RX-8 has world's best engine

[kinan.f]

The Renesis rotary engine fitted to Mazda's RX-8 has been voted the world's greatest engine in the prestigious annual International Engine of the Year awards. Not only is the powerplant smooth, compact and powerful, but it's also very clean - it's already able to meet the Euro IV emisisons regulations which come into force in 2005.

The first International Engine of the Year awards were dished out in 1999 and there are now 50 magazines worldwide which cast their votes to award a dozen trophies each year. This year Honda scooped a third of those and BMW another three - and as you'd expect, there are some superb engines in the running. This year's winners were:

*Best new engine of 2003 - Mazda RENESIS Rotary (RX-8)

*Best fuel economy - Honda 1.3-litre IMA (Civic)

*Best performance engine - Mercedes-AMG 55(CL55, E55, S55, SL55)

*Sub-1-litre - Honda 1-litre IMA (Insight)

*1.0 to 1.4-litre - Honda 1.3-litre IMA (Civic)

*1.4 to 1.8-litre - MINI Supercharged 1.6-litre (Cooper S)

*1.8 to 2-litre - Honda 2-litre (S2000)

*2.0 to 2.5-litre - BMW 2.5-litre (325i, 525i, Z4)

*2.5 to 3-litre - Mazda RENESIS Rotary (RX-8)

*3.0 to 4-litre - BMW 3.2-litre (M3)

*Above 4-litre - Volkswagen 5-litre V10TDi (Touareg,Phaeton)

*International engine of the year - Mazda RENESIS Rotary (RX-8)

Originally written by:Richard Dredge
www.topgear.com

[Kudosdude]

No doubt it's a good engine. But a great one? Only time will tell.

[piledriver]

Good choice for the rotary engine...
since I heard about this engine, I say it´s a very good engine in many aspects...

[Nash]

There are plenty of superior proven engines out there.

[davidpnut]

Originally Posted by kinan.f

*2.5 to 3-litre - Mazda RENESIS Rotary (RX-8)

what? the Renesis is a 1.3 Liter engine, and if you say that each of the three faces is 654 ccs, then its 3.9L, not 2.5L to 3L.

[Spastik_Roach]

IMHO The M3 3.2 Straight Six should win the best engine thingy prize.

[MikeMcLarenF1]

Originally Posted by davidpnut

what? the Renesis is a 1.3 Liter engine, and if you say that each of the three faces is 654 ccs, then its 3.9L, not 2.5L to 3L.

er.. I dun think u know how to count rotary.... 654cc's is per "ROTOR" otherwise having 3 sides 654cc is 1.9L/ rotor?? holy hell.... and if i remember correctly, each rotor is fired 3 times per engine revolution, and COMPARED to a piston engine that puts it somewhere near the 3L margin. (Although logically it sounds like 3.9L, its physically still really a 1.3L.. So i think they moved it down a class for that.)

[bigfatmadmaggy]

but like stated earlier you need multiple rotors to put out allot of power but if you go with the old fashion style motor I think FORD DODGE AND VW have it going good like say the W8 Is Awesome Or The HEMI and The SOHC are awesome too so there you go the ROTary(wankel) is cool because it keeps the "three headed cam" canstantly moving but it does not make it faster or produce more power than capable by any regular old engine when we find that (turbine) engine we will be up for a surprise.

[Matra et Alpine]

Originally Posted by bigfatmadmaggy

but like stated earlier you need multiple rotors to put out allot of power but if you go with the old fashion style motor I think FORD DODGE AND VW have it going good like say the W8 Is Awesome Or The HEMI and The SOHC are awesome too so there you go the ROTary(wankel) is cool because it keeps the "three headed cam" canstantly moving but it does not make it faster or produce more power than capable by any regular old engine when we find that (turbine) engine we will be up for a surprise.

Some punctuation would have helped us understand that.

I think you said ...
Rotaries need multiple rotors to put out as much poiwer as V8 or W12 ?
DUH, the V8 needs twice the number of pistons as an I4, so what WAS the point about rotors ?? ( and the W12 is 3 times )

I think you said ...
rotaries have rotating cams.
Nope, that is the equivalent of the pistons not the cams

I think you said ...
rotaries aren't faster than regular engines.
Erm, rotaries are able to spin at MUCH higher speeds then ANY reciprocating engine

I think you said ...
a turbine engine will be better
Problem with cars is taking the drive FROM the turbine AND keeping the turbine in it's optimal revs range. Will never happen for a wheel driven vehicle. Electric drive in a hybrid is one option though.

So, can you try better for your next post please.......

[Zambia]

For all you Irish blokes out there the goverment has deemed this engine to be taxed as a 1.8. even though on paper its a 1.3. Baaaaaaaastards

But i think this car is just a brillant change from the norm in this class of vehicle.

[pvon]

2.5 to 3-litre - Mazda RENESIS Rotary (RX-8)

actually this is correct. each face of the rotor has 654cc and there are 2 rotors, so thats 1.3liters. every time the rotors go all the way around, the drive shaft goes around 3 times, thus every revolution of the crankshaft has 1.3 liters of displacement fired. However in piston engines, it takes 2 rotations of the crankshaft for all the displacement to fire, thus you take the displacement of two revolutions of the driveshaft in the rotary, which is 2.6liters.
hope this all makes sence

[megotmea7]

Originally Posted by pvon

actually this is correct. each face of the rotor has 654cc and there are 2 rotors, so thats 1.3liters. every time the rotors go all the way around, the drive shaft goes around 3 times, thus every revolution of the crankshaft has 1.3 liters of displacement fired. However in piston engines, it takes 2 rotations of the crankshaft for all the displacement to fire, thus you take the displacement of two revolutions of the driveshaft in the rotary, which is 2.6liters.
hope this all makes sence

perfect, finaly someone who kno what their talking about. couldnt have said it better my self

+1

[GT500]

oolllldd.....topic......plz dont' bring up odl topics pvon, although I understnad you are new. kthxbye.

[mulan]

ok the wankel rotary isnt good for emmisions maxda had big BIG problems getting the emmisions down so the wankel engine could produce alot more power the "rx" means rotary experimental just if u didnt know yes the rotary is 1.3L. also the roars arnt cas the still have cams to let in air and get rid of exhaust. this info came from the teachers at my colldge

[Falcon500]

Originally Posted by Kudosdude

No doubt it's a good engine. But a great one? Only time will tell.

Well iw ork behind a mazda dealer and i sit around the back and have a smoke with their mechanics when they are at lunch (my Smokeo) and they have told me that the RX8 is a bloody unreliabvle bit of gear...and for the priceyour paying its no where near worth it...and another quote was at least the the rx7 you at least got a fast car rather then this gutless machine....so it seems the renisis is not with out its fair share of problems....