Wankel rotary engines are part of what has made Mazda capable of gathering a large cult following over the years. Sure, they make competent and more recently stylish regular cars, but it’s always been their rotary sports cars that stuck in the minds of enthusiasts.
Now that they no longer sell a car equipped with such a power plant, they are a bit more like everybody else, which can be good for sales, but is definitely bad for individuality.
Sadly, after repeated rumors that it may be on its way back, a rotary-powered Mazda is not in the cards at all, says Masamichi Kogai, the brand’s new CEO, who recently expressed his very optimistic views regarding its future sales figures.
He made it perfectly clear in a report published by Autonews that "It has to be a viable commercial proposition. If we are going to adopt it, it has to be a product that can generate at least sales of 100,000 units a year. We have to be able to achieve a profit."
He formally admitted that there are currently no plans whatsoever in that regard.
The notion hasn’t been completely abandoned, though, as Kogai explains that they “are the first and only manufacturer to commercialize the rotary engine. In that respect, we have some responsibility… So please allow us to continue our research."
Thankfully, Mazda can still make enthusiasts’ cars without the special Wankel ingredient, and the upcoming MX-5 and hot MPS version of the new 3 hatchback are definitely cars to look forward to in the not too distant future.
By Andrei Nedelea
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