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As someone familiar with Mazda's (incomplete) Wankel, that sentence reads more like marketing speak and is nearly meaningless.

Something about this design smells to me but I can't quite pinpoint it yet.

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You are right to be skeptical. We've been down this road of lots of promises for new technology before. If there was an problem with the design the company isn't letting us know. Maybe its durability? Torque? repairability?

Reminds me of the "orbital engine" out of australia last century that had some challenges it couldn't overcome. There are lots of other attempts to make different engines.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orbital_engine

Alternative engines are always interesting though, and who knows?

These guys have been around since 2005, if I'm not mistaken. So I dunno if I'd call them new.

Agreed, but I think for me it's that the apex seals were always the weak point in the Wankel design. So the apex seals are moved to the case, but what material advancements have made them more robust and resistant to wear and leaking?

Apex seals were eventually solved by Mazda, though. You can still kill the apex seals through neglect, but to be fair you can do that to piston rings and valves as well.

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