When Mazda discontinued the RX-8, most people assumed the rotary engine was finished. The RX-8 was the last production car to use Mazda's signature Wankel rotary, and its departure seemed to signal ...

The Wankel engine powered the Mazda RX-7 to fame, but other pistonless rotary designs reveal why the category is broader than ...

The rotary engine has been a Mazda staple since 1967. It powered one of the most famous and eccentric Japanese sports car line-ups, the RX-series, until 2012 when Mazda discontinued pure ...

Jack Hubbell is a European based writer and automotive enthusiast who joined the HotCars team in 2024. Jack has been building cars and motorcycles since a young age and was a member of the SCCA from ...

The engine in question was the Wankel rotary, named after German engineer Felix Wankel, who first patented the concept in 1929. Instead of pistons moving back and forth, the rotary engine used a ...

In theory, Wankel-style rotary internal combustion engines have many advantages: they ditch the cumbersome crankcase and piston design, replacing it with a simple, single-chamber design and a thick, ...

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Peter Lyon is based in Tokyo and writes about the car industry. At the Japan Mobility Show two years ago, Mazda unveiled a ...

The Iconic SP is almost certain to house the new rotary powertrain announced by CEO Moro. It’s official. The rotary is coming back. Earlier this month at the Tokyo Auto Salon, Japan’s biggest car ...

The Mazda Iconic SP sports car concept was first shown at the 2023 Japan Mobility Show. The two-seater in Viola Red with 2+2 interior space was promised as a production car, similar in design, in the ...

The Mazda 787B carved its name into motorsport history in 1991 as the first Japanese car to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans overall. Even more legendary was its powertrain, a screaming 2.6-liter ...

Many mainstream automakers are moving away from sports cars. But not Mazda, which seems set to offer two different models. We’ve already reported on the company’s planning for what will become the ...