HIROSHIMA, Japan — Sources close to Mazda told Inside Line today that the next Mazda RX-7 is still in the works. Inside Line has also learned that a new Mazda RX-8 is also in the works and is expected to be called the Mazda RX-9.
Mazda will not let the rotary engine die with the current RX-8, sources tell IL. The company is well along in development of its next-generation RX-7, fitted with a front midship-mounted 16X rotary engine. The engine will generate upward of 270 horsepower from a normally aspirated power unit, they say.
The new twin-rotor engine will feature an 800cc x 2 configuration, up from the current 13B's 654cc x 2 format, while improving fuel economy by 20 percent.
By building such an engine, Mazda is looking to clean up a rotary image that was fraught with poor economy and emissions and excessive oil use.
The next RX-7's transmission is also all new. It's a twin-clutch, two-pedal six-speed unit with a twist that allows drivers to set the revs at which the clutches engage.
Engineers are also reportedly working on weight issues. By developing a new chassis, they have been able to shed some 220 pounds, reducing the RX-7's curb weight to the 2,640-pound range, according to one source.
