Synopsis
Wankel: The Curious Story Behind the Revolutionary Rotary Engine, written by journalist Nicholas Faith and published in 1975, offers an engaging look into the turbulent history of Dr. Felix Wankel’s groundbreaking rotary combustion engine. Framing the engine as one of the most audacious mechanical innovations since the piston engine itself, Faith explores how an elegant theoretical design attempted to disrupt the global automotive industry—and why its real-world path was littered with technical friction, corporate gambles, and eccentric personalities.
The narrative traces the engine's development from Felix Wankel's early concepts while working in WWII-era Germany, through its initial prototyping with motorcycle manufacturer NSU, to the frenzy that erupted in the 1960s and 1970s as automakers worldwide rushed to acquire manufacturing licenses. Faith demystifies the engineering for general readers, illustrating the immense initial allure of a lightweight engine that delivered smooth power with far fewer moving parts than traditional reciprocating engines. However, the core of the book shifts focus toward human and business dynamics, recounting the high-stakes wheeling and dealing among major players like General Motors, Curtiss-Wright, and Mazda.
Ultimately, Faith captures a unique moment in industrial history when the world briefly believed the rotary engine would render conventional engines obsolete, right before harsh real-world challenges—such as tip-seal wear, high emissions, and the 1970s oil crisis—dampened its mass adoption. By giving equal weight to visionary engineers, corporate opportunists, and shifting market forces, the book serves as both a chronicle of an engineering marvel and a cautionary tale about how timing, economics, and corporate politics govern technological change.