As a bit of trivia; do you know that, if you write down the full script of their name in Romanized Japanese; such a car is made by “Matsuda Kabushiki-gaisha”? Who, today, is 2.1% owned by Ford Motor Co (at one time, Ford owned one third of the Japanese company and for quite some time produced vehicles for them at three of their USA located plants)? However, if you are buying a brand new one today; it will not contain much American production.
What Attracts You To This Make?
Is their general styling, range of available models, reliable reputation, or, their somewhat innovative attitude to engine type? For a long time, they were the almost exclusive champion of the Wankel rotary engine (partly on technical grounds but, commercially, to differentiate themselves from other Japanese auto makers).
Their Rotary Engines
Most motor vehicles get their power from engines that have pistons that reciprocate up and down (unless it is a horizontal engine with sideways reciprocation). The power released from the explosion of a fuel / air mixture drives the piston down; this has to be converted to rotary movement by the crankshaft which rotates and forces the pistons back up. The crank shaft also passes its motion through the transmission and into the wheels (which must rotate if the car itself is going to move).
The Wankel engine does not have pistons as such. Instead, there is a single combustion chamber inside a housing of a special shaped oval known as an epitrochoid. Compression is provided by rotating a basically triangular rotor.
Supporters claim that this is simpler and more compact than reciprocating designs and capable of delivering higher revolutions per minute (rpm) resulting in a higher power-to-weight ratio. Detractors cite its poor fuel economy and higher rate of unacceptable emissions. Today’s gas prices and stricter emission rules have somewhat restricted wide use of Wankel engines but they continue particularly in sportier car models. Currently Mazda offer no new Wankel powered models but their 16x (Sky R), is currently under development to solve the consumption and emissions problems.
However, they are pioneering the use of a reciprocating engine that runs on the Miller Cycle (as against the more usually used Otto Cycle) for compression, detonation, power stroke and exhaust. The current models are part of their Demio range.
Where To Buy One
If you live in Chicagoland; a quick search on the internet will provide a list of dealers (such as Hawk Mazda) who can sell you a New Mazda In Joliet, IL. Many of them carry large inventories and offer good discounts off the sticker price.
Also visit them at Facebook.com
