her down the street a block.
Mazda is calling this new rotary engine the "long-strokeMazda has done incredible things with their light and
rotary engine." As you may already know, the 13Bsporty 1.3 Liter 13B - just imagine what they can do
rotary engine has a displacement of just 1300cc, whichwith this new Mazda 16x! Better yet, just imagine what
is 1.3 Liters. While the Mazda 16x has an engineyou could do with this new Mazda 16x rotary engine!
displacement of 1600cc (800cc x 2), which is 1.6 Liters;Unfortunately, however, Mazda has yet to announce a
and though they've made the 16x significantly largerproduction vehicle to carry the 16x. The closest we've
than the 13B - it weighs less than a 13B. This is due togotten is the Mazda Taiki, a far-out prototype
aluminum side housings, which Mazda says shouldn'tdeveloped by Mazda under the "Nagare"(which is,
scare us.Japanese for "flow") concept of design.
Mazda's aim here is "greater thermal efficiency" -So when will we see this new rotary engine in action?
which basically means, any car powered by theMany expected this new rotary engine to appear in
Mazda 16x is going to move like stink. Mazda says thisthe 2009 Mazda RX8, but when the cover was pulled
[thermal efficiency] will increase torque at all engineoff at the North American International Auto Show in
speeds. (Rotary engines are notorious for having lowDetroit, we saw nothing but the Mazda 13B MSP
torque, especially on the low-end.)Renesis engine beneath it's glimmering hood.
They've also added Direct Fuel Injection so you canTo answer the question; your guess is as good as
expect the 16x to be considerably more economicalmine.