Wheelies: The R.I.P. Wankel Edition

A roundup of motoring news from the web:

¦ Future prospects for a resurrection of Mazda’s Wankel rotary engine don’t look good, if a recent statement by the automaker’s chief executive, Masamichi Kogai, is any indication. He said that sales of Wankel-powered cars would have to hit 100,000 units per year for Mazda to consider production. (Autoweek)

¦ Ford announced on a YouTube video this week that it would introduce the redesigned 2015 Mustang on Dec. 5. The automaker said that a range of more fuel-efficient powertrains would be offered on the new car to extend appeal beyond its current fan base. (Automotive News, subscription required)

¦ Two Indiana University professors conducted a study with more than 2,000 drivers in 21 cities across the United States and found that very few consumers – about 5 percent – understood the incentives available for electric vehicles. They concluded that this lack of understanding had been a crucial cause of slow E.V. sales. (Indiana University)

¦ Several minicars that will be displayed at the Tokyo auto show this week show that Japanese automakers are trying to spruce up the tiny kei cars. Honda will introduce a sporty micro roadster called the S660, Nissan is developing a new mini wagon with Mitsubishi, and Daihatsu is attempting to make kei cars more appealing with interchangeable body panels that help shed the kei car’s reputation as boxy and unattractive transportation. (Bloomberg)

¦ Hyundai announced this week that it would sell a hydrogen fuel-cell version of the Tucson crossover beginning next year. The new alternative fuel Tucsons will be driven by electric motors powered by hydrogen fuel cells. They will go on sale first in Southern California. (CBS)

¦ The compact Dodge Dart is currently available with only 4-cylinder engine options, the largest one being a 184-horsepower, 2.4-liter. According to a report from Allpar, Chrysler engineers are trying to stuff a Pentastar V6 into the Dart, a change that could increase its potential horsepower rating to more than 270. (Allpar)

¦ The 1964 Ferrari 250 LM that took eighth place in the 1968 24 Hours of Daytona is scheduled to be auctioned by RM Auctions in New York City on Thursday. It is the 24th out of 32 such cars built, has competed in a number of races and is expected to sell for $12 million to $15 million. (RM Auctions)

¦ After tornadoes tore across the Midwest over the weekend, dealerships in Indiana and Illinois reported that many vehicles were damaged. Also, Subaru, which has an assembly plant in Lafayette, Ind., shut down production when the factory was damaged in the storm. (Automotive News, subscription required)