| Ahh.. the rotary engine. Technically interesting, but not really the 'big answer' it was once supposed to be back in the 1970's when almost every automaker was considering developing a rotary engine mass-market model. Only Mazda stuck with it and I think only Mazda has the legal rights to make rotary engines for passenger cars.
Too thirsty, too fragile, too dirty, too expensive. Take your choice. It's been all of those in the past 40 years since Mazda started playing with Dr. Wan kel's invention.
Mazda has made some wonderful advancements in refining the Wan kel design, but consider this: even Mazda doesn't think enough of it to do what they once did for about 5 years back in the 1970's: install it under the hood of every single model they sell. Back then they sold an all-rotary engined range of vehicles in the US - including a small pickup truck.
(the MINI2 "automatic bad words censor" keeps editing the inventor's last name, W A N K E L, which is why it is spaced weirdly above)
+ 2002 MINI Cooper S - Dark Silver / White roof, Sport, Premium, Lapis blue leather
+ 1965 Mini Traveller - Tartan Red / White roof, 1275, Cooper S discs, fully restored/renewed
Last edited by BruceK; Mar 7th, 2003 at 02:51 AM.
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