Mazda's Rotary Engine Celebrates Its 40th Birthday

Last May 30, Mazda celebrated the 40th anniversaryis not all! It also created an overall win at the 1991
of its rotary engine. Mazda launched on May 30, 1967running of the famed 24-Hours of Le Mans. Mazda
the Mazda Cosmo Sport - the world's first car to usewas the first and is still the only Japanese auto
twin-rotor rotary engine. After that year, Mazda hascompany that won this extreme endurance race.
produced almost two million vehicles that wereHowever, this success changed the rules for
powered by the rotary engine.subsequent races. The rotary engine was banned.
Jim O'Sullivan, the President and CEO of Mazda NorthThe engine continues to be part of the modern U.S.
American Operations, said that Mazda is the onlymotorsports. As a matter of fact, the SpeedSource
company with a laser-like focus on vehicleteam is power is the rotary engine that became
development and engineering success and wouldvictor in Grand Am Rolex GT competition in their
have had the perseverance and unyielding goal toespecially prepared RX-8. The powerful engine is also
continue the rotary engine. He added that theypowering every vehicle in the ultra-competitive Star
began in the 1950s and they are now facing a veryMazda Championship for open-wheel racers.
bright hydrogen-fueled future. According to him, theAs Mazda looks towards an even company
rotary engine reflects Mazda as a company that hasbetterment, the company pledges its commitment to
opted to make what most do not and has made itsthe rotary engine for the long run. After almost 5
own successes where others have failed.decades of development, the company has started
Among auto makers, only Mazda solved theon the fact that rotary technology is distinctly
engineering obstacles which are essential in bringingperfect for hydrogen burning as a fuel, especially as
the engine to the market in a mass-productioncompared to conventional piston engines. In Japan,
vehicle.the company has been researching and developing
Powered by the rotary engine, the first vehicle thatboth hydrogen-fueled rotaries as well as hydrogen
Mazda sold in the United States was the 1970 R100.rotary hybrid-electric vehicles. Moreover, Mazda
This was the era in which Mazda’s Rotary Pickupalready has hydrogen-fueled rotary-powered RX-8s
truck is installed with the rotary engine.on the road – another breakthrough from the
The sports-car establishment was shock and salesauto maker.
records were set in never before seen sales withAbout Mazda Motor Corporation
sports cars when Mazda released the iconic RX-7 inA Japanese automotive manufacturer that is based in
1979. In the 1986 and 1993, the subsequent RX-7Hiroshima, Japan, Mazda Motor Corporation is the
generations were released. These include the firstmaker of quality and top of the line auto parts such
production applications of turbo charging the rotaryas Mazda multi rib belt.
engine in the U.S. market. The engine was updatedIn addition to that, Mazda is also a well known
with the introduction of side porting when the carproducer of different types of vehicles and their
maker presented the refined four-door sports carparts.
RX-8 in 2003. This resulted in tremendously minimizedThe company is expected to produce 1.25 million
exhaust emissions and enhanced performance.vehicles annually as of 2006. Among Japan, Europe,
In the world of motorsports, Mazda’s engine hasNorth America, and Latin America, its sales will be
also been tremendously successful. It powered theevenly divided.
company’s cars to more than 100 professionalMazda’s 33.4% of controlling interest is controlled
sports car racing victories in the U.S. alone. And thatby the Ford Motor Company.