Rotary engine a must for Mazda's RX-8 successor - Driving
Rumours of a Mazda RX-8 successor are nothing new, but a new report suggests we might not see one unless it has a rotary engine under the hood. Speaking with Automotive News , Mazda design chief Ikuo Maeda, the man behind the original RX-8, said he’s still pushing for a revival to the RX lineup ever since the RX-8 was discontinued in 2012. “I will never give up,” Maeda said. Until now, Mazda stopped short on officially confirming a successor, Maeda himself said a SkyActiv powertrain under the hood wouldn’t do — despite their inherent efficiency and sportiness, any successor to the RX-8 needs to have a rotary engine. Coupled with slow RX-8 sales and it’s even more difficult to make a case for a successor, especially since Mazda CEO Masamichi Kogai says sales would have to approach the 100,000 units-per-year mark in order to be green-lit. That doesn’t mean it’s a lost cause — since 2007, Mazda engineers have been working on improving its rotary engine even if the research and plans have recently taken a backseat. As tantilizing as a new Mazda RX sports car would be, Maeda still maintains it ave a SkyActiv powertrain. Source: driving.ca
