Mazda Begins Production of 'RENESIS,' the New-Generation Rotary Engine

- 'Mazda RX-8' sports car to be launched in April -

Mazda Motor Corporation today commenced production of its newly developed RENESIS^* rotary engine at its Ujina plant. The RENESIS is a new-generation rotary engine employing twin rotors, each with a displacement of 654cc. The engine was designed especially to power the all-new four-door, four-seater Mazda RX-8 sports car, due to hit showrooms this April.

A ceremony was held at the plant in Hiroshima from 8:00am this morning to mark the start of RENESIS production. Six company directors, including Executive Vice president Hisakazu Imaki and Executive Officer Masaharu Yamaki, along with MWU's representatives and approximately 150 employees attended the event.

Executive Vice President Imaki said, "This RENESIS is a rotary engine developed especially for the all-new RX-8 and is a symbol of Mazda's revival. Mazda is currently the only automaker in the world developing and producing rotary engines. I'm extremely proud that the dedication, skills and enthusiasm of our engineers have enabled Mazda to provide the world with new-generation rotary engine. We will continue to pursue process innovations and the development of new technologies in order to produce high quality vehicles that fulfil the expectations of our customers."

Through the introduction of innovative technologies for the rotary engine -- such as the use of side exhaust ports and the new Sequential Dynamic Air Intake System - the 'RENESIS delivers a high power output for a naturally aspirated engine. In addition, the engine demonstrates significantly improved fuel economy and reduced emissions when compared with previous rotaries. By capitalizing on the intrinsic benefits of the rotary engine - namely, compact size, light weight and high performance - Mazda has created a totally new sports car concept - the four-door, four seater RX-8.

High precision quality that helps maximize RENESIS performance has been engineered into the Ujina plant. This precision is achieved through a combination of Mazda's extensive rotary experience and capability, and innovative development methods that are made possible through advanced digital technologies such as virtual simulations based on the Mazda Digital Innovation (MDI) project.

* The name RENESIS means RE (Rotary Engine) GENESIS.