Mazda working on new rotary engine for RX-8 heir

Mazda is working on a new rotary engine for the RX-7 descendant that can run on either petrol or diesel, and offer improved fuel economy compared to the recently terminated RX-8 coupe.

The two-stroke 16X engine is designed to correct the shortcomings of Mazda’s most recent rotary engine, including its high oil consumption and lack of torque in the mid-range. Sources in Japan say the new unit has achieved considerable improvements in fuel efficiency.

But the final go-ahead has not yet been received from Mazda’s top executives. Mazda is still working out how to attain the best mixture of performance, economy and emissions. In its current situation, the 16X is expected to give the RX-7 about 300bhp and enable it to reach 60mph in less than 5 seconds.

Mazda’s R&D department has invited several external drivers and racers to test RX-7 mules, and the design team has required feedback at customer clinics.

Much of the push towards another rotary-engined sports car comes from Mazda USA. A recent autonomous survey revealed that demand for an affordable rotary-powered sports car is still as strong as it’s ever been in the U.S. It’s been suggested that were it not for American demand for the car, the project would have been abandoned.

2011 Volkswagen Jetta spied nearly undisguised

The 2011 Volkswagen Jetta has been spied partially undisguised – hinting that the Jetta will be unveiled soon. The pre-production cars were caught undergoing final shake-down tests in Detroit, Michigan.

The newcomer is baring strong similarity at the New Compact Coupe (NCC) Concept, which was exposed at this year’s Detroit motorshow. Up front, the car's front bumper, headlights and bonnet contours follow the NCC closely, while at the back, the tail-lights are virtually unchanged from the NCC.

Despite the resemblance, the Jetta will remain conservative – blame this on the oh-so popular Toyota Corolla.

Volkswagen is also rumored to be working on a sportier Jetta variant, dubbed ‘Jetta R’. Whether VW will use the sedan bodyshell or a coupe remains unclear. Like the Golf R, the Jetta will make do with a 2.0T, producing 256bhp and 349Nm (258 ft-lb) of torque. European Jetta’s will be powered by a range of petrol engines and a pair of 1.6 TDi and 2.0 TDi diesels – the latter will be available Stateside.

Volkswagen has also confirmed it will offer two different suspension setups on the Jetta. Lower-end models would stick with the tried-and-tested torsion beam rear suspension, while higher end versions would get a multi-link setup like the new Golf's.

The 2011 Jetta will show-up in VW dealerships towards the end of Summer. If the Jetta R is part of the mix, expect it to be on sale by mid-2011. European sales will begin in early 2011.

    2010 Volkswagen New Compact Coupe (NCC) Concept:

Second generation Chevy Volt could get rotary engine

Chevrolet hasn’t even begun selling the 2011 Volt yet, but already GM is thinking about more efficient ways of making the next-generation model. Sources spoke to GM's new vice president of global vehicle engineering, Karl Stracke, who shared some insights into the new GM thought process.

According to Stracke, the Volt's current propulsion system is too expensive and has to be cut down if the car is to compete effectively with the Toyota Prius. Its battery pack costs $10,000 and GM is keen to halve that figure for the next-generation.


One answer is to use a rotary engine. Rotaries are known for producing more power per cubic centimetre than their cylindrical equivalents. A downside is their tendency to use relatively more fuel, but Stracke reckons that one rotor could be enough for his car's purposes.

A second option is the use of a 2 cylinder petrol engine. This engine could produce between 20PS - 24PS.

A third option is a diesel engine, but GM is cautious of the higher costs involved in its manufacturing, despite the possible long-run savings for the customer.

"The future of the automobile has never been as interesting as it is right now," said Stracke. "Big question is, what new propulsion system will come next?"

Lotus set to kill-off Europa

Lotus will be killing off the Europa sports coupe. According to reports, Lotus dealers in Europe have stopped selling the car, which could mean production of the Europa will end by autumn.


The Europa was introduced in 2006 and came with a 2.0 litre turbocharged 4 cylinder engine with 200bhp and 270Nm (200 lb-ft) of torque. The SE, was introduced in 2008 and featured 220bhp with the same amount of torque.

Reports claim that the Europa was a temporary measure for Lotus, which was meant to fill a gap in the marketplace before the introduction of the Evora, while keeping the Elise production line busy. Whatever the case, the Europa never became popular with the customers.

Mercedes appoints new MD (UK)

Mercedes UK has appointed Gary Savage as its new managing director - hardly a year after he left Audi to head up Citroen's UK operations. Savage replaces Dermot Kelly, who will retire at the end of June 2010.

Wilfried Steffen, president and CEO of Mercedes-Benz UK, commented; “Gary Savage has consistently delivered significant business results in all his previous roles and firmly established his professional reputation within our sector."


He added: "Dermot Kelly has played a major part in driving forward the Mercedes-Benz passenger car strategy, making Mercedes-Benz and Smart the successful brands they are today. I would like to wish Dermot well and at the same time welcome Gary to the company."

Saab UK sold to Spyker (UK)

The sale of Saab UK to Dutch car firm, Spyker Cars was agreed today by GM UK. The company, which distributes Saabs in the UK, now becomes part of the Spyker Cars organisation, which purchased Saab at the beginning of the year. In this case, Spyker is ready to expand into Saab dealerships to double its [Spyker] showrooms by the end of the year.

In an interview, Saab and Spyker boss Victor Muller said Spyker’s dealer network would expand from 35 to 60 this year and should reach 90 by the end of 2011.


“We are signing up Spyker dealerships left, right and centre,” said Muller. Spyker’s latest model, the C8 Aileron, will be one of the first Spykers to be sold through Saab dealerships.

Saab UK will continue to operate within General Motors, while the 'carve out' process takes place. This will culminate in a move to new premises, which is expected to take place in August.

Jonathan Nash, managing director of Saab GB, said: 'This is great news for employees of Saab GB and its franchised dealers. We are now looking forward to a period of exciting new product launches over the next 24 months, starting with the UK launch of the all new 9-5 in our dealers on 8th July.'

Victor Muller, CEO of Spyker Cars said: 'We are pleased that we have managed to finalise the acquisition of Saab GB. 'Historically, Great Britain has ranked in the top three markets for Saab and we have high expectations for the future.'

The all-new Saab 9-5 is available to order now with prices starting from £26,495 for the Vector SE 2.0 TiD manual with 158bhp, rising to £37,995 for the Aero 2.8T AWD automatic with 296bhp.

Toyota extends warranty (UK)

Starting from today, Toyota UK will be extending their standard warranty from 3 years to 5 years. The longer deal was introduced back in March as Toyota tried to redirect negative publicity over its vehicle recalls. Buyers could choose between 3 years free servicing or a 5 year warranty.


"Our new five-year warranty is tangible evidence of our commitment to quality and to our customers – both those who are loyal to the brand, and those who are considering switching to Toyota for their next car," said Miguel Fonseca, Toyota GB managing director.

"By taking this major initiative we are giving our customers complete peace of mind. We want to reassure them that, in choosing a Toyota, they are getting the best in quality, reliability and durability."

The 5 year warranty is designed to rival those offered by South Korean rivals Hyundai (5 years) and Kia (7 years). However, Toyota's deal has a 100,000 mile limit, whereas the Korean brands' have no stated mileages.

Toyota says that the new warranty is mainly targeted at buyers who might not have considered the firm's cars before, and buyers who might have been put off by the various recalls over the past few months.

There are no plans to extend the warranty on cars from Lexus, Toyota’s luxury division.