[reagandemo]

"I remember the Wankel as being very poor on fuel economy."

You are correct. The Wankel problem was that it was very inefficient when accelerating. As a constant speed/torque engine it is great. I read where there was plans to make them for farm tractors which require constants speed . Also, I read a boating magazine a few years back where they had converted a boat to using them with electric generators. They powered electric motors which spun the propellers. The boat was very fuel efficient.

[Lx]

The new renesis rotary has its exhaust ports in the side housing so unburned hydrocarbons aren't swept out the old peripheral exhaust port like they used to and are swept into the next combustion chamber. It's also supposed to improve mileage as well.