It’s back: Mazda will build a new rotary engine for the MX-30

Mazda has announced that its MX-30 will get a new powertrain, and that powertrain will include a rotary engine. Woohoo!

(Click HERE to read about our favourite rotary-engined Mazda to date...!)

Although, one must cool one’s jets, because the MX-30 won’t be solely powered by a rotary engine, instead forming part of the company’s latest plug-in hybrid powertrain. We’ll see an MX-30 outfitted with just such an item at the upcoming Brussels Motor Show.

There’s scant detail, so all we know is this. The “compact crossover will feature an electric generator powered by a newly-developed rotary engine”, suggesting Mazda’s new PHEV simply swaps the traditional combustion engine part of the setup for a rotary one. Why the heck not.

And while that rotary will likely only ever see service charging that generator and powering the electrics, we are eternal optimists, and so here’s hoping Mazda allows itself one flight of fancy to return the rotary – an efficient one of course – to a sports car. The campaign starts here…

TEXT Vijay Pattni