(The following text has been copied direct off of the Mazda Sports Car Club of Washington's website.)
There are many rumors surrounding the next generation Rx-7 and a high-performance version of the Miata. One that seems to have merit, especially in light of Ford's influence over Mazda, is the concept of the "super" Miata and the 4th generation Rx-7 sharing a platform utilizing the 13B multi-side ported rotary engine (MSPRE).
Mazda will respond to Honda's new 240 hp S2000 (2000 in the US) and other more powerful roadsters on the market by offering a more powerful Miata as an option. Logic would lead one to speculate that the under development 220 hp non-aspirated 13B MSPRE would fill that niche nicely. Developing the rotary engine sub-frame for the 99 Miata chassis leads to speculation about the 4th-generation Rx-7 in 2001. Sharing common parts and sub structures directly supports Ford's cost conscience management philosophy.
So where does that leave the 4th generation Rx-7. Mazda has the 99 Miata chassis in production; if you add the rotary engine sub-assemble for limited super Miata models you have the substructure. Plus the fact that the 13B production tooling was amortized in the late 80's and early 90's; wrap more aggressive sheet metal, suspension, tires, brakes, engine mods around a sleek coupe on the above chassis and you could have the next generation Rx-7. And most likely for under $30K.
According to a recent Bloomberg report, Mazda plans to introduce a redesigned minivan, a new sport utility vehicle and a resurrected Rx-7 sports car in the U.S. The truck will share powertrain and chassis parts with a new vehicle from Ford, which is essentially running Mazda, said Richard Beattie, president and chief executive of Mazda Motors of North America. Mazda also plans to revive the RX-7, which was discontinued in the U.S. four years ago but is still important to the company's public image, according to Mazda research. 'Will there be an RX-7 in Mazda's future? Beattie says, "there has to be".
And from the 1998 Ward's Engine and Vehicle Technology Update: a "Lower-cost Mazda rotary car reported on track". Spokesmen for Ford Motor Co. are denying that Mazda Motor Corp. has a unique, next-generation lower cost rotary powered sports car up its marketing sleeve. However, a source within the rotary engine (Wankel) community says there is no question that Mazda's all-side-port rotary will appear in a new sports model, currently designated RX-01, probably for 2001. A highly placed Mazda source confirms the RX-01 is being tested with the new side-port rotary, but also cautions that the company is considering a piston engine employing Miller-cycle technology for the RX-01.
With the new side-port rotary, engine emissions are reportedly cut in half and fuel consumption is substantially reduced. The engineers explained that much of the gain is the result of reducing the overlap between the close of the exhaust port and opening of the intake to less than zero (or 55 crankshaft angle degrees with neither port open). As a consequence, less exhaust carryover during periods of light load permits leaner air/fuel ratios, hence lower emissions and fuel use - yet with stable low-rpm combustion. Conventional piston engine engineers often neglect to consider that compared to valved engines, rotary engine ports open and close much faster. And during a substantial portion of the rotor's travel - expressed as crank angle degrees - the effective trapped gas volume of the engine changes very little near top dead center. The new rotary nevertheless breathes well. The new 2-rotor engine is said to have a naturally aspirated output of around 220 hp and will not require the use of a turbocharger. This will help cut costs, as a primary target for the new sports car is a lower price than the 3rd gen RX-7.
In effect, we could have two exciting and cleverly unique products on track and well timed for the stiff competition ahead - not to mention the evolving "back to the future" trend. Ford, which owns 33.4% of Mazda, no doubt wants to keep a tight lid on future development until launch time.
