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50 engineers kept the rotary alive at Mazda for 8 years

The Mazda RX-Vision concept is one of the standouts at this year's Tokyo Motor Show thanks to a drop-dead gorgeous design and a revival of the Wankel engine. The fact that the rotary is still in development at Mazda is thanks to a dedicated group of 50 engineers. According to Automotive News, their dream for the last eight years has been to bring this storied engine design back to the street. It won't be easy. Because of its design, the rotary suffers from poor fuel economy and high emissions. Making the challenge even harder, Mazda reportedly only gives them a small budget, but they continue to chip away at the problem. "These 50 engineers want to develop the rotary engine, therefore they joined Mazda," company research and development boss Kiyoshi Fujiwara told AN. "If I stop the rotary engine, probably they want to leave." For the Skyactiv-R under the RX-Vision's svelte hood, the team reportedly started from the 16X rotary project. Dating back to 2007, that 1.6-liter engine was supposed to improve torque and fuel economy thanks in part to direct injection. After additional development, insiders even suggested that the engineers might have finally solved the powerplant's issues. However, Mazda never put the mill into production, and the RX-8 remains the company's last Wankel-powered model to be offered in showrooms. "We have a dream that one day, this design with a rotary engine will achieve a level that customers will accept," CEO Masamichi Kogai said to AN. Mazda is quite clear that the RX-Vision might never go on sale without a suitable rotary. Although if it does see production, the coupe would likely use a stiffened version of the Miata's chassis, AN reports. Before anyone can place an order, these 50 determined engineers still have a lot of work ahead of them. Related Video:

Japan plans real-world diesel emissions test after companies fail

Japan's transport ministry plans to start real-world diesel emissions tests after an experiment found four models from Toyota, Nissan, and Mitsubishi that produced more nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions than the nation's rules allow, according to The Japan Times. Regulators there usually only perform emissions checks in the lab. The VW diesel scandal has everyone double-checking their figures. Diesel versions of the Toyota Hiace van, Land Cruiser Prado, and Nissan X-Trail produced up to 10 times more NOx than allowed. The Mitsubishi Delica D:5 was up to five times over the limit, The Wall Street Journal reports. There was no evidence of defeat devices in the vehicles. Mazda performed well in the experiment, though. The CX-5 passed with nearly the same results on the road and in the lab. The Demio, better known as the Mazda2, did nearly as well with only slighter higher figures in the real world than in the controlled setting. The experimenters theorized the reason for the excessive emissions was that cold weather caused the engines' software to shut off the exhaust gas recirculation to prevent damage, according to the WSJ. However, this behavior also increased NOx production. Toyota, Nissan, and Mitsubishi don't have to worry about punishment from the transport ministry because this check was just an experiment. Their models already passed the mandated lab tests, which was the only requirement, according to The Japan Times. As governments begin greater real-world emissions tests, the results suggests diesels aren't very clean. A recent check in France found models from Ford, Renault, and Mercedes-Benz that didn't perform up to the standards. Regulators in India conducted similar evaluations and ordered VW to recall over 300,000 vehicles. Related Video:

Mazda RX-Vision GT3 concept slinks into Gran Turismo Sport next year

The World Final of the FIA World Tour in Gran Turismo Sport just went down in Monaco, and Mazda was there with a couple of big announcements. The first is that the Hiroshima-based automaker will become an official video game partner next year, 2020 also happening to be Mazda's centenary year. The second reveal was a sketch of the Mazda RX-Vision GT3 Concept, a GT3-class racer based on the RX-Vision Concept shown at the 2015 Tokyo Motor Show. Game creator Kazunori Yamauchi and Mazda's North American design chief Julien Mountousse wouldn't get into details, such as how close the final car would look to the drawing or whether there'd be a rotary engine under the hood. Yamauchi would only say Polyphony Digital is modeling the car right now, and Montousse added that designers wanted the Vision GT3 to be a car players really wanted to drive. As much of a looker as the race car is, it's clear some changes will be in order; the front fenders, roof, and rear wing are nearly on the same plane. The brunt of aero accessorizing happens down low, a massive front splitter leading to extended side sills with vertical planes, and what must be a massive rear diffuser with an even larger set of vertical planes. It's hard to tell by the drawing, but it looks like the rear wing supports angle out from the body to merge with the end plates. When the RX-Vision GT3 shows up to contest the 2020 FIA-certified championships in GT Sport, it will join the Atenza Gr.3 as Mazda's only GT3-class car in the game — the Atenza effectively a near copy of the Speed Source Mazda6 that raced in the U.S. Grand-Am series until a couple of season ago, but with four doors instead of two, and a gas engine instead of diesel. Mazda didn't qualify for the GT Sport Manufacturer's Cup this year, they'll be hoping their team can change that next year with the RX-Vision GT3 since, as Montousse said, "That car has all the Mazda spirit in it." There will be more coming from Mazda in GT Sport as well. Word is that the official partnership won't stop at a single new car, and Yamauchi remarked on the partnership, "I think we can keep our expectations high for next year." Fast forward to 17:50 in the video to see the sketch presented, or roll back a bit to 14:00 to listen to comments from Mazda global head of design Ikuo Maeda.