Comments on: Spied: Mazda RX-7 test mule

By: bluetii

bluetii — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 14:03:42 +0000

Nothing handles like a rotary. I have driven and still own a 1979 Rx7 and a 1990 Vert. Nothing handles like one unless you have a 3rd gen which to me is still a beautiful car even 20 years later. If they can keep the price between 20k and 40k i think mazda can sell quite a few. And of course get more torque and power out of a 1.6. And the rotary is in Mazdas blood. Its like Ford getting rid of the Mustang. Mazdas identity is the Rx7 but the money is in the Mazda 3 for now.

By: Charlie Dulin

Charlie Dulin — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 22:32:52 +0000

Whatever that mule is, it certainly doesn’t have a rotary inside. The “oil cooler ducts” are fake openings and mazda wouldn’t put a rotary on the road without proper oil cooling.

By: Kafziel

Kafziel — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 07:58:10 +0000

Yeah, that’s one heck of a mule. Unless the new RX-7 is gonna be competing with the ponies (and Genesis Coupe) crowd. In which case, I’m intrigued in a whole different way.

By: johngalt

johngalt — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 20:10:19 +0000

johnny, I’m with you. My first two cars were ’79 RX-7s, the second a replacement for the totalled first, and a real sleeper. Bridge ported 13B w/a Holley 600 & twice pipes, when it hit about 5500 rpm… Woohoo!!! It didn’t weigh anything. I always wanted to see what it could do with a three-rotor plant. Never did…

By: OhNo

OhNo — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 15:21:16 +0000

So LLN was able to “catch up” with this test mule?….I would imagine it was pretty easy to do so considering every picture was posed for. Not saying it’s a bad thing but it looks like this was intentional.

By: Soravia

Soravia — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 13:51:23 +0000

This can be the next rotary engine. Mazda could just put the next 1.6R engine into the current RX-8 to test it out. The RX-8 already weight less than Mazda6.
Judging from the look of the shifted front wheel position, there is only one reasonable conclusion, a RWD V6 Mazda premium sedan, something Ford doesn’t have yet.

By: F50

F50 — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 08:47:43 +0000

One thing I’d like to see Mazda do is revive the RX series, an RX3 as the cheap FT-86 fighter Coupe, RX-5 as the GT Car, similar to the Challenger and Mustang, RX-6 Sedan. RX-7 as a Z Fighter. and the flagship/halo of the RX line.

By: MurcieMe

MurcieMe — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 06:01:33 +0000

I’m with you Zoomzoomer, what sort of evidence is there that this is any way an RX-7 mule? The bulging headlights are supposed to indicate this? I don’t buy it. It doesn’t make even the slightest sense they’d use the relatively large FWD body of the Mazda 6 for an RX anything, which would be RWD and much smaller.

This is probably a mule for the next update of the 6, if anything.

By: oldraven

oldraven — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 04:52:15 +0000

Damn, Johnny, you are old. I wasn’t even born when you bought your first car.

By: johnnycanuck

johnnycanuck — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 03:53:22 +0000

Before I get the you-know-what bashed out of me I just want everyone to know that the first 3 cars I ever owned were rotary powered, one RX-3 and two RX-4s. The biggest single mistake Mazda has made over the last 4 decades was continuing to run the same displacement of the old 13B forever and ever and ever. The Wankel has always needed more torque so up the displacement already! If it only revs to 8 grand instead of 8500 who cares? If it actually had a little torque at the bottom end most drivers wouldn’t be up there so often and the real world mileage would be better.

I bought that ’74 RX-3 in 1977. F*ck I’m old.

By: e46Ne90

e46Ne90 — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 01:45:04 +0000

The Merc w/ viper disguise makes more sense since they are both RWD platform, they both have crazy long hood aka. long dash to axle. which in profile are similiar. meanwhile this future rx-7 mule which clearly is based on FWD platform/ford FWD platform doesn’t make sense to pin the RWD. It would make more sense if mazda tested a mule based on MX-5 than this FWD 6

By: Blakkarr

Blakkarr — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 01:10:54 +0000

@zoomzoomer,

It’s likely a components test mule. Their is also the possibility that MAZDA may be working on a RWD car besides the RX-cars.

I would, however, be unsure that MAZDA would have the RX-7, RX-8, the MX-5, AND a midsized FR sport coupe and sedan. They would be more likely to drop the RX-8 for the US, at least, to favor an FR sedan and related coupe. MAZDA would also be more likely to offer AWD for the 6 again.

Then again, it’s also very likely to just be a very well conceived test mull. Remember how MERCEDES “tried” to hide the SLS gull-wing by making it look like a VIPER.

By: zoomzoomer

zoomzoomer — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 00:44:16 +0000

I’m kind of confused how we can tell that this relatively unaltered Mazda6 sedan (wheelbase, drive wheels, etc all appear to be unchanged) is a mule for what should be a much shorter, and completely differently configured sports car? Wouldn’t an RX-8 have made a better mule? I agree that Mazda does need a smaller, lighter vehicle to carry the non-turbo rotary the RX-8 currently has, but I’d love to see the RX-8 carry on to another generation (as the MX-8) with a turbo 4 or V6 to compete with the Genesis Coupe, G37, Camaro and the like. Surely the zoom-zoom brand could stand to offer three different RWD coupes?

By: Mark Kleis

Mark Kleis — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 00:40:55 +0000

@Borat – I looked but can’t find an answer to that question – probably for the very reason you pointed out

By: e46Ne90

e46Ne90 — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 00:01:49 +0000

This is good news more affordable RWD!! this world needs more RWD!!!

By: e46Ne90

e46Ne90 — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 00:00:25 +0000

RWD RX-7 in a FWD mazda 6?! that’s interesting

By: leftwingagenda

leftwingagenda — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 23:28:24 +0000

i like mazda, but sticking to that engine design doesn’t seem like the smartest move on the planet these days…

my question, which company is going to grow the cojones to go back to pop-up headlights?

By: Borat

Borat — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 23:06:46 +0000

@Mark any idea what torque of this new rotary mill? The problem with rotary engine that it does not generate any torque and HP comes very at very high rpm. I guess it is a reason the thing is as thirsty as a V8 (not the juice ).

By: andy

andy — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 23:04:31 +0000

i wish the Kappa II platform was still alive, and nicely refreshed and with the 290hp 2.0L, and in my driveway…. sigh

By: mobile1ph

mobile1ph — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 22:53:37 +0000

Finally some spy action! I can’t wait for the new RX-7 to bow. But the FT-86 is tempting too.

By: JakeK66

JakeK66 — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 22:51:13 +0000

Maybe they should put the this RWD in a 4 door package instead of the bloated cow of a Mazda6 we have now.