Mazda Wankel engine
The Mazda Wankel engines are a family of Wankel rotary combustion car engines produced by Mazda.
| Wankel rotary engines | |
|---|---|
| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | Mazda |
| Also called | "RENESIS" (RX-8 engine) |
| Production | 1967–present |
| Layout | |
| Configuration | Wankel engine |
| Displacement | 0.4L 360 cc (22 cu in) 0.8L 798 cc (48.7 cu in) 1.0L 982 cc (59.9 cu in) 1.2L 1,146 cc (69.9 cu in) 1.3L 1,308 cc (79.8 cu in) 2.0L 1,962 cc (119.7 cu in) 2.6L 2,616 cc (159.6 cu in) |
| Combustion | |
| Turbocharger | 1982 & up |
| Fuel system | Carbureted or fuel injected |
| Fuel type | Gasoline |
| Oil system | Wet sump |
| Cooling system | Water |
| Output | |
| Power output | 100–700 hp (75–522 kW) |
| Torque output | 20–200 lb⋅ft (27–271 N⋅m) |
| Dimensions | |
| Dry weight | 347 lb (157 kg) |
Wankel engines were invented in 1950s by Felix Wankel, a German engineer. Over the years, displacement has been increased and turbocharging has been added. Mazda rotary engines have a reputation for being relatively small and powerful at the expense of poor fuel efficiency. The engines became popular with kit car builders, hot rodders and in light aircraft because of their light weight, compact size, tuning potential and inherently high power-to-weight ratio—as is true for all Wankel-type engines.
Since the end of production of the Mazda RX-8 in 2012, the engine was produced only for single seater racing, with the one-make Star Mazda Championship being contested with a Wankel engine until 2017; the series' transition to using a Mazda-branded piston engine in 2018 temporarily ended the production of the engine. In 2023, Mazda reintroduced the engine as a generator for the 2023 MX-30 e-Skyactiv R-EV plug-in hybrid.