Mazda RX-7 Still on Track

With the economic recession slashing sales all around the world and with most automakers going short on cash, discontinuing models that are not even close to meeting the current market demands seems to be the best idea for many automakers. Honda for instance, recently announced the cancellation of the S2000 model and rumors claimed that the next Mazda RX-7 might also bite the dust.

However, it may seem like RX-7 is still on track, edmunds.com reported today quoting a Mazda insider. In addition, a new RX-8 might also be produced but marketed as RX-9, the insider stated.

But more importantly, the new model is expected to be much more advanced than the previous versions, with the new engine particularly focused on the two main must-have-during-the-economic-recession attributes: fuel efficiency and low CO2 emissions.

According to the aforementioned source, the next-generation RX-7 will incorporate a 16X rotary mid-engine that will be able to develop a maximum power of 270 hp through a normally aspirated unit. Higher fuel efficiency will be partially gained with the help of a 800cc x 2 configuration, edmunds.com wrote, compared to the current 654cc x 2 variant. This will result in a 20 percent better fuel economy, the source wrote.

And because engine upgrades are not enough to achieve a higher fuel efficiency rating, Mazda will also install an all-new transmission system, this time a twin-clutch, two-pedal six-speed gearbox. Reducing the overall weight of the car is also an important task for Mazda's engineers which, according to the aforementioned publication, may be easily solved with the help of a new chassis.

As previously mentioned, this is only pure speculation, so we're still waiting for an official announcement to confirm the new-generation RX-7.