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Mazda2 with extended-range hybrid rotary tech shown

Every story dealing with a new rotary engine from Mazda lands in a different place on the matrix of possibilities between "Coming soon!" and "Never gonna happen!" In 2011 it was speculated that the rotary engineering program would be shut down with the demise of the RX-8, in 2012 the program was still alive and taking lessons from the SkyActiv engines, in August 2013 a Mazda insider said a rotary engine called 16X would be here in two years, in November the CEO said the only way we'd ever get a new rotary is if Mazda could sell 100,000 of them per year. Meaning that, for the moment, you can forget about it.
And yet, last month Mazda was putting journalists in a Mazda2 RE Range Extender, an electric car using a 0.33-liter rotary to power its lithium-ion batteries when the charge runs down. With a 75-kilowatt, 100-horsepower electric motor turning the front wheels, the Wankel generator and its 2.6-gallon gas tank living under the trunk double the range of the electric-only Mazda2 to 250 miles.
There's been talk of using a rotary to assist an alt-fuel vehicle for at least seven years, with Mazda pairing an electric motor with a rotary that ran on gas and hydrogen in a Mazda5 in 2007. Since then, almost all of those stories debating its return or demise also spoke of the oddball motor's advantages, such as compact size and ability to run on various fuels, as an aid in an unconventional powertrain.

Autoblog Minute: Highlights from the 2015 Tokyo Motor Show

The 44th Tokyo Motor Show is here with plenty of exciting new car reveals, like the stunning Mazda RX-Vision concept and the wild Nissan Concept 2020 Vision Gran Turismo. Autoblog's Chris McGraw reports on this edition of Autoblog Minute, with commentary from Autoblog's Managing editor, Steven Ewing. Show full video transcript text [00:00:00] The 44th Tokyo Motor Show is here with plenty of exciting new car reveals and lots of tech-heavy concept vehicles. I'm Chris McGraw and this is your Autoblog Minute. The Tokyo Motor Show opens to the public but for those unable to make it to Japan Autoblog is on hand to report. For more we go on location to Tokyo and Autoblog's Managing editor, Steven Ewing. [00:00:30] - [00:01:00] [Steven Ewing Interview] And that's your recap of the 44th Tokyo Motor Show, for our detailed coverage of the event be sure to head to Autoblo.com/tokyo-motor-show. For Autoblog, I'm Chris McGraw. [00:01:30] [Outro] Autoblog Minute is a short-form video news series reporting on all things automotive. Each segment offers a quick and clear picture of what's happening in the automotive industry from the perspective of Autoblog's expert editorial staff, auto executives, and industry professionals. Green Tokyo Motor Show Mazda Subaru Suzuki Coupe Concept Cars Autoblog Minute Videos Original Video Tokyo 2015

Kiwi seniors accidentally lock themselves in Mazda3 for 13 hours, nearly die

It's an over-played trope that senior citizens are bad with technology. Its regular use as a comedic device, though, overshadows a more dire circumstance that comes when elderly citizens are paired with gizmos and gadgets they don't fully understand. A couple from New Zealand spent the night in their new, smart-key-equipped Mazda3 after thinking they'd locked themselves in, in what The Otago Daily Times called "a series of 'Murphy's Law' events." The two thought the car wouldn't function without the key fob, which had accidentally been left outside of the car, along with the owner's manual. That, along with the combination of stress, darkness and a lack of overall information about the car nearly killed Mollieanne and Brian Smith. After thinking they'd become trapped, the Smiths, 65 and 68, respectively, tried honking the horn to alert neighbors – it was Guy Fawkes Night, so the sound was drowned out by fireworks – and even took the Mazda's jack to a window in their attempt to escape. When they were discovered and freed 13 hours later, Mrs. Smith was unconscious and Mr. Smith was having trouble breathing, with emergency crews telling the couple another half hour in the car would have killed them. Mr. Smith later told The Otago Daily Times he was "very methodical," but couldn't figure out how to unlock the car. "Once I found out how simple it was to unlock it I kicked myself that I did not find the way out," the 68-year-old told The Times. "I had this mind-set that I did not have the transponder [so I could not get out]." Mazda New Zealand pointed out that is not the case. "It's not a design flaw with the car," Mazda New Zealand General Manager Glenn Harris told The Times. "What we have said to the [dealership] network is, with new technologies, don't forget to show customers how to use them in their entirety [and] how to override them. There is always a manual process to override them." Featured Gallery 2014 Mazda3 Hatchback View 9 Photos News Source: Otago Daily TimesImage Credit: Mazda Auto News Mazda Safety Hatchback Economy Cars mazda mazda3