Mazda Celebrates 50 Years Of The Rotary Engine

Mazda's rotary engine, hated and loved in equal measure, is celebrating its 50th birthday.

There won't be a '50 Years Edition' of any Mazda model, given the engine is currently on hiatus, but that doesn't mean the Japanese carmaker can't look back at some of its more memorable models which featured the 'chook cooker' engine.

It all began when Mazda attempted something that the majority said 'couldn't be done', in order to stand out from the crowd in an increasingly competitive Japanese market.

Mazda was also looking for an edge in the export market, and so the rotary was born in 1961 when the company licensed NSU Motorenwerke and Wankel's engine technology for use in cars.