The Mazda RX-8 was introduced over six years ago, not that long ago, but is slated to be nixed from the lineup starting next year in 2011. Why has this contemporary, rotary powered engined sportscar lost the battle in automotive sales? Well the biggest problem is it’s lack of economic and environmental attributes. It has poor fuel efficiency, high exhaust emissions and excessive oil consumption. When Felix Wankel designed the rotary powered engine for Mazda many years ago, the emphasis was on power not economy or environmental concerns. It’s a sportscar after all, and we expect the powerful rumble from under the hood, not the purr of a kitten. When the RX-8 was first introduced, consumers fell in love with the styling of this racy Mazda model. It combined the silhouette of a classic sports car with some unusual updated details. It’s long front hood and wide pronounced flared fenders gave the wide look of muscle cars of the past. A must for sports cars these days, everything old is new again. However looks aside, the thirsty engine does not translate well between old and new expectations. The bulk of the engine power comes on at top end, meaning you really have to get her going before the power is noticeable. This causes the fuel consumption to sop up the gas much like a bigger SUV engine. We are fickle consumers I guess; we want the old school looks and feel of a sports car, but with all of the new millennium low fuel mileage and environmental minimal footprint. That’s exactly what Mazda is hoping to do with the re vamping re-release of the RX-7 in 2012. Good bye RX-8, hello again RX-7.

The soon to be introduced Mazda RX-7 is expected to be powered by an all new 16X rotary engine which Mazda been developing for the past few years. It is a regeneration of the 13B found in the older RX-8 version. This new rotary engine will have a revised eccentric shaft producing lower end torque. The pure sports car approach makes a lot of sense to rotary aficionados, who saw the RX-8 as a meager compromise. Mazda is trying everything possible these days to be competitive in the Japanese sport scar arena. It’s expected that in the very near future, the Japanese market will be full of high performance sports cars and Mazda needs to get into gear to be part of the revolution. The styling of the new 2012 RX-7 is similar to the RX-8 with raised wheel arches and that familiar bulge in the hood to cover the revamped rotary engine.

I’m a little excited taking about this newly re-vamped RX-7 out for a spin. I expect Mazda to show off a pre-production model later in 2010 when they get closer to officially announcing the car. It’s sad to see the RX-8 go, but Mazda already has the MX-5 and any auto maker worth its salt knows it’s not necessary to have three sport cars in their brand’s lineup.

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