Mazda Ends Production of the Rotary Engine

For now.

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Complex Original

Image via Complex Original

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A 45-year era of the rotary engine ended this past weekend when a 2011 RX-8 Spirit R, which you see in the eighth, ninth, and tenth pictures above) rolled off the production line. As of now, that was the last rotary-powered Mazda that will come through production. Rotary engines suffered heavily from terrible fuel consumption, but were beneficial for their light weight and smooth-running funcitonality. Possible options to bring the Rotary back would be in an altered version with SKYACTIV or as a generator for a hydrogen model. We're not expecting them to disappear for too long. 

[via Car and Driver]

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