Westfield Rotary Engine

[Sparkymart]

[Kit Car Electronics]

I just don't get it. A Westfield is a niche product, but not an exotic one. Who'd even entertain the idea of a hand-built engine of that type, with unknown reliability and durability?

[Sparkymart]

Ture but I asked the guy if it suffered from rotor tip wear like the Mazda units and I was told this was not a issues with this unit (but I reckon height might be)

[Kit Car Electronics]

I think I'd ditch the starter motor and go 48V belt integrated starter generator at least- then the machine perched on top would look a bit more 'special'

[jeff oakley]

Realistically it will never be a serious proposition to use this engine. I am sure they will build one and it will give them a huge amount of publicity for the range of cars. Price isn't the issue as many who own Westfields now have £15k in engines at the top end so someone will want one.

Most manufacturers have "halo" cars to produce journalists wanting to drive and write about them, this will be one.

[XTR2Turbo]

I don't think the engine is entirely new as used already in drones.

 

The challenge will be getting it to work with a clutch and the shock loadings in a car compared to a plane.

 

Not to mention IVA emissions etc

 

But agree not sure what it gives above a bike engine or stick an RX8 engine in if you want rotary

[Thrustyjust]

Mates into rotaries. Has 2 x RX8's and a Sylva fury with a turbo version. One RX is his wifes ( new engine) Fury is his track toy ( new engine and lots of money spent) the other RX is his and he is getting it converted to a track toy and flogging the Fury after the engine gets rebuilt. Fury is immense and gladly I am too tight to fit in it, but runs approx. 400 bhp and leaves black lines everywhere. I think you get the thing with rotary engines and rebuilds. When they run they are great although I find the standard 231 a bit bland with no torque at all. His second RX is being built with ceramic tips on the rotors, which should stop the wear. They are a great design , but his V8 westie did better mpg.

[lewis]

Spotted this at Goodwood yesterday. Looks very interesting. Especially for me as its uses the MX-5 gearbox, diff and shafts. He said it was 120bhp at 45KG with the entire car coming at 400KG. Its both water and air cooled. 

 

They are aiming to get it done this Summer to start testing in the Autumn.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Quinten]

Never has the term 'cute' been used for describing an engine 120bhp, but what torque comes with it?

[Mark (smokey mow)]

Equally impressive as the engine is that chassis construction. It looks like a composite cockpit tub with a separate modular bolt on steel engine bay.

[Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman]

Equally impressive as the engine is that chassis construction. It looks like a composite cockpit tub with a separate modular bolt on steel engine bay.

That's the concept they've been talking about to us for a couple of years; their idea, (when first announced) was a standard composite tub, with a choice of engine specific front steel sections.

[lewis]

Indeed, it is a composite tub in order to help to get 50/50 weight distribution. 

[Man On The Clapham Omnibus]

One of my customers Jonathan rebuilt an SEiW that was on our stand at Stoneleigh and was running an RX8 engine although that is a very tall unit and required us to make a taller V8 Style bonnet for it .

The car was previously run by Brian Stevens with an RX7 engine and was awesomely fast when running right , exhaust had to run from one side of the car across the front of the scuttle and back out to get the pipework the right length , previous to this was also run with a rotary by someone else I believe .

My aged memory tells me that there was a w**kel engined Westfield in construction many years ago and that had a serpentine exhaust system running beneath the body.

[dombanks]

That is super neat! I approve