First up in 2017 is the 50th anniversary of its original rotary engine. There have been many rumors claiming this is when a reborn RX-7 will launch, but only now are we learning that just a concept version will debut instead. It won’t be until 2020 when the actual production model is ready to go. More than likely it’ll be dubbed the RX-9, but the RX-7 concept is really meant to kick start the festivities. So what’s the biggest celebration? 2020 is Mazda’s 100th anniversary.
Now that the all-new MX-5 has launched, Mazda, being a relatively small automaker only able to develop one sports car at a time, can now divert its senior R&D staff to the rotary coupe project. As previously reported, Mazda is supposedly working on a new rotary with a two-stage turbo system that incorporates an "electric turbo assist." The latter engages at low rpm, while the standard exhaust driven turbo comes in at higher revs. The bottom line thinking here is to eliminate the problems of the old RX-8, specifically poor fuel economy and emissions, excessive oil use and weak mid-range torque. There’s still no official announcement from Mazda, but this overall plan sounds feasible.
