Mazda RX-7 Will Be Back In 2017

There are reports that Mazda is working on the relaunch of the RX-7 by 2017, 15 years after stopping its production. Mazda’s sports car chief Nobuhiro Yamamoto confirmed while talking to the media at Sydney Motor Show not only such a car is in development but also it will be launched in time for the 50^th anniversary of Mazda’s first rotary engine. The first car with the rotary engine was the 1967 Cosmo Sport.

The new RX-7 will be powered by Mazda’s latest 16X Wankel engine that was revealed in 2007 but hasn’t been used in any car till date. Apparently this 1.6 engine can generate 300 horsepower without the need of a turbocharger. It is able to work well with hybrid technology as the rotary Wankels run at constant speeds, this could in turn generate electrical power. We certainly hope that Mazda would have addressed the issue of reliability as the previous Wankels needed plenty of maintenance including frequent oil changes. Mazda is expected to use the same platform as the next generation MX-5 Miata. The new RX-7 will be a two seater car apart from the Japenese version that will have a small rear bench.