According to some reports, Mazda is currently working on the rotary engine that will replace the RX-8 unit. The rotary engine received an award for the best engine of a year almost 10 years ago. It is also known as the Mazda Wankel engine.
Rotary engines had been produced by the Japanese carmaker since 1963, but the production stopped in 2012 because of the discontinuation of the Mazda RX-8. Luckily we will get to see the ‘old’ engine in the new RX-9 model.
The production car should resemble the RX concept vehicle that was presented at the 2015 Tokyo Motor Show. The prototype of the new car will be officially revealed by next year whereas the production car should be launched in 2019 as a 2024 model year.
Nothing has been officially announced so far, but according to some reports and rumors we might have a glimpse of the new model. As it is stated in the report, the engine will produce 400 hp and the car will be lighter that a McLaren P1. An estimated weight of the car is 2,800 pounds.
The engine should be small – a 1.6-liter twin-rotor rotary unit. We don’t know whether the transmission will be automatic or manual, but the car will probably be with RWD.
Stay tuned for more details about Mazda RX-9.
