More room for a 3 (or more) rotor engine

Before this picture came out, I was actually hoping for something more "unique", especially in the rear. Something like inboard rear brakes and/or using the half shafts as one of the rear suspension members (think about the Jaguar IRS setup).
Oh well, this is fine anyway

Andrea.

 

sort of. the miata has had three transmissions in 25 years. the 5 speed, the M type, was introduced in the 1979 Rx7, and then revised for the miata, where it has been used with a few minor changes from 89-now.

some of the 99-2005 miatas has an Aisin warner 6 speed, of which a variant was used in the 2003-2008 Rx8 (and IS300, 350Z, S2000....).

in 2006 the Miata 6 speed became the P type, this actually is a 6 speed version of the 90's ford ranger transmission (Mazda made transmissions for ford), in 2009 this transmission was adopted in the Rx8 as well.

so i guess you can say that the Rx8 used a miata transmission, but you can also say that the miata used an Rx7 transmission.... (and by that logic, the FD uses a ford aerostar transmission....)

the picture of the ND chassis, is showing an M type transmission with a different center housing, maybe it grew a gear?

 

There are reasons no one does inboard rear disks anymore (1. poor rear brake cooling, 2. full stress reversal => beefier shafts and u-joints required).
Ditto regarding using the halfshafts as control arms (Corvette *used* to do that as well, until the C5).

Unique/different is fine if it's an improvement!

 

Hmmn, I thought Mazda claimed heritage for the R Type transmission used in the TII RX-7 and revamped for the FD RX-7 and RX-8 5speed to hearken back to the old '74 to '78 ribcase 5 speed.

They certainly look the same.

Good eyes to spot a difference in M Type center housing!

 

the R box is a revised, it shares nothing except a couple of bolt patterns and cosmetics, with the old Rx2/3/4/5/repu transmissions.

however saying the Rx8 used a miata transmission isn't really true. even though both used the Aisin transmission, the two gear boxes are actually quite different, the miata 6 speed is NA sized, and the Rx8 is turbo sized

 

oh and new rotary car arrives in 2017, start saving

 

The question is, is that electric power steering?? That third pulley looks like it could pass as either a water pump or power steering.

Please no electric power steering.

 

I am surprised you don't like Mazda electric power steering!

I love my Mazda3 and RX-8 electric power steering. It is nice and weighty on center from no assist and gives great feedback and with just the right amount of assist.

In comparison I hated the feel of the FD overboosted hydraulic power steering (and giant steering wheel) coming from my manual rack FC TII.

FD does feel much better than before with 18x11 and 295 DOT-Rs in front and a smaller steering wheel though. Still not as nice as the 8 with the same wheel/tires.

 

Electric power steering is helping manufacturers be more fuel efficient.

 

I'm pretty serious in buying an rx7 turbo engine longblock.

I've got an RX8, What is there to work with? I'm trying to line up a rx7 turbo engine and nitrous/tune it. tear down the rx8 engine sometime, but that's not relevant.


I want to bridge port the engine. What is the best RX8 setup?

Do I have to 20B for 400-600hp?

 

Ditto on the 8! The steering feel is absolutely perfect.

 

The rx-8 electric power steering was proof that electric power steering can be done right.

 

See thread title! This isn't a discussion about helping someone build an engine.

 

Wait, doesn't the Skyactiv program include completely new manual and automatic transmissions? I was expecting to see a brand new transmission in the new ND miata. Perhaps they are using a revised "old style" case with completely new internals?

I was aware of the cooling problems of that setup, but I assumed that it could be kept under control with appropriate ducting. Didn't really know about the significantly increased stresses: I assumed that a standard half shaft could take the additional loads.

I'm already saving, have been doing it for the last year

Andrea.

 

well the case IS different. its too soon to say about the guts, no info there.

 

after a good look at the chassis, which i like, the item that raised my pulse was a statement somewhere about Mazda getting the weight under 2000 pounds.

if the new RX7 is going to be sharing much of the chassis i expect it to be more like the first gen RX7 than the FD. very light on its feet and an absolute joy to drive.

no corvette beater.

of course this will not appeal to some and will appeal to others. the concept of a direct injected 16X in a chassis around 2200 pounds would work for me.

the other interesting tidbit was the comment about all the artist renderings not being anywhere near correct.

make no mistake about it, Mazda's DNA is radical engineering. it has been greatly diluted over the last 20 years with Ford's influence and now that Mazda has bought it's stock back i believe you will see the real Mazda re-emerge.

howard

 

This is exactly what I'm waiting to see happen.

 

Unfortunately I don't think that that figure is accurate. Officially Mazda is still saying "220 lbs less than the current Miata", that would mean slightly less than 2300 lbs for the whole car.
A 2000 lbs Miata would require taking off almost 400 lbs off the lightest current Miata variant. I don't think that such a weight reduction is possible, at least not without extensive use of expensive materials.

This said, the Rx-7 would have the advantage of a light all aluminium rotary engine, a closed structure and a higher proportion of aluminium for the body to keep weight down. After all, back in 2012 Mazda said that the new 7 would be definitely lighter than the ND, and probably close to the weight of the toyobaru. This is a good start IMHO.

Andrea.

 

I feel your pain!

It's been rough waiting and waiting all these years for the new 7.

If they come out with anything inferior to the FD I will be on the 4C waiting list right with you.

 

Mazda just published their FY 2014 financial results, showing a net income of 135 billion yen for the whole year (the initial forecast was 100 billion yen).
FY 2013 ended with 34 billion yen of net income FWIW.

And they are forecasting 160 billion yen for FY 2015.

Also, they increased their research & development budget from 90 (in FY 2013) to 100 billion yen (in FY 2014).

http://www.mazda.com/investors/libra...en140425_e.pdf

Another point for the return of the rotary

Andrea.

 

Their R&D should include having external sources test the new engine, and by external sources I mean all kind of racers, purist rotary engine racers. Hope the public does not see the same type of issues that the 3rd gen and Rx8 had when they first came out

 

Will this car lead to the FD depreciating in value?

I think key caveat here is that I would almost be certain that the car will be NA which means you will essentially be stuck around the stock hp. There will be no adding an intake, exhaust and computer and getting 80-100 hp which on a light car adds nutty performance. That was the value in the FD in my view.

I am definitely interested in this but 250 hp at 2800 lbs with an NA platform doesn't get me giddy. I love the rotary cause it revs freely. The fun factor is through the roof. However we need more power. Btw I browsed this thread and saw different numbers for the weight. My apologies if 2800 isn't the tight number.

 

this is one of the ways we know that they are still working on it, they have had outside people doing tests.

usually the new model (or movie, or whatever) helps increase interest in all the rotary cars and this adds value.

 

Does anyone have a collection of links of concrete proof that there will be a new rx7?

I googled, and Many of the blogs that talk about the arrival of a new rx contradict each other, or the deadline for the car being produced have already passed etc.

I'm not sure which is legitimate and what's speculation?

 

It's all speculation until they actually put one up for sale.