Your chance: Hear a four-rotor Mazda engine fire up in person

Music to Mazda lovers: The unmistakable sound of a rotary engine, from that opening bleat to full scream at redline.

Now make it a four-rotor engine, the manufacturer’s special creation for the day’s endurance race scene. And no special trip to Monterey, Daytona or Le Mans necessary.

Also on the schedule: a car show, MX-5 Cup car signing, Hot Wheels racing and a meet and greet with the BSI Racing team. You might even see a face from the pages of GRM.

The action takes place at Classic Mazda at 1983 N. Semoran Blvd. in Orlando, Florida, on April 12 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Comments

David S. Wallens Editorial Director
4/9/25 12:37 p.m.

Looking forward to the event as my wife and I have been to a bunch of these.

Never know who’ll be there. Last year, we chatted with IMSA President John Doonan as as well as Jim Downing, co-creator of the HANS Device.

aircooled MegaDork
4/9/25 12:44 p.m.

I have heard the car run (and drive on track!) when it was still in Southern California. It's pretty wild. Essentially sounds like a rotary (duh) without mufflers, but without a flywheel (!!). It revs ridiculously fast! (my pic)

David S. Wallens Editorial Director
4/9/25 12:47 p.m.

Oh yeah, everyone: Bring ear plugs!

Colin Wood Associate Editor
4/9/25 12:48 p.m.

As far as loudness, what would you rate higher, the 767 or a V10 F1 car from the late 1990s/early 2000s?

David S. Wallens Editorial Director
4/9/25 12:58 p.m.

I think the V10 would be higher in pitch. Not sure about db, though. Good question.

Appleseed MegaDork
4/9/25 3:15 p.m.

Every time I read rotary, I immediately think of this:

I can't help it. I'm an airplane guy.

Msterbee Reader
4/9/25 3:39 p.m.

Appleseed said:
Every time I read rotary, I immediately think of this:

I can't help it. I'm an airplane guy.

I'm a car guy AND an airplane guy. I think the same thing.

I really want to know the thinking behind spinning the whole engine vs. spinning just the crank.

racerfink PowerDork
4/9/25 3:47 p.m.

I was at Sebring in '92 when Mazda was trying to run the RX-792P GTP car. They were having all sorts of problems with the muffler catching the bodywork on fire. On Friday night, after the Firestone Firehawk race, they let Mazda do a hardship lap without the muffler on. My dad and I were sitting on the viewer mound on the inside of turn 3, but I could easily tell where the car was on track because that was pretty much ALL you could hear. I'll never forget that glorious noise.

jgrewe Dork
4/9/25 5:17 p.m.

In reply to racerfink :

I had a friend that was there crewing for Dale Kreider (Olds Cutlass). The word he heard was they could have run it, but would have been fined some silly amount for each lap above the db limit.

Snrub Dork
4/9/25 5:54 p.m.

Is is actually louder in absolute terms, or is the sound harsher than other similar race cars? My understanding is the port closure is more abrupt than a typical piston engine, picture a sound plot of a square wave rather than a sine wave.