Kulo nyaka injini yakwa-Wankel kwaMazda igubha iminyaka engu-50 kanti amahlebezi mayelana nokubuyiswa kwalolu hlobo lwenjini enkampanini anamandla kunakuqala. Kuze kube yilapho (futhi) kukhona isiqinisekiso sokuthi sizoba nomshini wenjini entsha noma cha, siyaqhubeka nokuthola imiphumela yesaga sika-Wankel.
Futhi lena ingenye eyaziwa kancane. I-Mazda RX-7 Evo Group B yango-1985 engandile, kusukela ngo-1985, izodayiswa ngoSepthemba 6 eLondon, ngabakwaRM Sotheby. Yebo, iMazda Group B.
Ngawo-1980, umshayeli waseJalimane u-Achim Warmbold wayengemva kweMazda Rally Team Europe (MRTE) eBelgium. Ekuqaleni imizamo yabo yayigxile ekuthuthukisweni kweMazda 323 Group A, kodwa lowo msebenzi walandelwa ngokushesha iMazda RX-7 Group B enenjini yakwaWankel.
Ngokungafani nezilo ezavela kulesi sigaba - idrayivu edonsa ngamasondo amane, injini engemuva emaphakathi neshaja kakhulu - iMazda RX-7 yahlala “iphucuzekile”. Esizindeni sayo bekukhona isizukulwane sokuqala semoto eyi-sports (SA22C/FB), futhi njengemoto yokukhiqiza igcine idonsa ngamasondo angemuva, injini ibe ngaphambili hhayi i-turbo emehlweni. Kukude nama-prototypes afana ne-Lancia Delta S4 noma i-Ford RS200.
Injini, i-13B eyaziwa kakhulu, yahlala ifisa ngokwemvelo. Ukuze uthole amandla engeziwe, isilingi se-revs esiphezulu kuzodingeka sikhuphuke. Amandla emodeli yokukhiqiza angu-135 ku-6000 rpm akhuphuke afinyelela ku-300 ngo-8500!
Naphezu kokungabikho kwe-turbo nokudonsa okugcwele, i-Mazda RX-7 Evo, njengoba yayizobizwa kanjalo, yakwazi ukuthola indawo yesithathu ku-Acropolis Rally (Greece) ngo-1985. Yayikhona kuphela emqhudelwaneni we-rally womhlaba ngo-1984. kanye no-1985 futhi iqiniso kufanele litshelwe, le phrojekthi ayikaze ithole ukwesekwa okuningi okuvela enkampanini engumzali. IMazda ithande ukuthuthukiswa kwenjini engu-323 Group A – four-cylinder ene-turbo kanye namasondo amane. Futhi ngokomlando, kungaba isinqumo esihlakaniphile.
I-MRTE 019, i-Mazda RX-7 engakaze iphumelele ukuncintisana
Iqembu B lalizophela ngo-1986 futhi ngalo, noma yiliphi ithuba lentuthuko entsha ye-RX-7. Ngenxa yemithetho ekhona, kuzodingeka amayunithi angama-200 wokuhlangana, kodwa iMazda izodinga kuphela ukwakha angama-20, njengoba uhlobo lwaseJapan lwaluvele lunesimo sokuhlangana emaQenjini 1, 2 kanye ne-4. Kwama-20, kucatshangwa ukuthi ayisikhombisa kuphela yagitsheliswa ngokuphelele, futhi enye yazo yacekelwa phansi engozini.
Iyunithi ezothengiswa endalini i-chassis ye-MRTE 019, futhi ngokungafani nezinye i-RX-7 Evo, lena ayizange igijime. Ngemuva kokuphela kweQembu B, le yunithi yahlala eBelgium, emagcekeni e-MRTE. Ekuqaleni kweminyaka yama-90, i-MRTE 019 yaya eSwitzerland - ngokusebenzisa umthengisi osemthethweni wakwaMazda -, kanye namanye ama-chassis kanye nezingxenye ze-RX-7.
Ngemuva kweminyaka embalwa yanyamalala endaweni yesigameko, yaba yingxenye yeqoqo langasese, ngaphambi kokushintsha izandla futhi kumnikazi wayo wamanje. Kwaba ngowakamuva, uDavid Sutton, lapho i-MRTE 019 yenza inqubo yokuvuselela ukukhanya, eyathatha izinyanga eziyisithupha, ukuze kuqinisekiswe ukuthi yonke imininingwane yemoto ilungile futhi ayizange iphazamiseke. Umphumela uyi-Mazda RX-7 Evo esesimweni kanye nokucaciswa kwemboni yasekuqaleni.
Ngokusho kwe-RM Sotheby's, iqinisekisiwe ukuthi iyona kuphela i-Mazda RX-7 Evo Group B yokuqala ekhona futhi mhlawumbe ukuphela kweQembu B elingasetshenzisiwe.
