Mazda Patent Hints At Rear Wheel Drive Rotary Powered Hybrid Sports Car
Year after year we’ve been hoping Mazda brings back the Wankel Rotary engine in the body of a sports car. Yes, the recent news about it coming back as a range extender is pretty cool and it’s good to see the technology being adapted to the modern age, but nothing would come close to the revival of the RX run of cars.
Now, a number of patents have been filed in Japan and published last week, but with a filing date of almost two years ago, we’re wondering if something is in the works.
These patents, filed in Europe, show a 48V hybrid drivetrain with three rotors, implying that this may be the last time the Wankel Rotary Engine could be seen in this form before Euro 7 emission ruin our dreams of something sporty. On top of this, it’s a trio of rotaries, which wasn’t overly successful because of a handful of engineering issues. But, bigger is always better, right?
Fans of the car who are much more knowledgeable than me have looked into these patents and have wondered whether Mazda is planning a rear-wheel-drive hybrid sports car. Unfortunately, this isn’t the first time a patent like this has been found, so while the patent is real, this may not come to fruition just yet.
Let’s hope Mazda has found a way to make the Wankel engine a reality after its troubled history. And if it really does end up in a purchasable car, let’s hope potential customers are brave enough to buy it.
