I love alternative engine configuration; and have owned a Mazda RX7 and RX8. Both rotary engines and great to drive. Wankle engine variants are currently used in military drones for reconnaissance and attack purposes. The engines are small, light and powerful in use. Not the most efficient however. NSU built the RO80 which was way ahead of its time in the car world. I’ll dig some photos up.
It’s great engine, but crap at making meatloaf!
I too had a couple of rx7's. A 79 my brother bought new and that was later handed down to me. When the motor (the 2nd or 3rd) suffered a broken apex seal or possibly all three, I scrapped it due to the body being too rusted out to salvage. I then found another first gen body, an 85, in very good shape and a friend, who also races them, built me a new motor for it. But I sold it five years later. Been in a Honda ever since. Two Accords and now the last model Insight.
There was/is a Perry Mason episode referring to the engine. And a one off twin wanker tail-pusher aircraft that almost made (both motors krapped out just as they approached Burbank) a transcontinental speed run - round trip... seen reading airplane books 40 odd years ago...wish I had bought the book, then used. If no krappdout they would have had a record for props, they said.
I used to love Perry Mason but this whole rotary engine thing happened in the early fifties before I was born but, I heard the stories until I was at least 12. My dad was a real car enthusiast, we had an Austin Healey when I was born then moved to Britain in the early sixties, the first thing he did was going out and get the newest Cooper S, before we left England in the late sixties he had a left hand drive Mustang.
