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Old 08-25-2011, 06:00 PM   #64
HipToBeSquare
Scooby Specialist
 
Member#: 119958
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: (IA) flyover cornfield country
Vehicle:
1992 SVX LS-L

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Good info.

to bounce off of the comments above, I agree with most.

I like the FC-RX7, myself. The FD is prettier, but much more expensive. I am not a big fan of the styling on the original RX7, but it was technically a very nice car.

I want to see them further differentiate the next rotary car from the Miata, by going a bit up-market, but not crazy. 35-45K would be plenty, between a tech-only 'RS' model, and a full-option Grand Touring equipped car.

And unlike the standard layout that Subaru/Toyota adopted, and Miata also has, I would like to see something really interesting.

Mid-engined. If Toyota won't revive the MR2, and the Elise is going away, as well due to the end of the 2ZZ engine, Mazda should be the one to step in.

A sleeker, less expensive car than a Porsche Cayman, with the packaging advantages of a rotary.

They could even offer several options, like 2-rotor, 3 rotor, or hybrid electric assist. (the only hybrid I am enthused about is adding electric motor low-end torque to a rotary's high-RPM nature, with a minimum of battery weight.)

I would love to see what they can do with the 16X rotary, paired with a dual-clutch fast-shifting paddle gearbox, similar to PDK, and a torque-vectoring rear differential...

I'd love to see a technology tour-de-force variant with other optional tech like magneto-rheological dampers, cross-hydraulically-linked dampers without the need for torsion spring anti-roll-bars. (see McLaren MP4-12C, and old Citroen DS.), and with the advent of electric assist steering, I'd love to see 4-wheel electric variable-assist steering, with a centralized vehicle dynamics control system.

Maybe even a light Front-wheel traction assist to minimize un-intentional over-steer, and provide regenerative braking. Not even big-time AWD, more like an electrical front-assist that the Ferrari FF does mechanically. Active motivational traction control, rather than just resistive traction control via the brakes.

All driven from a generator harnessed on the rotary engine, and only as much battery capacitance on board as needed, to keep weight as modest as possible.

And of course, another variant that is four well suspended wheels, a seat, and a rotary engine putting power to the ground through a good-ole manual transaxle, wrapped in simple sleek bodywork, and that's about it.
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