Mazda AXES the RX-8!

**tidus1203** · August 24th, 2011 06:46 PM

Mazda, the Zoom-Zoom brand famous for its rotary engined sports cars, has decided stop making the RX-8, the only rotary powered model in its current range.

Factors linked to the death of the RX-8 are falling sales and stringent global emissions standards, which are only going to get tougher. Production has already stopped in early July, and global sales will end later this year.

Mazda axes the rotary RX-8 due to low sales and emissions

What a sad news!

**cripple_rooster** · August 25th, 2011 05:31 AM

Biggest issue with these rotary engines was still about their reliability. As far as lighter weight goes, even a 2-stroke has less problems with gaskets and seals than a Wankel engine.

As far as emissions go, I remember when Mazda shown a Hydrogen-powered concept car with a Wankel engine back in 2000 or 2001...

**niky** · August 25th, 2011 11:43 AM

The only big problem Mazda had with the rotaries was with the twin-turbo variants. Older single-turbo and non-turbo rotaries are actually decently reliable, as long as you remembered to top off the oil every now and then.

The RX8's engine wasn't bad. The big problem Mazda has is meeting emissions requirements, which means meeting fuel economy requirements (because some genius in Europe figured that labeling CO2 a pollutant would bring down fuel consumption).

**scharnhorst** · September 1st, 2011 08:40 PM

yikes. sana hindi iabandon ng mazda yung rotary..

**RXlove** · October 20th, 2011 08:51 AM

Slow ang market ng RX-8 having to deal with poor fuel economy. 24 mpg comparing it with others that can go up to 35 mpg highway masakit sa bulsa ang fuel consumption plus expensive parts . . . . sana nga hindi iabandon ang RX8

**cripple_rooster** · October 30th, 2011 10:33 PM

Originally Posted by niky

The only big problem Mazda had with the rotaries was with the twin-turbo variants. Older single-turbo and non-turbo rotaries are actually decently reliable, as long as you remembered to top off the oil every now and then.

The RX8's engine wasn't bad. The big problem Mazda has is meeting emissions requirements, which means meeting fuel economy requirements (because some genius in Europe figured that labeling CO2 a pollutant would bring down fuel consumption).

As far as adding oil to the fuel, some vegetable-based oils such as those used in kart racing are a good way to deal with the CO² and also they reduce the carbon deposits around the spark plug.