What Car Companies Use Rotary Engines?
Rotary engines are a type of internal combustion engine that uses a triangular rotor that spins within a figure-8 shaped chamber. This design is much simpler than the traditional piston engine, and it can produce more power and torque with a smaller displacement. However, rotary engines are also less fuel-efficient and more expensive to manufacture than piston engines. As a result, they are not as common as piston engines in cars.
The only car company that currently produces rotary engines is Mazda. Mazda has been using rotary engines in its cars since 1967, and it is the only company that has ever mass-produced rotary-powered cars. Mazda’s current rotary-powered car is the RX-8, which is a sports car that was first introduced in 2003.
Other Car Companies That Have Used Rotary Engines
In addition to Mazda, a number of other car companies have used rotary engines in their cars over the years. These companies include:
* **Citroën:** Citroën used rotary engines in its GS Birotor and CX 22 models in the 1970s.
* **NSU:** NSU used rotary engines in its Ro 80 and Spider models in the 1960s and 1970s.
* **General Motors:** General Motors used rotary engines in its Chevrolet Corvette and GMC Caballero models in the 1970s.
* **Mercedes-Benz:** Mercedes-Benz used rotary engines in its C111 prototype car in the 1960s and 1970s.
* **Toyota:** Toyota used rotary engines in its 2000GT prototype car in the 1960s.
Why Are Rotary Engines Not More Common?
There are a number of reasons why rotary engines are not more common than piston engines in cars. These reasons include:
* **Fuel efficiency:** Rotary engines are less fuel-efficient than piston engines. This is because rotary engines have a higher surface area to volume ratio than piston engines, which means that more heat is lost through the engine’s walls.
* **Manufacturing cost:** Rotary engines are more expensive to manufacture than piston engines. This is because rotary engines have a more complex design than piston engines, and they require more precise machining.
* **Reliability:** Rotary engines are less reliable than piston engines. This is because rotary engines have a number of moving parts that are subject to wear and tear.
* **Emissions:** Rotary engines produce more emissions than piston engines. This is because rotary engines burn oil as part of their normal operation.
Conclusion
Rotary engines have a number of advantages over piston engines, such as their simplicity, power, and torque. However, rotary engines also have a number of disadvantages, such as their fuel inefficiency, manufacturing cost, and reliability. As a result, rotary engines are not as common as piston engines in cars.
