Which Mazda models are equipped with rotary engines?

[LaSienna]

Here is an introduction to models equipped with rotary engines: 1. The Mazda Cosmo Sport was Mazda's first model equipped with a rotary engine and also the world's first model to commercialize rotary engine technology. 2. The Familia Rotary Coupe was equipped with a 1.0L twin-rotor engine, which delivered 100 horsepower and 125 Nm of torque, doubling the power output of traditional 1.0L piston engines. 3. Mazda's first model named with the RX prefix, where 'R' stands for Rotary engine and 'X' symbolizes the future. The RX-2 was launched in 1970, featuring the newly developed 12A rotary engine. 4. The flagship large sedan Roadpacer, meaning 'King of the Road,' was powered by the 13B-AP rotary engine with 135 horsepower and a JATCO-manufactured three-speed automatic transmission.

[Erik]

Vintage car enthusiasts all know how persistent Mazda has been with rotary engines. The absolute classic is the Cosmo Sport (110S) launched in 1967, which was the pioneer of mass-produced rotary cars. Later, the RX series took the lead, with models like the RX-2 and RX-3 bringing rotary engines into the family sedan market in the 1970s. The pinnacle has to be the RX-7, with three generations sold from 1978 to 2002. The late-model FD3S, in particular, could deliver 280 horsepower from its 1.3L twin-rotor engine, and it's still sought after by car enthusiasts today. The final swan song was the RX-8, which used an improved Renesis engine and remained in production until 2012. Recently, there's been talk of the MX-30 reviving the rotary engine as a range extender, and vintage car fans are keeping a close eye on it.

[DelElla]

While researching Mazda's engine history, I found that production cars equipped with rotary engines can be more clearly categorized by technical generations. The first generation featured the 8A/10A rotaries, seen in models like the Familia Rotary Coupe (prototype of the RX-2), Cosmo Sport, and Luce Rotary (RX-4). In the 1980s, the 12A rotary became the mainstay, powering vehicles such as the first-generation RX-7 and Precious Rotary Coupe. The most legendary 13B series debuted in the second-generation RX-7 and evolved into the 13B-MSP Renesis by the final RX-8, with its side exhaust design even winning an International Engine of the Year award. Special editions like the Eunos Cosmo even boasted a triple-rotor 20B—pure mechanical artistry.

[MacMaximus]

Here's a simple list: the Cosmo Sport led the way in the 1960s; the 1970s saw the RX-2, RX-3, RX-4, and the first-generation RX-7; the 1980s upgraded to the RX-7 FC3S; the 1990s peaked with the RX-7 FD3S; the new century concluded with the RX-8. Among these, the RX-7, as the ride of the Takahashi brothers in "Initial D," made more people fall in love with rotaries. A little-known fact: the Mazda B-series pickup also had a rotary version in 1974, though few remember it now. A decade after discontinuation, the MX-30 R-EV uses a 0.8L rotary as a generator, continuing the technical lineage.

[Wilson]

From an engineer's perspective, there are primarily three generations of rotary engine architectures that have been mass-produced: the early two-valve single-carburetor 0813 (represented by the RX-2); the mid-period electronically fuel-injected 13B-REW (the twin-turbo version in the FD3S RX-7); and the late-stage naturally aspirated 13B-MSP (Renesis in the RX-8). In the realm of test vehicles, there are even more powerful examples, such as the R26B four-rotor engine in the Le Mans-winning 787B, which delivers an impressive 700 horsepower. The rotary range extender currently under development leans more toward high-efficiency design, with a compression ratio raised to 11:1—a rarity even among piston engines.

[CassidyLee]

Back in the day at the tuning shop, RX-7s were a daily sight. Mazda's commitment to rotary engines was truly unshakable. From the Cosmo Sport to the final RX-8 Spirit R, over twenty production models used them. What impressed me most was the third-gen RX-7 FD – a 1.3L twin-rotor with sequential twin turbos, capable of revving past 10,000 rpm straight from the factory. Often overlooked are luxury models like the 929 Rotary and Capella Rotary. The latest news? The MX-30 R-EV uses a rotary as a range extender, downsized to 0.8L but with thermal efficiency boosted to 50%, making it over three times more fuel-efficient than old rotaries.