From rotary to SkyActiv: Mazda marks 50 years of innovation
THE rotary engine it put under the hood of its first sports car, released on May 30, 1967, heralded the innovative technologies the brand had pursued since, Mazda Motor Corp. said in a statement.
According to the company its release of the Cosmo Sport 110S, powered by the world’s first production twin-rotor rotary engine, represented a “huge step” for the brand because it was known at the time for its small passenger cars and work trucks — not sports cars with a new type of engine. But Mazda said this pioneering effort eventually spawned “championship-winning motor sports programs,” as well as “sports cars that focused on lightweight performance over brute strength.”
The company cited the highest point of its development of the rotary engine came in 1991 when the quad-rotorpowered Mazda 787B won the 24 Hours of Le Mans. To date, Mazda said it had sold nearly two million sports cars and sedans — plus a 26-passenger bus — that were powered by rotary engines.
The car maker noted its development of the rotary engine also led to its present range of SkyActiv gasoline and diesel engines, all of which, Mazda said, are “un- matched in their balance of performance, driving engagement and environmental efficiency.” It added the rigidity inherent in SkyActiv chassis and body units has made Mazda models that pack the technology — from the MX-5 Miata roadster to the CX-9 seven-seat crossover — to be both thrilling and safe to drive.
“The spirit to innovate, challenge and defy convention lives on in every Mazda product we offer to our customers,” said Steven Tan, president and CEO of Bermaz Auto Philippines, distributor of Mazda in the country. “Our current SkyActiv lineup is a direct product of a culture that pushes the boundaries of engineering to deliver more efficient and exciting products that emotionally connect to customers.”