The last rotary-engined car built, Mazda's RX-8 provides a unique driving experience. Until you've tried one, it's hard to imagine how smooth its free-revving engine really is, or how enjoyable its handling. With comfortable space for four, it can be practical too.

Like most Japanese cars, the RX-8 is generally well built, but the rotary engine can suffer from hot starting and rotor tip wear issues, which can prove expensive to put right. Extensive back-up from owner forums and independent specialists - listed in the guide - mean that these problems can be addressed, but choosing a...

With prices for the older Mercedes-Benz models, such as the 'Pagoda' and W107 SLs heading ever higher, many enthusiasts are now starting to look at the R129 series SL. Produced from 1989-2001, it combined timeless elegance, luxury and effortless performance, with V12 engines available for the first time. The R129 was the last SL with a detachable hardtop and - for many Mercedes fans - the last to be built to the marque's legendary standards of construction.

With that sophistication came new levels of equipment and unprecedented complexity. For would-be buyers today, there are more...

With nearly 2.7 million cars produced, Mercedes' W123 series was hugely successful. As well as the practical saloon (sedan), Mercedes offered a stylish coupe and a roomy estate (wagon), which was built in-house for the first time. Often considered the marque's best-engineered cars of all time, they are increasingly sought after as modern classics, yet many are still suitable to drive every day. From the taxi ranks of Germany to the dusty roads of North Africa, many of these cars have led a hard life, and examples in good condition are becoming ever more difficult to find.

This guide...

The 190 (W 201) was a landmark car for Mercedes-Benz: the predecessor to today's C-Class models, it was the company's first compact saloon (sedan) and combined advanced engineering with a new direction in body styling, later followed by the W124 and R129 series. Engines available included robust petrol and diesel 'fours', as well as a silky 'straight-six'. The sporting 190 E 2.3-16 and 2.5-16 models, initially developed with Cosworth, took Mercedes to new levels of performance. Altogether, nearly 1.9 million cars were produced, and today the 190 is an increasingly sought-after modern...