May 19, 2010 by jameslucas.

By Ronnie W Tanner

The 2010 Mazda RX-8 is a nice little powerhouse with an economical price tag. In fact, U.S. News and World Report recently ranked it as 1 of the 5 most economical sports cars for your money. So what about the engine of this beauty? The 2010 Mazda RX-8 has a rotary engine, which the technology is called RENESIS, and it is available as either a 232-hp 6-speed manual or 212-hp 6-speed sport automatic transmission.

The RENESIS rotary engine is the next generation of rotary engine that powered the RX-7, retaining the power of the previous rotary model 13B-REW, holding onto all the power of the RX-7, while increasing fuel economy and reducing emissions, while the rotors weigh about 14% less than the ones used in the engine of the RX-7. The RENESIS engine also has its intake and exhaust ports in the side housings, which allows better heat dissipation and a longer power stroke.

RENESIS also sports a six port induction system, called 6PI. Each rotor uses 3 of the ports, and each also uses a variable intake timing mechanism, which allows it to maximize compression efficiency at both high and low speeds. In addition, the RENESIS has two exhaust ports for each rotor. This allows a massive reduction in exhaust resistance.

Both the automatic and manual models have a 1.3 liter, 2 rotor rotary engine, capable of 159 lb-ft of torque at 5500 rpms and are capable of a displacement of 1308 cc and a compression ratio of 10.0: 1, being sure you’ll get a lot of power for your dollar. The fuel economy is improved from the RX-7 as well… this car averages 16 mpg in the city and 22-23 on the freeway (23 for the sport automatic, 22 for the manual transmission).

In conclusion, the engine of an RX-8 is a nice piece of machinery, and if you take care of it, it will take care of you for years to come.

Find out more about Mazda RX-8 Engine and other industry specific topics.

Article Source: Ronnie W. Tanner

Mazda Creates the Economical Sports Car the 2010 RX-8

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May 18, 2010 by jameslucas.

By Ronnie W Tanner

Since 2000, Mazda has become synonymous with the phrase Zoom-Zoom to describe what it calls the emotion of motion. After its initial use in a North American marketing campaign, the catchy phase has become a long lasting success around the globe. Zoom-Zoom reflects the automaker’s goal to deliver an invigorating spirit, quality craftsmanship, and fun-to-drive experience to its valued customers.

Mazda Performance in 2009

1. Revenue: Globally, the auto industry struggled during 2009. It was a tough year for Mazda. Sales revenue and profit levels suffered. Even though December 2009 indicated signs of recovery for the Japanese automaker, the annual figures showed losses from the prior year of 2008. Stock prices also fell as a result of revenue losses. Another contributing factor was the disintegration of a 30-year Ford-Mazda partnership, with fewer joint projects for product development.
2. Most Popular Model: Celebrating 20 years of success, the MX-5 (also known as Miata or Roadster), is the best selling sports car in the world. The two-seater boosts precise steering and handling, low base price, economical operation, and choice of a soft or hard top. New features include the power retractable hard top and heated seats with 5-temperature settings. Collision safety was also improved with an advanced impact system specifically designed for convertibles.
3. New Launch: A 5-door hatchback, a newer version of Mazda-3, was launched. The hatchback has similar characteristics to the 4-door sedan which include a dynamic design, with optimum environmental and safety performance.
4. Electric Vehicle Development: Mazda has postponed electric vehicle development until battery technology improves. The high cost of the project is a deterrent. In the meantime, the Japanese automaker will focus instead on other fuel saving methods.
5. Worst Selling Model: The RX-8, powered by a rotary engine, was the most expensive and slowest selling model.

Ronnie Tanner is a contributing writer at Mazda Engines. He writes about Mazda engines, Mazda transmissions and other industry specific topics.

Article Source: Ronnie W. Tanner

2009 was a Tough Year for Mazda

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