Report: Mazda to Apply Next-Gen H2-Gasoline Rotary Engine in Coming RX-9
07 January 2009
Germany’s auto motor und sport magazine reports that the coming Mazda RX-9, due in 2012, will use a future version of Mazda’s RENESIS dual-fuel hydrogen-gasoline rotary engine.
Mazda Motor Corporation has already equipped a version of the RX-8 with a current RENESIS hydrogen engine and began leasing the RX-8 Hydrogen RE to its first two corporate customers—Idemitsu Kosan Co. Ltd. and Iwatani International Corporation—in 2006. (Earlier post.)
The RENESIS Hydrogen RE incorporates an electronically controlled hydrogen gas injector system. The system draws air from the side port during the intake cycle and uses dual hydrogen injectors in each of the engine’s twin rotor housings to directly inject hydrogen into the intake chambers.
Mazda is working on the next-generation RENESIS rotary, shown at the Tokyo Motor Show in 2007: the direct injection 16X, a 1,600 cc (800 cc x 2) engine with a new trochoid chamber shape aimed at further improving thermal efficiency and boosting torque at all engine speeds. (Earlier post.)
Styling for the RX-9 will be based on the Taiki concept, also unveiled at the Tokyo Motor Show in 2007, according to the report.
numbers we need numbers!!
Posted by: philmcneal | 07 January 2009 at 07:41 PM
Make it NG fueled and it will be ideal engine for PHEV.
Posted by: Andrey Levin | 07 January 2009 at 08:46 PM
Mazda RX-8 (also with rotary engine) is at least 20% less fuel efficient than cars of comparable weight and power.
To make things worse, longer term tests report significant consumption of engine oil, in brand new car.
The only real advantage seem to be low engine weight, which allows a good weight distribution for a sports car.
Posted by: MG | 08 January 2009 at 03:30 PM
Mazda's steadfast use of the Wankel Rotary has always bothered me about the company. Well engineered cars for the most part and then there is the company's sports car and its rotary. The engine is an old, albeit intersting design that just hasn't proved practical. All other car companies have moved on yet Mazda see's a need to be different I suppose.
Posted by: RD | 09 January 2009 at 08:18 AM