A description of the development history of Mazda's rotary power plant, and the model timelines of the vehicles these engines powered - how one small Japanese automaker remained independent and became famous using a unique engine.Examines the commercial ups and downs in North America, using rotaries to become a high performance icon and V8 alternative, and charting the racetrack achievements of Mazda rotary racers around the world including in home-country Japan. Also reveals the pollution control and fuel economy challenges facing Mazda as they strove to keep rotary engines in production to satisfy high performance fans globally.