SEVENSTOCK 2010 Biggest Rotary Show in the World

Posted by Enomoto-san on Sep 19, 2010 in Import Rides, Shows & Events | 2 comments

Mazda Rotary Engine Car Show

Every year the rotary gearheads gather from all over the globe to attend the so called “Biggest rotary show in the world” at SEVENSTOCK 2010 at the Mazda North America Headquarters in Irvine, California.

Since the release of the RX-8, its uncertain what rotary engine equipped vehicle will be produced after the RX-8, and perhaps events like the Sevenstock are an attempt to show Mazda corporate that the Wankel rotary spirit is still going strong.  Sevenstock is also more of a niche venue than your ordinary assembly of piston loving enthusiasts… rotary engines have a special type of bond that adheres to any car loving person. Why is this? Perhaps its the attraction to the free spinning bumble bee rumble, or the simple nature of the compact displacement that drops into almost any type of chassis? Regardless of the reason, it’s a legendary engine that’s made an immense footprint in the automobile world.

The latest of Mazda’s rotary creations, the RX-8 were in full effect. The Renesis is a naturally aspirated rotary engine engineered for performance as well as fuel efficiency, but most importantly, it’s the machine that’s the successor of the Wankel tradition. Running forced induction on these engines is a popular choice most likely due to its undying influence from the previous model, RX-7. The RX-8 was popularized by its debut silver screen appearance in the 2003 movie, X-Men.

Of course, what good is a rotary party without one of the most eccentric sportscars ever produced? The RX-7 or also referred to as “FD3S” according to its chassis code, still maintains its high integrity with its sleek timeless design and turbocharged performance. This is the sportscar that Mazda had developed to compete against Nissan’s 300zx and Toyota’s Supra in the early 90s era. Its hardly believable that in a few more years these cars will be celebrating their 20th anniversary.

RX-2s and RX-3s also known as Savanna in Japan, displayed a bold presence at the show. Most vehicles were fully restored with the original 12A rotary, as well as upgraded setups to 13B-REW turbo and even the Renesis 13B-MSP.

Race cars past and present were on display, courtesy of Mazda North America.

Ken Amemiya, the son of the legendary founder RE Amemiya came all the way from Japan to promote his company. They currently compete in the All Japan GT300 race, and the D1 Grand Prix drifting series.

Much credit to Mazda North America for putting together a spectacular event that was purely non-profit and free of admission. The rotary scene is small but still healthily maintaining its brute potential in the automobile culture, solely because of great events like these.