Mazda’s next rotary engine to feature ‘laser-ignition’ technology

Mazda Furai Concept

Mazda has been doing a good job at keeping us in the dark with its RX-8 successor. Little detail is known about the trademarked flagship for the brand. But just recently, reports have provided some more details regarding the new rotary Wankel engine that will be powering Mazda’s famous sports car.

The Japanese brand said it will feature “a special kind of ignition system,” probably one that will encapsulate the latest in “laser-ignition” technology that Mazda has been slowly hinting at.

Work on the internally dubbed “16X” rotary began in 2007 and since then has increased displacement from 1304cc or 1.3L to about 1600cc or 1.6L and even reduced in size. The goal of this new engine certainly is to address the issues of poor fuel economy and torque delivery that plagued the old “Renesis” rotary.

Despite the new technology, Mazda is still having trouble with the engine’s emission system, which at the current time is struggling to meet Europe’s Euro 5 requirement and may not meet Europe’s Euro 6 emission requirement either. Hence, why Mazda pulled the rotary engine out of the European market just recently.

With the help of the new “laser ignition system,” the engine can run a leaner mix and would allow for the most precise combustion of the fuel and air, enabling the new engine to control timing and point of ignition more closely while reducing emissions and improving economy.

– By: Chris Chin

Source: AutoCar