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I really liked the idea of the Wankel engine. Had a friend who had a Mazda.

But the seals on the lobes of the rotor turned out to be very weak points.

I’m an engineer who was all for the gas turbine engine. Efficiency got that one as far as automobile usage, even with all sorts of economizers trying to recover waste heat.

Yeah, I wonder how the seal tech is these days. I had a RX2 in 1971 or 72 when they first came out, kick in the azz to drive. Little bitty 4 barrel carb and all, pissed off a lot of small block V8 drivers. My brothers fried the engine, but the seals were going fast measured by oil consumption.

Later, many moons had passed, and I bought a new 1988 RX7 Turbo. Another kick azz car. But then it started failing smog inspections. Yep, seals fried. Dumped it, and the new owners tracked me down and asked if I knew why it failed for them? Told them to go ask the dealer they bought it from.

Great engine, but again, I wonder what 40 years has improved?