
Kenichi Yamamoto has died - artsandsci
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/29/obituaries/kenichi-yamamoto-dead-father-of-mazda-rotary-engine.html
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rdoherty
Not only is he the father of Mazda's rotary engine, he also recommended as
president that Mazda build the Miata, arguably the best two seater sports car
ever made. The Miata probably also kept Mazda in the spotlight and alive
through the 90s.

Mazda is an interesting car company. Example: they have 0 electric or hybrid
cars and don't have plans to make any afaik. They have a new 'X-Active'
gasoline engine that also runs like a diesel at times to gain efficiency and
power ([https://jalopnik.com/mazdas-upcoming-skyactive-x-
compression...](https://jalopnik.com/mazdas-upcoming-skyactive-x-compression-
ignition-engine-1797643172)). I'm not sure it's a great idea to continue
working on gasoline engine technology considering the industry and market, but
it is impressive engineering.

They've also managed to keep the Mazda Miata at nearly the same weight (only
300lbs more than the original) and size (3 inches wider, 1 inch _shorter_ )
after over 20 years of safety and convenience improvements. I can't think of
any other car model that's done that.

Somehow this small car company always punches above its weight, which is
impressive.

~~~
jimnotgym
For non-US readers like me, the Miata is what we know as the MX-5. I just had
to look it up!

Like a classic British sports-car, but affordable, reliable and still in
production.

~~~
justin66
> Like a classic British sports-car, but affordable, reliable and still in
> production.

For those who aren't aware, Mazda famously bought some Lotus Elans (and some
other British classics) and drove them, took them apart, and so on to help
them capture the magic. They really did succeed.

Ironically, they were a lot more successful than Lotus was when they made
their new Elan which shared a name with the original, and came out the same
year as the first Miata.

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flavio81
The first commercial Wankel engine was brought by NSU in the 60s. They
licensed the technology to other manufacturers, including a consortium
(Comotor) of many well known manufacturers, that shared research results
between them. Already in the early 1970s, Mercedes Benz solved the apex seal
problem, created engines with side ports, and three-rotor racing Wankel
engines (see Mercedes Benz C111). They concluded that the Wankel engine had an
inherent, fundamental fuel efficiency problem and thus abandoned the project.
Mazda realized the same conclusion in the early 2000s, it being the only
problem of Wankel engines nowadays.

~~~
Narretz
I'd say Mazda realized the fuel effiency problem much earlier than the early
2000s, but they still wanted to produce a car that was a symbol for the
technology and the company's history. It was also unique and sold well enough
because of that.

~~~
busterarm
Right. The lack of of a rotary Mazda on the market right now is really more of
a success story for politicians and government regulation. It is a good thing,
but we are poorer some damn fun cars because of it. That said, you're not
really going to truly enjoy it east of the Mississippi anyway...

Disclosure: RX-7 owner.

~~~
flavio81
>is really more of a success story for politicians and government regulation.

Why? I thought the latest Mazda rotary engines were of very low emissions.

~~~
mikepurvis
Not really; they're burning oil all the time because the seals need to be
actively lubricated. And to the extent that "low emissions" can be claimed,
it's achieved by burning the uncombusted fuel in the exhaust stream, which is
cool but horrendously inefficient.

Then again, who knows: [http://www.thedrive.com/new-cars/14064/mazda-confirms-
rotary...](http://www.thedrive.com/new-cars/14064/mazda-confirms-rotary-
sports-car-engine-in-development)

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mengibar10
What is life?

It is the flash of a firefly in the night.

It is the breath of a buffalo in the wintertime.

It is the little shadow which runs across

the grass and loses itself in the sunset.

    
    
       --Attributed to Crowfoot (ca 1830-1890), chief of the Canadian Blackfoot tribe.

~~~
mengibar10
Who downvoted this comment? This is a beautiful poem reminding how short life
is. However you are achieved and done it passes like a flash. What is wrong
with some people? They are trigger happy I guess, downvoting what they could
not understood. Shissh!

~~~
ionised
I didn't downvote, but your comment has absolutely nothing to do with the
subject of the thread.

~~~
mengibar10
It is. We all live a life, like Kenichi, successful or not, full of
achievement, but in the end we all die. The poem tells how short the life is
regardless.

Some HN readers are one dimensional people, even worse can not ponder for a
second and give the benefit of doubt.

Also, downvote should be for something negative, not just you think it is
irrelevant.

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legitster
As a car nut, Mazda holds the most special place in my heart. Affordable,
reliable, and _fun_ cars to drive. They proved you could have it all. And when
driving them, you get the sense that it was made by happy, passionate
engineers who never had to compromise their principles.

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JPLeRouzic
I think the NSU/Audi Ro-80 [0, 1] predates Mazda, isn't?

And Mazda (as well as Citroen and others) used this engine, I think.

[0]
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NSU_Ro_80](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NSU_Ro_80)

[1]
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wankel_engine#Early_developmen...](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wankel_engine#Early_developments)

~~~
jacquesm
It says he is the father of _Mazda´s_ rotary engine, not of all rotary
engines.

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gr3yh47
no doubt the Takahashi brothers are mourning this one

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devy
Mr. Yamamoto deceased on Dec 20th, 2017. The title should probably be noted
"(2017)

~~~
vorotato
That would be misleading given that it was 17 days ago.

~~~
jimmaswell
It's already misleading because the title made me think it happened today or
at least this year.

