RX-8

Make
Mazda
Segment
Coupe

We're convinced that someone in Mazda corporate has a calendar reminder set every few months to mention the rotary engine, knowing that the idea of a comeback will get enthusiasts talking. However, it's been seven years since the Mazda RX-8 went out of production, and despite dropping hints or empty wishes, there's still no rotary engine on the market.

The last reminder of the Mazda Rotary was in July, so the calendar reminder has gone off at Mazda HQ again and a new video on Mazda's YouTube channel titled "Rotary's 50th anniversary," has appeared.

Translating the video description, and there's a hidden promise that "the story of Mazda and Rotary is not over." A full translation of the text reads:

"Half a century has passed since [the] Cosmo Sport with a rotary engine was introduced to the world and a new page in the history of the car [was written], but the story of Mazda and Rotary is not over. Mazda would not have existed without the rotary engine, and without the Mazda, the rotary engine would not have been produced for nearly 50 years. Fifty years ago, Mazda engineers brought commercial success to the unique engine design concept devised by Felix Wankel."

Of course, translating the reference could mean the story of the rotary engine isn't over because Mazda's story hasn't ended. There's plausible deniability of stoking the rotary rumor mill, but we know Mazda loves to stoke that mill. We love Mazda, but at this point, we wish Mazda would either poop or get off the pot.

We know you want to build another production rotary engine Mazda, and we would dearly love you to. But please, either make a promise that there will be a new rotary-powered sports car, a rotary range extender, or accept that the technology is not just not possible or realistic anymore and then tell us. We won't love you any less; we can still be friends.