2007-03-12 16:36:13 · 7 answers · asked by DC 1 in Cars & Transportation ➔ Other - Cars & Transportation
Yes, NSU of Germany actually made the first. The vehicle, the Ro80, was a superior design; but the wankel engines began to fail - ultimately pulling the company down. GM was about to market one as well and saw what was happening. They pulled the plug on theirs at the last minute.
Another bit of trivia, the AMC Pacer was designed around the GM wankel. They had to shoehorn a piston engine in when that project was ended.
2007-03-12 17:07:30 · answer #1 · answered by samfrio 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Before there was Mazda, there was a company called NSU. Also, GM touted a Corvette prototype with a 4-rotor engine for a while around (1984? I think...). Here's some other interesting rotary history........
2007-03-12 23:45:30 · answer #2 · answered by Win S 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No but Suzuki motorcycle had a rotary engine on a bike.
2007-03-12 23:40:30 · answer #3 · answered by Kill_Me_Now! 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
yes, Datsun made one soon after the first RX-3 by Mazda came out
2007-03-12 23:57:46 · answer #4 · answered by import_fanatic 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
possibly....today my German teacher said that Subaru used to make a rotary car(we were on the topic of German WWI fighter plane engines)......but how accurate that is...i'm not sure.
2007-03-12 23:40:52 · answer #5 · answered by Tim K 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think Sachs motorcycle (of Germany) tried to sell one in the seventies.
2007-03-12 23:59:21 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
yes there were.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wankel_engine
click the link, scroll down to the history of the wankel engine and you will find your answer
2007-03-12 23:43:36 · answer #7 · answered by Magikmann 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋