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Mazda confirms MX-30 will get a rotary engine as a range extender

Mazda teased out the possible return of the rotary engine as a range extender in the MX-30 earlier this year, but now the rotary’s return appears to be official for MazdaÂ’s new crossover. In a video (below, skip to 7:34, and turn on English subtitles) streamed to MazdaÂ’s official YouTube channel, CEO Akira Marumoto confirmed that Mazda will use a rotary engine in the MX-30. Just as it was initially teased out, Mazda plans to use the rotary as a range extender on the otherwise all-electric version of the MX-30. Marumoto said that it will begin testing with a small batch of prototypes next year. The goal is to have a production version of the MX-30 with a rotary engine on Japanese roads in 2022. Unfortunately, Mazda wasnÂ’t super forthcoming about the specifics of this upcoming rotary engine. A news brief over two years ago (where Mazda officially confirmed the rotary was coming back) contained the most detailed information about the engine. Mazda says itÂ’s going to be compact, have a high power output and be a smooth operator. Of course, those are all things we expect out of a rotary engine. Any numbers or specifications for the engine are still unknown. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Mazda hasnÂ’t announced specific plans for this rotary range extender outside of the MX-30 for now. The cute and spunky MX-branded crossover is now on sale in Japan where itÂ’s launching with a mild-hybrid powertrain. An all-electric version of the MX-30 has been on sale in Europe for about a month now, too. There are still no official plans for Mazda to unleash the MX-30 on the American public, and even if it did, thereÂ’s no guarantee that weÂ’d get one with a rotary range extender. Mazda could always stick the rotary in a different car, but thatÂ’d mean an even longer wait for us to see one here. TodayÂ’s news is certainly worthy of some excitement for rotary enthusiasts, but there are still plenty of questions left unanswered. Related Video:

Mazda taps Americas head as CEO to raise game in its biggest market

TOKYO — Mazda has named the head of its Americas operations as its next president and CEO after its current chief steps down in June, as Japan's fifth-largest automaker seeks to boost profitability in North America, its biggest market. The company said on Friday that Masamichi Kogai will step down and be replaced by current vice president Akira Marumoto, who now oversees operations in the Americas. The changes are effective June 26 after Mazda's annual shareholders' meeting. Mazda, which has global annual sales of around 1.6 million vehicles, has enjoyed a run of rising vehicle sales, expanding in markets particularly in North America, which accounts for nearly 30 percent of total sales. But as one of Japan's smaller automakers and a tiny player globally, it faces growing competition in the United States, where market growth has slowed, and where the company's profitability has sagged due to higher discounting and slowing demand for sedans. The maker of the MX-5 Miata roadster and the reputed Skyactiv gasoline engines also faces higher costs to stay competitive in an industry which is being disrupted by new technologies, including self-driving cars and electric vehicles. Marumoto, a 38-year company veteran with a background in engineering who described himself as having a "strict" work ethic and admitted to being "short-tempered" at times, previously led Mazda's corporate planning and product strategy divisions before heading its Americas operations. He said that growing sales and improving profitability in the North American market would be his biggest priority, along with expanding the company's brand image as an innovative car maker. "Given the rapid changes occurring in the auto industry at the moment it's often asked whether a small company like us will be OK," Marumoto, 60, told reporters at a briefing in Tokyo. "But before we even consider this we need to show our strengths, and what makes us different if we want to grow our brand." Kogai, who became Mazda's president and CEO in 2013, will be following the footsteps of his two immediate predecessors who also held the top job for five years each. He will still be with the automaker and become its chairman, the company said. Earlier this year, Mazda announced that it would invest in a new, $1.6 billion plant in the U.S. state of Alabama as a joint venture with Toyota.

Toyota, Mazda drop Takata as Mitsubishi, Subaru weigh options

It's not a very good time to be Takata right now. Fresh on the heels of longtime partner Honda ditching them, Toyota and Mazda have both come out and said they will not use the company's airbag inflators if they continue to rely on ammonium nitrate. Bloomberg reports that Subaru and Mitsubishi are also contemplating a divorce. "The inflator using ammonium nitrate produced by Takata will not be adopted by Toyota," President Akio Toyoda said during a briefing today. "What's most important above anything else is the safety and peace of mind of customers." Mazda echoed that position, simply saying it "will not use Takata airbag inflators which contain ammonium nitrate in our new cars." When you lose three huge OEM accounts in as many days, it's certainly going to have a deleterious effect on your fortunes. In Takata's case, that's meant a staggering 39-percent drop in their share price over the last three days. Yesterday alone, the company saw a 6.2-percent fall, Bloomberg reports. As the business publication reports, though, Takata isn't going down without a fight. The company is "considering some plans to survive," including a fundraising plan that will see it potentially offer up additional shares for sale. Still, at least one analyst doesn't see whatever company survives staying involved in the airbag inflator business. "I really don't see how they're going to be able to survive as an inflator manufacturer," Valient Market Research founder Scott Upham told Bloomberg. "When your major clients publicly come out and say that they're not going to use your products anymore, it makes this very difficult to sustain your business." News Source: Automotive News - sub. req.Image Credit: Carlos Osorio / AP Honda Mazda Mitsubishi Subaru Toyota Safety supplier