RE: Anyone *actually* put a Mazda rotary into an Audi?

[Tom Nas <tnas@euronet.nl>]

"Avi Meron" <avi@cosmoslink.net> wrote:

>Just get an Audi with a rotary, they were sold in Europe, a total disaster
>BTW,

They didn't actually sell any rotary cars under the Audi name- there was
the NSU Ro80 and the NSU Wankel Spider, but no _official_ Audis.
I've been given a booklet published by Audi in '76 (thanks, James!) that
details the rotary's development and clearly shows a couple of type 43s
running around with (final) development rotary engines.

Apparently, the buying public's diminished confidence in the concept plus
the oil crisis killed off the (thirsty) rotary before it could be fully
developed. Mazda initially had similar problems to NSU with its Cosmo
series (rotor tips wearing down prematurely, leading to no combustion
chamber seal) but managed to overcome this problem. Fuel consumption
however was never addressed, which is why (despite the fact that it's a
great engine) no-one really seriously gets into rotary engines anymore. An
Ro80 definately belongs in my dream garage, great car.

Tom

 _______________________________________________________________________
 Tom Nas                                          Zeist, The Netherlands
 tnas@euronet.nl
 1987 Audi 90q 2.3E, Tizianrot metallic, 169,000km
 http://members.tripod.lycos.nl/AudiJunk/index.html

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