What Cars Have Rotary Engines?

Rotary engines are a type of internal combustion engine that use a triangular rotor that spins within a figure-8 shaped chamber. This design allows for a smoother, more powerful, and more efficient engine than traditional piston engines.

The first rotary engine was invented by Felix Wankel in the 1950s. Wankel’s engine was initially used in small generators and other industrial applications. However, in the 1960s, Mazda began to develop rotary engines for use in automobiles.

The first Mazda car to use a rotary engine was the Cosmo 110S, which was released in 1967. The Cosmo 110S was a small, sporty coupe that was powered by a 1.0-liter rotary engine. The Cosmo 110S was a success, and Mazda continued to develop rotary engines for use in its cars.

In the 1970s, Mazda introduced the RX-7, which was a larger, more powerful sports car that was powered by a 1.3-liter rotary engine. The RX-7 was a huge success, and it helped to establish Mazda as a leader in rotary engine technology.

Mazda continued to develop rotary engines throughout the 1980s and 1990s. In 1991, Mazda introduced the RX-8, which was the first car to be powered by a Renesis rotary engine. The Renesis engine was more powerful and more efficient than previous rotary engines, and it helped to revive interest in rotary engine technology.

However, Mazda stopped producing rotary engines in 2012. The company cited declining sales and increasingly stringent emissions regulations as the reasons for its decision.

What Are the Advantages of Rotary Engines?

Rotary engines offer a number of advantages over traditional piston engines, including:

* **Smoother operation:** Rotary engines have a smoother power delivery than piston engines. This is because the rotor spins continuously, rather than reciprocating up and down.
* **More power:** Rotary engines can produce more power than piston engines of the same size. This is because the rotor spins faster than the pistons in a piston engine.
* **More efficient:** Rotary engines are more efficient than piston engines at converting fuel into power. This is because the rotor seals against the chamber walls, which prevents the loss of compression.

What Are the Disadvantages of Rotary Engines?

Rotary engines also have some disadvantages, including:

* **Higher emissions:** Rotary engines produce more emissions than piston engines. This is because the rotor does not seal against the chamber walls as well as the pistons in a piston engine.
* **Lower fuel economy:** Rotary engines have lower fuel economy than piston engines. This is because the rotor spins faster than the pistons in a piston engine, which uses more fuel.
* **Less reliable:** Rotary engines are less reliable than piston engines. This is because the rotor is more complex than the pistons in a piston engine, and it is more likely to wear out.

What Cars Have Rotary Engines?

Only a few cars have ever been produced with rotary engines. These include:

* Mazda Cosmo 110S (1967-1972)
* Mazda RX-2 (1970-1978)
* Mazda RX-3 (1971-1978)
* Mazda RX-4 (1972-1978)
* Mazda RX-5 (1975-1981)
* Mazda RX-7 (1978-2002)
* Mazda RX-8 (2003-2012)

Conclusion

Rotary engines offer a number of advantages over traditional piston engines, including smoother operation, more power, and more efficiency. However, rotary engines also have some disadvantages, including higher emissions, lower fuel economy, and less reliability. As a result, only a few cars have ever been produced with rotary engines.