1985 Mazda Rx-7 Gs Coupe 2-door 1.1l on 2040-cars

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Mazda 16X rotary engine two years away, will arrive in all-new model

We last reported on Mazda's next-generation rotary engine project in June of 2012 when the automaker built its last Renesis-powered RX-8, but rumors of this new engine's development had been around way before that final car left the production line in Japan, last year.
We now have enthusiastic confirmation that this next-gen rotary engine is really and truly going forward. It is still referred to as 16X and has several priorities. First is to lower fuel consumption compared to the RX-8's engine, while still making gains in terms of performance. The second is to reduce the burning of oil that was happening at the highest revs. And the third and final priority, and perhaps most key for enthusiasts, is to give the powertrain a big torque upgrade.
What we were told by a Mazda USA insider (while we are all here together at the festivities in Monterey) is that the first application of the new 16X engine will be happening in two years' time in an as yet undisclosed new model. Oh, the mind races to our eternal Mazda wish list...

2017.5 Mazda6 gives you more for the same money

The current Mazda6 has been around since the 2014 model year, but Mazda continues to update it and make it more enticing. For this midyear update that's earned the "2017.5" model year stamp, Mazda has added more standard features to both the base model Sport and midlevel Touring models. The Sport model now comes with blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert as standard features. The Touring model picks up navigation and heated seats as standard equipment. You can also opt for 8-way power leather seats on the Touring as well. If the extra features weren't enough, Mazda doesn't charge anything extra for the trim levels. All the base prices remain the same. The cheapest Sport model, which comes with a manual transmission, still starts at $22,820. The cheapest Touring model, again with a manual transmission, keeps its starting price of $25,070. Aside from a nice addition of features for no extra cost, there's something else interesting about the 2017.5 Mazda6, and that's the model year itself. The last time Mazda used a half-year designation was for the 2016.5 CX-5. It was the last model year of the previous generation CX-5, with the completely redesigned model launching for 2017. This leads us to believe that we may be seeing a completely new Mazda6 for the 2018 model year, with a reveal sometime within a year. It's possible Mazda could just do a significant refresh for 2018 as well, but the 6 also is the next model due for a complete redesign. And since the folks at Mazda have told us they're in the process of thoroughly updating the lineup again, we would lean toward the likelihood of a completely new car rather than a refresh. Related Video: Featured Gallery 2017 Mazda 6 View 33 Photos Image Credit: Mazda Mazda Car Buying Sedan

Mazda files patents for a sequential twin-turbo setup

Mazda has a history of interesting engine technologies, from yesterday's rotary engine to tomorrow's compression ignition engine, and new patents show it still may have some internal combustion tricks up its sleeve. The one on display in these patents isn't especially new in concept, though. A sequential twin-turbocharger setup is something Mazda itself used on the third-generation RX-7. But it's something we haven't seen much of lately. It looks like it could have some possible advantages over older sequential systems, and it has some potential advantages for enthusiasts. First a quick and dirty primer for what makes a sequential twin-turbo system distinct from other twin-turbo systems. In many twin-turbo engines, there are simply two turbos that work together as one bigger turbo. They're the same size, and they spool up at the same time. With a sequential setup, at low rpm, a smaller turbocharger is spooled up first at low-rpm for quicker throttle response, and as the rpm and exhaust pressure increases, a valve opens up that allows a larger turbocharger to also spool up and provide high-rpm boost. That's basically how the Mazda design shown above functions. A big flap blocks off the larger turbocharger exhaust inlet, channeling all the exhaust to the smaller turbo. When more exhaust is available at high rpm, it looks like that flap opens up to spool up the big turbo, too. What's interesting here is that the way the turbochargers are packaged takes up less space than past systems. It looks like both turbos are contained in one unit that shares the same exhaust outlet, meaning the exhaust manifold could be kept simple and compact. In fact, the piping for compressed intake air could also be shared, reducing the amount of piping, which would further decrease the amount of materials and possible failure points. There are a number advantages of making this system smaller. The potential applications of the system are much greater, since it could fit in smaller cars with smaller engine bays. Making the system smaller also means that there won't be as much weight, which is important from both fuel economy and performance standpoints. Finally, the smaller setup likely uses fewer materials, which could make the system cheaper and thus easier to offer on a wider range of vehicles, or at least more profitable for Mazda.