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Apr 26, 2024 · Mazda RX-8. Sue Thatcher/Getty Images. Any list of rotary-powered success stories must include the Mazda RX-8. Mazda introduced it in 2004 as a four-door coupe with reverse-hinged suicide doors in ...
- 8 Rotary-Powered Cars That We'd Be Shocked To See On The Road
By Mark Cowley Jan. 27, 2024 10:30 am EST. Mazda. Designed...
- Mazda's Iconic Rotary Engine Explained: How It Works And Why ...
This car was the Cosmo Sport, which was released in 1967 and...
- 8 Rotary-Powered Cars That We'd Be Shocked To See On The Road
- Eunos Cosmo. The original Mazda Cosmo Sport of the '60s was the world's first dual-rotary-engine sports car, and it has become highly sought after among collectors.
- NSU Ro80. Unveiled in 1967, the NSU Ro80 was hailed by automotive journalists as a truly groundbreaking car. It was awarded the prestigious "Car of the Year" award, being praised both for its aerodynamic styling and for its innovative engine.
- Citroën M35. The NSU-developed rotary engine caused such a stir in the European automotive industry that a number of other manufacturers signed agreements with the German marque to produce their own versions of the design.
- Mazda Roadpacer AP. While European automakers mostly phased out their development of inefficient rotary engines in the wake of the '70s oil crisis, Mazda did exactly the opposite.
- 10 Cars with Rotary Engines
- Chevrolet Aerovette
- NSU Wankel Spider
- Mazda Eunos Cosmo
- Citroen GS Birotor
- NSU Ro 80
- Mazda B-Series
- Mazda RX-8
- AMC Pacer
- Mazda 787B
Sadly, rotary engines do have some natural drawbacks. There are a lot of reasons rotary engines can fail, which means that the vehicles that use them tend to be more exclusive or novelty vehicles where the benefits outweigh the disadvantages. Part of why you need to know the 10 awesome cars with rotary engines is to make sure you’re looking at vehi...
The Aerovette is one of those iconic Chevrolet vehiclesthat are fantastic but also largely forgotten except by enthusiasts. This design is a combination of the best retro-futurism with swoopy aerodynamic designs. Sadly, the Aerovette was shelved back in the ‘70s, so it didn’t get much of a chance to shine in the world of rotary engine vehicles. But...
The Wankel Spider is one of those iconic NSU vehicles that came out with the Wankel rotary engine in the ‘60s, and it’s actually one of the first that ever hit the streets. Oozing with the designs of the 60s this, model has class and a lot of style. However, only a bit over 2,000 vehicles were ever produced, even though it had fewer reliability iss...
The Eunos Cosmo is one of the few rotary engine cars that got a longer production run. It was in production from 1967 to 1995 and was the first Cosmo to launch with the Mazda Wankel engine. It was also a flagship vehicle in Japan, which means that this vehicle has a special place in the history of rotary engine vehicles. Aside from its place in his...
The Citroan GS Birotor is one of those vehicles that has a retro look, but you can also look at this vehicle and know that it looked futuristic when it was released. Based on the GS and with disc brakes and a luxurious interior, this car had all the makings of a fantastic driver. The problem was that, like all rotary engine vehicles, the Citroen GS...
NSU is one of the big brands that’s known for producing vehicles with rotary engines, though the extra cost of those engines eventually drove the brand out of business. This vehicle came out with an incredibly advanced design, comfortable features, and a lot of other benefits. Unfortunately, while this vehicle had a lot of perks and benefits, the N...
Mazda’s B-Series truck is a rarity for a few reasons on this list, not least that it’s a small truck instead of a coupe or a sedan. This vehicle was relatively popular in the United States, with almost 15k units sold between 974 and 1977. However, like many other rotary engine vehicles, the B-Series was plagued by unreliability and other problems t...
If you’re looking for a more modern vehicle with a rotary engine, the 2003 RX-8 might be a reasonable option. The 4-door design is still considered a reliable and safe vehicle and is refreshingly affordable for a rotary engine vehicle. Production ended in 2012, but they hold up alright even today. Better yet, this vehicle came out with a lot of adv...
The Pacer is one of the smallest vehicles that came out with a Wankel motor, which is saying something considering how many rotary engines got put into race cars. This design was definitely meant for families and consumers looking for a compact car. Its wooden side panels should give you an idea of the aesthetic and the era this vehicle was built f...
Mazda is known for making vehicles with a rotary engine, which is important to note because they’re one of the manufacturers that have been able to make several different vehicles with rotary engines work. Designed as a racing vehicle, the 787B was actually slower than a lot of its competition early in the race. The real advantages of this vehicle ...
Sep 1, 2024 · Four-Rotor. Power Output. 420 hp. The Chevrolet Aerovette was a mid-engine Corvette concept that nearly became the first production Corvette with the engine behind the seats. Initially conceived ...
- Jacob Oliva
Sep 7, 2023 · This car was the Cosmo Sport, which was released in 1967 and featured a 1.3-liter dual rotor engine, and it kicked off a long line of Mazda cars with unique engines. Mazda rotary lineage Gestalt ...
- Justin Owen
Aug 16, 2022 · A rotary engine's specifications can be misleading. It's small, but it packs a punch. Well, at least in the horsepower department. The last production car to use a rotary engine was the Mazda RX-8 ...
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Nov 5, 2018 · While Mazda's famous pursuit of rotary-engined sports cars is arguably the Wankel's biggest success story, the RX-7 and RX-8 weren't the only ones to make a success of it. No one would argue that ...
