Even though Mazda President and CEO, Takashi Tamanouchi, has repeatedly stated that the company will continue to develop the firm’s rotary engine after the demise of the RX-8 sports car in June of 2012, many have questioned the company’s commitment to the Wankel concept.
To calm the Japanese brand’s fans, Mazda posted a tweet on its Japanese account that said it is “zealously” planning the development of “new models”, which will be equipped with a rotary engine.
Here’s the (loosely) translated snip:
“Thank you so much for all your supportive messages concerning the RX-8 and the rotary engine! We are also excited. Mazda is aiming to achieve a breakthrough with the ‘Skyactiv’ technology, and we are zealously working on new models to house the next generation rotary engine. Thank you for your continued support!”
Now the question is what kind of Wankel-powered model(s) could Mazda be working on? While we can’t say for sure, the evidence points at a possible two-door successor to the RX-7 and/or a production version of the Shinari sports saloon concept.
Story References: Mazda PR via Integrityexports [Hat tip to Stephen!]
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