I find it rather curious Robert Davis, Senior Vice President
for Product Development and Quality, Mazda North America
is promoting Mazda's 4 cylinder piston engine for Formula
Atlantic. Formula Atlantic was dieing as a series as the expensive
highly modified Toyota engine powered cars were no faster around
the same road courses than a Pro Formula Mazda open wheel racing
car with a stock RX8 engine. The cost was less than 1/5 of a
Formula Atlantic car.
In order to get the 4 cyl 300 HP $39,000 engine to live
for 2000 miles instead of 1000 miles they had to make expensive
changes such as steel crankshafts and rods among other changes.
Back in the 1980's Mazda dominated endurance road racing
with a 300 HP 13B P-port slide throttle engine. These were
24 hour races and they covered at least 2400 miles and maybe
as much as 3500 miles. Mazda won Lemans out right with a four rotor
and after the race they could detect no wear. No major changes
to the internal design of the engine or the materials used
was required
Dear Mr. Davis, I can build you a 300 HP P-port, low cost slide
throttle, RX8 engine for way WAY less than $39,000 for use in
your Formula Atlantic racing cars and save Mazda Corporation
a whole bunch of money.
Paul Lamar ...No rotor no motor.
Mr. Davis isn't interested in saving money or improving durability. He's
interested in selling Mazdas, most of which are powered by 4 cyl no
rotor engines. ds [Don Sherman]
-----------------------------------
Yes! I know what Mr. Davis is up to.
The knowledgeable customer sees it differently.
The knowledgeable customer knows that any cheap piston engine
with cast iron major parts and pistons can be redesigned and turned
into a racing engine that will live long enough to win a race or
two. Obviously the parent company pursuing this program has
nothing to do with the manufacture of the parts that go into
the engine to convert it to a racing engine. The same goes
for a narrow, high CG, front drive economy car.
However this says a lot about the honesty of the company
involved. Obviously the companies opinion is that all customers
are stupid and can't tell the difference. Would you buy a car from a
company that insults your intelligence? I would not. The world has
changed now and many customers are on the Internet where they find a
more candid view of the automotive world. In the past customers
were able to buy an RX7, make minor modifications and race it all
season with out overhauling the engine after 1000 miles
spending $39,000 to do so.
So far Mazda has been honest and customers have raced and won
with their rotary engines with only minor changes.
I respect Mazda rotary engines for that reason. I hope Mazda
soon sees the light and continues that tradition.
Paul Lamar
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