New Mazda RX-7 And RX-9 Coming?

An artist rendering of what the new RX-7 might look like.

The Mazda Cosmo Sport first appeared in 1967, and it was the first volume production car to feature a Wankel rotary engine. According to Australia’s Motoring magazine, sources within the company suggest that a reborn RX-7 sports coupe could be in the offing for 2017 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of that milestone. Then in 2020, Mazda will celebrate the company’s 100th anniversary, which will coincide with the Olympic Games in Tokyo, and those same sources say Mazda will introduce an all new, range topping sports car in honor of both occasions.

We do know that Mazda has registered the names RX-7 and RX-9 with the Japanese trademark office, adding credibility to  the rumors. Mazda reported record profits of nearly $2 billion dollars for the last fiscal year, so there is money available for creating new models.

The new RX-7 is rumored to use the 300 hp 16X rotary engine Mazda has under development. Add an electric turbocharger to the 16X, and you have a potent new motor for an RX-9 “halo car”. The RX-9 may also come with a hybrid powertrain to stay competitive with offerings from other manufacturers. Asked about all these rumors recently, Mazda global sales and marketing chief Yasuhiro Aoyama was enigmatic, saying only that a new rotary powered RX-7 for 2017 would be a “fantastic idea”.

Mazda has devoted more than five decades to perfecting the Wankel rotary engine, primarily because it produces good power from a unit that is smaller and lighter than any other internal combustion engine. Because there are no pistons going up and down thousands of times a minute, the rotary is also very smooth compared to its rivals. Unfortunately, it tends to be fairly thirsty, and has been bedeviled by longevity issues with the apex seals that are critical to making the engine work. Mazda’s latest rotary engine car, the RX-8, suffered from poor fuel economy and disappointing reliability, which led to it being withdrawn from the marketplace after a relatively short production run and low sales.

If Mazda can duplicate the reputation for bullet proof reliability enjoyed by the Miata (itself debuting a new model next month) and wrap the new cars in styling that excites the eye, these two new models should be enthusiastically received by potential buyers. But the folks at Jalopnik say the new RX-7 is a recurring internet myth that gets folks riled up every few years. We should know the truth in about two years time, so buckle up Mazda fans.

It could be a bumpy ride.

Source: Mazda

Honda CR-Z Gets Factory-Approved Supercharger

The Honda CR-Z attempted to walk the fine line between being a sporty coupe and a frugal fuel-sipper. It didn’t really succeed at either, delivering so-so fuel efficiency while feeling too underpowered to be considered any sort of performance car.

Enter Honda Performance Development, Honda’s in-house motorsports group, which has just released a factory-approved supercharger the boosts output from 130 horsepower to a more-competitive 197 horsepower. That’s in the same power range as Honda’s own Civic Si. In addition to the supercharger, the HPD package includes an air-to-air intercooler, a reflashed ECU, high-flow fuel injectors, and a new cold air intake.

Those modifications add up to a MSRP of $5,495 and still maintains Honda’s 5-year/60,000 mile warranty. The kit is specifically for the 2014 Honda CR-Z, though I don’t see why it couldn’t be retroactively applicable to earlier models, can be dealership installed. Buyers also have the option of other performance-enhancing features like a limited-slip differential and sportier suspension bits.

While a supercharger seems to defeat the point of a hybrid, it does make the CR-Z more appealing to those seeking an affordable performance fix. With a starting MSRP of $19,995, you can actually drive off in a supercharged CR-Z for just about $2,000 more than a Civic SI coupe. Not too shabby, though you have to take into account that the CR-Z’s doubtful future; it’s already been killed off in Europe, and its stablemate, the Honda Insight, has also been put out to pasture.

Maybe Honda should have just offered a supercharger option from the get-go, and really give buyers a choice between a CR-Z that goes fast, and one that delivers awesome fuel economy. Trying to split the middle doesn’t seem to have worked out for Honda.

Source: Honda

Study: Turbocharged Car Sales To Triple By 2017

Turbochargers have long been employed by the auto industry to downsize engines while increasing performance. But it has only been the past few years that turbocharged vehicles have become commonplace in cars across the spectrum of models and brands. A new study by turbomaker Honeywell predicts that by 2017, turbocharged light vehicle sales will have tripled. Sounds about right.

Turbochargers have been around for decades, but only really gained popularity in the 1980s when automakers had to get more power out of smaller engines. Turbochargers have since stuck around, albeit mostly on performance cars like the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution.

Now though, turbochargers can be found in everything from economy cars like the Chevy Sonic to full-size pickups like the Ford F-150. Hyundai offers a turbocharged Sonata, Volkswagen has plenty of turbodiesel engines in its lineup, and even the Fiat 500 Abarth sports a turbocharged engine.

This rise in turbocharging technology has led Honeywell to predict that turbocharged vehicle sales will climb from 1.3 million in 2011 to over 4 million by 2017 in the United States. Turbocharged car sales are also expected to rise in China, India, and Europe, where engines like the 1.0 liter, three-cylinder EcoBoost have proven have potent turbocharged engines can be. And consumers are responding quite enthusiastically  scooping up turbo-powered vehicles as fast as they can be built.

This is great news for gearheads and greenies alike; turbocharged engines are pretty easy to upgrade, use less fuel, but offer a level of performance many people are used to. What turbocharged vehicles are you looking forward to trying out?

Source: LeftLane News