Friday May 25, 2012

JAPAN NEWS AND DISCUSSION

Mazda to stop making rotary-engine vehicles

Business Oct. 08, 2011 - 06:22AM JST ( 6 )

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6 Comments

0

The Munya TimesOct. 08, 2011 - 03:35PM JST

Said news, a real loss, such a fine unique technical solution. I hope Mazda will find a way to carry on with this great thing in some other way, maybe not in cars.
-2

WilliBOct. 08, 2011 - 10:34PM JST

It is an elegant design, but apparently it is simply not feasible.
0

electric2004Oct. 10, 2011 - 09:44AM JST

Maybe it would be good to add that the original idea of this engine was the "Wankelmotor" and that the German carmaker Volkswagen had used it in the passenger car RO-80.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NSU_Ro_80

To be precise, the maker first was NSU, then Audi and then Volkswagen.
-1

The Munya TimesOct. 10, 2011 - 10:48AM JST

electric2004Oct. 10, 2011 - 09:44AM JST

But I though Mazda was the only one equipping their cars with it for so many years and with cumulative sales about 1.995 million. There might be more auto makers using it, I only knew about Mazda. Sadly, I know very little whether this engine is successfully used in other segments of the auto or other industry . If I not mistaken it was used in motorcycles too but unfortunately I know very little about it. I only admire the Wankel as a brilliant technological solution and will never understand why it hasn't become a big star. This engine has such a well balanced smooth run.
0

electric2004Oct. 11, 2011 - 02:03AM JST

Munya:

The problem with the Wankel engines in the past were high fuel consumption and short life time of the sealing parts of the rotating rotor in the engine.

Actually, it was not only NSU / Audi / Volkswagen, but also the french maker Citroen, who were building such engines and there were also efforts in the US.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wankel_engine
-1

The Munya TimesOct. 11, 2011 - 01:11PM JST

The problem with the Wankel engines in the past were high fuel consumption and short life time of the sealing parts of the rotating rotor in the engine.

Yes, that is true, as you have mentioned it hit me they had this problem in the past. It was many years ago I dealt with Wankel engine I totally forgot the negatives and I only cared to consider the technological feat.

Well, good point thank you for making it.