Car Spotlight>> Rotary Tiger

When I saw this Lotus Seven-a-like roll in on Saturday morning, I made a bee-line towards it in the paddock. This being Rotorstock I was praying it was going to be rotary powered and my prayers were answered. The car is a Tiger Sportscar, based on the ever popular Lotus / Caterham Seven.

I love the wing and how the exhaust is mounted, it really sets the car apart from other Seven-a-likes.

The cars are more often found with Ford Zetec and Duratec engines. This is definitely the first rotary powered one I've ever come across.

The opening for the air intake was nice and neat.

Inside we have a carbon fibre vinyl wrapped dash (I guess it's better than looking at a standard one) the usual oil pressure and temperature, water temperature, voltage, speedometer and an oversized tacho with shift light. A snap off steering wheel allows easier access in and out of the car.

Since I'm on a bit of a rotary binge, can anyone explain to me why the exhaust manifold is a three branch ? I would of thought one branch for each port ? Are we looking at a 20B ?

As I've said before I'm not a rotary connoisseur, I'm really thinking this is a normally aspirated 13B as I could only count two rotor houses ?

These carbon fibre spoilers over the front wheels provide some sublte aggression in it's styling. How functional they are, I'm not quite sure !

Watching the car disappear up the strip run after run made me appreciate the idea and execution of this build.

Paddy

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1

that is a Renesis 13B-MSP out or an RX-8 which has multiport exhaust and therefore 3 exhaust runners instead of 2.

2

Yup, like TheFinn294 said that is a Renesis 13b-MSP engine, out of the RX-8. If you're going to build an N/A rotary project, that's the engine I would go with. That's a cool looking Seven-a-like. I wish we had more stuff like that around Idaho. Out of curiosity, do you remember what time it ran on the drag strip?

3

what kind of tires are those... anyone?

4

@S Sticky

5

The front wheel fenders are required by UK Law.

6

WOW. Just wow.

7

i think that is the perfict motor to put into any lightweight car that u dont want to make a crazy amount of power with if u wanna make power then eather put the 13b-rew in it or a 20b but yes as its been mentiond befor the renisis (13b-MSP) is a side port motor so instead of the exhust going out of the useral peripheral port on the housings it goes out from 3 ports on the plates and though on the outside the housing looks like someone pluged the REW houing, but inside its perfictly smooth (for obvious compresion reasons) inside the renisis is useraly a 6 port motor but with another port below it that looks like a big street ported REW port but it has a pease that comes from the top that looks like someone chiped it. Early automatic renisis motors where 4 port motors with the MSP but making less power now i beleave the renisis motors are all 6 port MSP

8

Rotary powered engine, that is just too cool. That is one very unique looking car to say the least.

9

you should post more angles of the engine bay.

10

The renisis motor sucks ass.. thats why theyre are ending the rx8 line../ and going with the 16x motor. and if you notice, every one that wants power swaps to the 13bs.. thats were the fun is at.. fuck the rx8 motor.. that multi port exhaust set up is to flawed. restricts a lot more.. sure its cool cuz itll pass smog but fuck that.



just my 2 cents

11

The spoilers over the front wheels are actually very functional, the fenders there are known to cause a fair amount of up-force at speed. With those holes in the fender and it's shape it should help a lot over the regular fenders.

12

RX8 motor the exhuast hosuings were moved from the housings to the end plates hence the need fo three branchs as the exhuast gas is being collected in the two side plates and also the centre plate



13

@tight pantz 7



there are a few FI Renesis motors in the UK now that make good power, however, you're missing the point of this car. an N/A 13b wouldn't make as much power unless it was heavily ported (bridge/pp'd) in which case you're sacrificying drivability. a turbo isn't necessary here so the Renesis makes the most logical choice.

14

There was another Lotus Seven-alike car that was rotary powered, RE Amemiya's Westfield. Still, B13 + Westfield/Caterham/Seven = awesomeness.

15

I like it, but I ABSOLUTELY HATE IT when auto manufacturer's make RHD vehicles w/ the turn signals on the left side!!!

16

Since in UK probably Avon tyres

17

This thing is friggin' MADNESS! We need this in Forza 3....SERIOUSLY. The Lotus 2 Eleven sucks....

18

moar LSIS's (Lotus Seven Inspired Sportscar's) please.

19

@tight pantz 7



The Renesis is pretty much the ultimate ported N/A rotary engine... find me another N/A two-rotor engine that puts out as much power and torque yet is as smooth and driveable and doesn't idle at 2000 RPM or higher. Yeah, there are compromises in its design, but all in all it's a great engine. And can you imagine how fast it must be in a car that weighs half or less than an RX-8?

20

Or Dunlop or Yokohama or Michelin etc...

21

Peripheral Port YAAAAY

22

Love it, the renesis' smooth and flat power band makes it an ideal candidate for such projects!

23

The RENESIS comes in 4 or 6 port, the 6 port of Higher power is the most common...

The Renesis out of the RX-8 as shown here actually develops MORE power than any other Mazda NA 13B.

"tight pantz 7". And you are Wrong again, the 16X works in the exact same way as the 13 MSP. The series 2 13B Renesis used in RX-8's from 2009 is actually better again, it has an all new Electric Metering Oil Pump system for Apex Seal lubrication with 6 oil injectors instead of this engines 4. Mazda for some stupid reason removed the middle oil injector in the 04-08 RX-8 Renesis 1 Engine, all rotaries from the FC RX-7 had this middle injector, this is the main reason this engine is failing compression as the apex seals are wearing irregularly. Mazda have addressed this with the Renesis 2 or 2009-2011 RX-8's...2011 being the final export year for the RX-8.

24

actually, when charged, the 6port renesis isn't able to produce as much power as the 4port. problem ist, that, at least in germany, the 6port di come with a 6speed manuel, will the 4port did come with a 5speedmanuel. the 5speed isn't that strong, and for a electronical reason it's kind of tricky to change it. that's shy most people go dircetly to the old 13b, and don't try to turbocharge the 4port renesis.



another fact is, that the greddy turbokit changes the 6port engine into a 4port engine. the problem with the 6port layout is, that it is perfectly fine for na, but the weak for a charged car. anyway, a midly portet 6port gives you something like 250bhp, which is more then enough for that kind of car.

25

@SB



And that's 250hp from 1.3 liters that can rev up to and beyond 9,000rpm.



I am a huge rotary fanatic, horrible gas mileage and apex seals or not!

26

sb.....Another person who does not know what they are talking about...a 4 port can not and does not produce more power than a 6. And to suggest a Greddy turbo kit changes a 6 port to a 4 is a complete Laugh...it is impossible. The ports relate to Intake not Exhaust, the 6 port has 2 extra Intake (Fuel) ports IN the Iron Side Housings which is Controlled by Mazda's elaborate Intake manifold system by SS Valves.

27

the rotary engine in a lotus 7 replica shell is actually quite common.

28

Digging up an old post but the reason this has a three branch manifold is that it's a 13B MSP from an RX8.  The side exhaust ports mean it has only two rotors but 4 exhausts ports, the centre port has a common flange onto the manifold.

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