RX-7 Mazda's Rotary Engine Sports Car

Mazda launched its first rotary-engine car—the Cosmo—in 1966, and was the only car manufacturer to solve the problems associated with Wankel’s radical engine design and allow the unit's potential to be fully enjoyed.

The RX-7 of 1978 provided effortless and uncannily smooth performance, attributes that endeared the model to enthusiasts through three generations of production.

Each reincarnation the RX-7 became more of a Grand Tourer, and less of a sports car (a mantle handed on to the MX-5...