马自达计划推出全新RX车型。在上月的东京车展上，马自达发布了RX-VISION概念车，该车搭载了新开发的转子引擎，但马自达并未透露动力系统细节。最近，公司高管透露，计划于2017年转子引擎诞生50周年时发布全新车型。这款RX车型将搭载采用SKYACTIV-R技术的转子引擎。目前马自达正在测试“16X”混动涡轮转子引擎，它采用两台800毫升转子引擎，功率超过335千瓦/455马力。该车后轮由后驱动桥驱动，同时双离合器变速箱将与后轴集成在一起以优化车身重量分配。另外，该车还将提供双阶涡轮系统，它包括电动涡轮辅助系统和普通废气驱动涡轮，在引擎低转速时由前者提供动力，而在更高转速时则由废气驱动涡轮提供助力。目前马自达正集中精力开发全新RX车型，预计该车将被命名为RX-9。量产版车身长度将比RX-VISION概念车短200毫米，由于采用铝制结构和更多碳纤维材质，车重将低于1400公斤。

 

Mazda hints 2017 launch for new RX model

Mazda has dropped a subtle hint about the launch date of its highly anticipated new RX model.

 

Last month’s Tokyo Motor Show was the venue where Mazda unveiled the RX-VISION concept powered by a newly developed rotary engine, but they didn’t provide any details about the powertrain. Now, a company executive says the secret will be out in 2017 when Mazda will celebrate the 50th anniversary of its rotary engine. This can only mean a new production-ready RX model will be out then and is going to get “SKYACTIV-R” technology which clearly refers to a rotary engine.

 

Motoring is citing sources within Mazda that have declared testing is underway for a “16X” hybrid turbo rotary engine featuring a dual-800cc rotor setup with an output estimated to surpass 455 PS (335 kW). The rear wheels will be driven through a rear transaxle and the yet to be confirmed dual-clutch gearbox will be incorporated into the rear axle to optimize weight distribution.

 

There’s also a juicy gossip about a two-stage turbo system equipped with an “electric turbo assist” system that kicks in at low rpm while at higher engine speeds the standard exhaust-driven turbo takes care of boost.

 

Now that the new Miata is out and about, it is believed Mazda has shifted focus towards the new RX model development, so they plan to have it ready for a 2017 launch and it will likely be called "RX-9." The production car will allegedly be up to 200 mm shorter than the RX-VISION concept and is expected to tip the scales at less than 1,400 kg (3,086 lbs) thanks to an aluminum-intensive construction with plenty of carbon fiber.