Mazda Furai Concept.....

[Lankan]

I have had the following image as my desktop background for quite a while now. To me the Furai is one of the most intriguing cars ever built, but yet it barely gets mentioned anywhere, and I wondered what had happened to it since 2008.

Here's a clip showing what it looks, and more importantly sounds, like in real life: LINK
Shame the video quality is not up to scratch, but look and listen to the thing at full chat :bow:

"The Furai, which celebrates 40 years of Mazda's rotary engine.........Based on a US Le Mans race series Courage C65 chassis and featuring a 3 rotor rotary engine fueled by ethanol." :approve:

Finally, Top Gear have admitted that they had a hand in its demise! LINK & LINK (Click on the second photo)

"Forgive us, for we have sinned. Top Gear is responsible for the untimely demise of the quite remarkable Mazda Furai Concept, and we're very, very sorry. Find out how (if that picture hasn't clued you in...) in our bumper anniversary issue, and try not to hate us too much." - Top Gear :evil:

Picture gallery: LINK

 

[Brett]

I was at GFS when they bought this into the country. The detail in the carbon fibre was truly incredible especially the engine cover. Then there was the noise! THE NOISE!!! Was a modern 787B. Me and Blake stood next to it while they warmed both engine and gearbox on air jacks. It was a moment ill never forget as I've never been lucky enough to experience the 787b in the flesh. Sadly I doubt we will ever see race cars using extreme rotary engines again. High fuel consumption and terrible emissions will put a stop to it.

 

[rustedandrotten]

Amazing conceptual engineering :bow: :bow:

 

[Lankan]

Indeed, any car built today (and most likely for years to come) is as good as its electronics.....and here is where these advances are likely to end up - Driverless cars on the streets by 2020 :rollseyes:

Interesting question: If one driverless car collides with another (driverless car) how will the insurance claim be settled?!

"Were you the driver of the car" - No

"Then who was the driver" Er, nobody, the car drove itself (into the other car)!

Just imagine the myriad of things that can go wrong.........

 

[V6 2HOT]

Where did I see a quote? Something along the lines of

'Mercedes invents the car and now takes it away!! ' :rofl:

 

[taipan]

Absolutely love the Furai. 787B Le Mans lap with Jonny Herbert(?) is one of my Youtube favourites, as is the videos of the quad rotor RX8s (old shape). A big rotary just sounds like nothing else

Having been snooping around a couple of Mazda dealers lately, I have it on good authority that Mazda is working on bringing the rotary engine back, all be it after a radical redesign to improve efficiency and CO2. I personally can't see the business case for it trickling down to production models, but then again it depends what Mazda have up their sleeve.

My old RX8 was the best car I've owned in terms of the complete package. The only thing that let it down was petrol vs performance. Drank like something with twice the power. The handling, build quality and general feeling it gave you has not been bettered yet in any of the cars I driven /owned since. If I didn't need something a bit more practical (boot is a weird shape, no folding rear seats and RWD transmission tunnel issue) I'd have the newer R3 in a heart beat - £for£ has to be one of the best performance cars out there at the moment.

 

[Brett]

2 rotors sound god awfull though Jon. Even when they have been bridge/periphial ported they sound shite.

 

[taipan]

Wash your mouth out that man!! [smilie=icon_eek.gif]

Definitely a different sound to a piston engine but, to my ears anyway, the quad rotors sound immense! Even a 13b with the right induction and exhaust mods can be made to sound fantastic. An acquired taste though, I'll agree.

 

[k1ano]

I was at GFS when they bought this into the country. The detail in the carbon fibre was truly incredible especially the engine cover. Then there was the noise! THE NOISE!!! Was a modern 787B. Me and Blake stood next to it while they warmed both engine and gearbox on air jacks. It was a moment ill never forget as I've never been lucky enough to experience the 787b in the flesh. Sadly I doubt we will ever see race cars using extreme rotary engines again. High fuel consumption and terrible emissions will put a stop to it.

Don't fret, electric motors are technically rotary so I am sure you will be fine cause that's where it's all bloody going :rofl: