But this isn’t the only option. Some manufacturers have used, or at least experimented with, rotary engines, which at first sight appear to have a much more clever design. The fact that they have not become universal, despite having been available to the public for nearly 60 years, shows that this isn’t entirely the case.

Nevertheless, they are fascinating devices, and well worth a look. We’ll start with a brief investigation of their history and design, and then discuss 36 actual or planned rotary-engined cars, in approximate order (because the timescale isn’t always obvious) of when they appeared: