The Mazda Miata is one of the most popular sports cars on the road today. In production for more than 20 years, the Miata's popularity has grown, and the number of aftermarket components available to the Miata enthusiast has grown, too. This immense selection of parts has made it difficult for many would-be modifiers to choose the proper combination that will help them reach the goals they have set for their two-seaters. Author and Miata expert Keith Tanner has been modifying, repairing, building, and racing Miatas for years, and he will guide you through how to best modify your car to suit your needs, starting with an explanation on how everything works and how the various parts will interact. You'll not only learn what upgrades will help you reach your goals, but also how to adjust or modify what you have to make your car work at its best. From autocross to cross-country touring, the Miata can do it all. Keith Tanner tells you how to make it happen!

The 1980s car era had been brash and loud - but the 1990s that followed was markedly more sober, stylish and sophisticated. A period when safety and durability improved . . . even though insurance hikes, speed cameras and the introduction of the separate theory test made driving more of a challenge. Britpop bands battled in the charts as CD players became the ultimate in-car accessory. In the latest addition to this classic series, Giles Chapman investigates the newly nostalgic motoring decade of the 1990s, looking back in entertaining style over the induction of such memorable icons as the Peugeot 106 and 206, Fiat Punto, Jaguar XJ, Toyota RAV4, Subaru Impreza Turbo, Audi TT, TVR Chimaera and Ford Focus MkI.

The late 1960s and early 1970s were a significant era in the world of international sports car racing. As the motor racing rule-making body moved back and forth between cars that less and less resembled road going vehicles, prototype sports car racing captured the imagination of manufacturers, teams and fans alike. Porsche vs. Ferrari vs. Alfa Romeo vs. Matra provided some of the best racing for sports cars ever witnessed, and by 1973, the Matra prototype - little more than a Grand Prix car with full bodywork - was dominating the scene. That period has always been viewed as one of the great eras in sports car racing, when all the Grand Prix drivers were fully active in sports car as well as F1 machines. This is the story of a great time, and a great model, in motorsport.

"...this book is a knockout" -Doug Stokes, LA Car "A gorgeous coffee table book with excellent photography, this concentrates on the rarer and more exotic end of the spectrum and features beautiful pictures of each car." -Auto Express Ever heard of the Volkhart Sagitta? L'OEuf electrique, or the Stanley Steamer? If not, you are in for a beautiful surprise, 50 times over! Often times the cars in this richly illustrated book were lost because the manufacturer ceased to exist, or because they were found on the bottom of Lake Maggiore after 75 years, like the Bugatti Brescia. Among the 50 beauties there are one-offs, concepts, trendsetters, and failures as well as cars of the rich and famous, from Marilyn Monroe to Clark Gable. Text in English and German.

Germany's South, Germany's North ... everywhere CURVES has found scenic roads to fall in love with. But what about Eastern Germany? Just empty motorways? Bumpy village streets? Plattenbau buildings in blooming landscapes? These are prejudices that CURVES invalidates. Eastern Germany has dream roads, magical places and people prone to driving for the sake of driving. In a nutshell: it is this special flow of curvy roads that photographer Stefan Bogner tracks down in the new volume of CURVES. The CURVES magazine is the special guide for car drivers, bikers and caravan fans. Stefan Bogner documented his round trip through Eastern Germany too as a fascinating melange of illustrated book and travel report. In simple photos, Bogner's trademark, he shows the most beautiful curves from overwhelming perspectives. Between deep green forests and picturesque cities you can almost forget where you are: in Germany. A car journey, a motorbike tour or a roadtrip on your mind: Buckle up and find the best travel advice for Eastern Germany! Text in English and German.

For anyone with an interest in, or who is thinking of buying, one of the already classic Jaguar XK sports cars from the 1996 to 2005 period, this Essential Buyer's Guide is a vital requirement. All the models are covered, from the early 4.0-litre models with the infamous Nikasil engines, through to the very last and highly sophisticated 4.2-litre S, with mention of the special editions available in selected markets. All models are looked at in detail, and analysed for their strengths and weaknesses to provide the best possible advice on what to look for and how to buy the best car you can afford. A handy pocket-sized guide, that will always be at your side for constant reference.

In the postwar years, Henry Ford delivered the 'Right Size Ford, ' the practical ride many American families wanted. As things got fancier in the fifties, Ford jazzed up matters with the Fairlane, a legendary Dearborn nameplate. Covering the evolution of Henry's family chariot into the muscle car, with all those hallowed V8s of yore, this book reveals the commercial and performance zenith of late '60s America, as buyers optioned Torino and Gran Torino to their hearts' content. It's said that Ford stands for 'First On Race Day: ' read how Henry showed his domestic rivals how it was done on the racetrack, and in the showroom - can you say Thunderbolt 427?! With the Fairlane, Henry invented the midsize car; with the Ranchero, the car-based pickup ...and this book, above all, is an account of Ford being ahead of the game.

Before the Ford Capri arrived in 1969, GT cars had tended to be expensive, temperamental, impractical and rarefied. Ford decided there was no reason why a four-seater coupe couldn't look stunning and go like a rocket (with the right engine) yet be as easy and cheap to run as a Ford Escort. Little wonder that the slogan they used in 1969 to launch it, 'The car you always promised yourself', made an immediate impact. The Capri was a hit from day one, and continued to be a British favourite until 1986, at which time it had been somewhat overshadowed by the emergence of the Hot Hatchback. Over its lifetime, the Capri was available in a vast array of guises over three distinct 'Marks', but all of them had at their heart affordable fun and a surprising degree of everyday practicality. Nothing has ever quite replaced it, but it lives on in the fond imagination of everyone who loved it.

When three friends - Paul, Johno and Leigh - clicked 'buy' on an iconic London cab, little did they know what they were letting themselves in for. Leaving the Big Smoke in their taxi bound for Sydney, the lads began a 43,000-mile trip that would take them off the beaten track to some of the most dangerous and deadly places on earth. By the time they arrived home, they would manage against all the odds to circumnavigate the globe and break two world records. From altercations with the Iranian secret police to narrowly escaping the Taliban, the trio's adventure is filled with hair-raising escapades. Feel the fear, revel in the fun and meet some of the hundred passengers the taxi picked up along the way, as the authors take you on their action-packed journey.

Road tests and articles cover the post-war Pontiac models up to 1963. Covered are the Streamliner, Torpedo, Chieftain, Silver Arrow, Super & Star Chiefs, Eight, Bonneville, Safari, Tempest, Strato-Chief, Ventura, Catalina and Grand Prix. Included are long term tests, new model introductions, full specifications, a consumer analysis plus features on touring, tuning and racing. A total of 160 fully illustrated pages.

Morgan's first 4-wheeler, the 4/4, was lunched in 1936 and was also available as a two-seater and later a coupe version. Competition from the more modern TR2 caused sales to drop in the UK, but sales remained very buoyant in the US. Racing was developed in the 1950s with Morgan winning several SCCA National Championships.

This Portfolio traces Morgan's 4-wheeler cars from the introduction in 1978 of the Rover V8 powered Plus 8. This engine was used in Morgans for 35 years.

The entry level Capri was a 1300cc model but real performance started much further up the range. In Germany 126mph was available with the fuel-injected 2.6-litre V6 engine, while in Britain a 3-litre V6 gave 113mph on Mk I models and 117mph on Mk IIs and a big-bore V6 in the RS3100 offered 125mph. The most collectable version is the 2.8-litre, fuel-injected car available in both Britain and Germany. This is a book of contemporary road and comparison tests, specification and technical data, driver's impressions, new model introductions, conversions, suspension, long term survey and restoration. Models covered include: Capri II, 2800 V6, 3-litre Ghia, V6 Turbo, Mk II, 2000S GT, 2.8 V8, Capri II RS, Mako V8, 3000S, 3-litre X-pack, Oselli 230S, Allard 2.8i, Tickford 2.8T, 2.8i, Brimble Capri, RS 2800T, 2.8 Turbo, RS3100.

AMG of Germany have been successfully applying their magic to cars and engines since the 60s and the company's name also continued to become more widely known. In 1988 AMG teamed with Daimler-Benz for its motor racing comeback in the German Touring Car Championship. It was a relationship that would continue to strengthen through the years, culminating in the merger of the two companies in 1999. The partnership with Mercedes-Benz has produced some exciting road cars plus the CLK-GTR built for the road and the track.

Aston Martin was started by Bamford and Martin and after a constant struggle to stay afloat, the company failed in 1925. But the name Aston-Martin was rescued, first by Renwick & Bertelli, and then by Gordon Sutherland in 1933 who brought the company into the real world by realizing that if you wanted to go racing you needed to be backed up by a sound financial structure which was not constantly being drained by the apparent need to maintain a reputation by being seen in competition. By giving support to the many private owners, he did manage to keep the name before the public.

Our fifth book on Aston Martin starts with the introduction in 1994 of the DB7. Many people saw it as a sexed up Jaguar, not a true Aston - also it had a pressed steel body instead of a hand-built aluminium one, and "they plan to make lots of them, cannot be an Aston," and so on. However, it was successful and 7,049 were made which was a fantastic achievement considering that since 1920 only some 12,000 cars of all types had been made. The new V12 DB9, made in the companys first purpose-built, up-to-date factory at Gaydon, restored the hand-built image but with added up-to-date engineering features.

This, the third book in the series on Aston Martin, records the gradual development of the DBS. This title chronicles the various upheavals that occurred in the company between the years 1972, when Sir David Brown sold the company, its near certain death in 1974, and its revival by the Sprague-Minden-Curtis-Flather consortium. This group took the company to new realms with the mighty 400b.h.p. V8 Vantage, the Towns Lagonda V8 and paved the way to the Gauntlet-Livanos era. Stringent emission laws in the USA excluded the V8 until 1978, but the optimistic suggestions of numbers to be built never manifested itself, despite a ready market in the Arab states.

Ferrari means red. It means racing. Excellence, luxury, and performance. Less well-known is the man behind the brand. For nearly seventy years, Enzo Ferrari dominated a motor-sports empire that defined the world of high-performance cars. Next to the Pope, Ferrari was the most revered man in Italy. But was he the benign padrone portrayed by an adoring world press at the time, or was he a ruthless despot, who drove his staff to the edge of madness, and his racing drivers even further? Brock Yates's definitive biography penetrated Ferrari's elaborately constructed veneer and uncovered the truth behind Ferrari's bizarre relationships, his work with Mussolini's fascists, and his fanatical obsession with speed. "A fascinating and provocative book" The Observer.

For Aston Martin the period 1981 to 1993 was a time of transition progressing from the DB body to the new Virage plus the takeover of the Company by Ford in the early 1990s. The fourth book in this series deals with the Gauntlet and Livanos period. These two rekindled the link with Zagato, who brought to life the V8 Zagato. The Lagonda V8 continued to keep their heads above water and they also gave support to a number of private racing teams. On the production front 1988 saw the brand new Virage, powered by a new 5.3 litre V8 and at the same time on the racing side there was the V8 AMR1 series of Group "C" racers. Money, however, was a problem, so when Ford made an offer Gauntlet and Martin wisely accepted. With Ford behind them, the V8 cars continued to increase in luxury and power and the AMR1 entered its first season of international racing. 1993 saw the establishment of Aston Martin based at the TWR works at Bloxham, near Banbury and it was from here that, in a year's time, an exciting new model would emerge.

A celebration of 40 classic cars from around the world

Fueled by passion, nostalgia, and perhaps eccentricity over necessity, Chris Haddon celebrates often overlooked cars and introduces the world's most classic cars and their owners. Some are immaculate, while some come with rust, but regardless of age and value, these cars are regularly used, loved, and clock up an impressive mileage.

Experts from four continents comment on the second generation of Japan's only real iconic sports car - the MX-5. The models covered include the 1.6i, 1.8i and Sport, the Turbocharged and 10th Anniversary edition together with the LS, SP and SVT. Included are road and comparison tests, new model introductions and updates, long term reports, plus performance data and specifications.

This portfolio traces the progress of the superb mid-engined MGF and MG TF sportscars. Covered are the 1.8i, 1.8i VVC, 1.6i, Steptronic and Cheetah as well as the later 135 and 160s. Featured are road, comparison and long term tests plus new model introductions and updates. Performance data and full specifications are included together with advice on how to acquire a good used example.

Includes R380 manual gearbox and LT23T transfer gearbox