The Mazda RX-7 was one of the few classic sports cars to come from Japan. Known for its sleek styling, unique rotary engine and affordable price, the two-door coupe was an instant hit from the moment it was introduced for the 1979 model year.

The original RX-7 was a sports coupé. The compact and light-weight Wankel engine or rotary engine is situated slightly behind the front axle, a configuration marketed by Mazda as "front mid-engine". It was offered in America as a two-seat coupé, with optional "occasional" rear-seats in Japan, Australia, and other parts of the world. The "occasional" rear-seats were initially marketed as a dealer installed option for the North American markets.

The RX-7 made Car and Driver magazine's Ten Best list five times. In total, 811,634 RX-7 's were produced.

The RX7's devotion to the Wankel rotary engine is one of the more well-known quirks of the auto industry. Although it is less fuel-efficient than conventional piston engines, the rotary engine has the benefit of being compact and lightweight. These qualities, along with the car's well-tuned chassis and rear-wheel-drive layout, have made the RX-7 one of the best-handling affordable sports cars ever made.

Through three generations, the RX-7 stayed on the cutting edge of design and performance, completely overhauling the car for each model change. Unfortunately, it probably went too far with the final RX-7. Although it was beautiful to look at, the third generation's overall no-compromise performance concept was too extreme, and the car's high price turned off many potential buyers. Sagging sales forced Mazda to stop importing the RX-7 to the North American market just three years into its product cycle.

Though they are currently producing a rotary-powered successor, the four-seat RX-8, many enthusiasts are still hoping the company will bring out an all-new RX-7. Though rumors have floated about, no official plans have been announced.

The main goal for the third and final-generation RX-7 was to create a pure sports car. Launched in 1993, this RX-7 was still a rear-wheel-drive two-door coupe. Available in a single trim, it was powered by a 1.3-liter twin-turbocharged rotary engine that put out 255 horsepower and 217 pound-feet of torque.

The 1993-'95 RX-7 proved to be an impressive all-around performer. It was light, agile and fast. Zero-to-60 times were in the 5-second range. The suspension was tuned for the track, and the RX-7 came with many high-performance features, including a limited-slip differential, four-wheel antilock disc brakes and a five-speed manual transmission. A four-speed automatic was available as an option.

Even though this RX-7 provided as spirited a drive as anything on the road, it seemed to be too specialized this time around. The suspension was tight, but also too harsh for everyday driving. Also the RX-7 didn't offer many luxury options. And with prices in the mid-$30,000s, the RX-7 was also expensive for the time. Sales lagged, and the RX-7 was dropped from the U.S. market in 1995.

More than a decade later, the last-generation Mazda RX-7 still holds up quite well when compared to more modern sports cars thanks to its exhilarating performance and beautiful styling. Shoppers interested in a used model of the RX-7 will want to do plenty of research, however. The twin-turbo rotary's reputation for durability is less than ideal and many RX-7 's of this vintage have been driven hard or modified with aftermarket performance parts.