In the 1970s, as car enthusiasts in the U.S. grew bored with models manufactured under tightening pollution and safety regulations, some innovative dealers exploited a legal loophole-designed to allow U.S. soldiers and diplomats to return from abroad with their vehicles-to import exotic cars never intended for sale in America. During the 1980s, a rise in the value of the dollar made car shopping in Europe a bargain hunter's dream. A network of unauthorized "gray market" dealers emerged, bypassing factory channels. Middle-class Americans suddenly found they could afford a Mercedes or BMW. These cars had to pass through U.S. customs, equipped to handle only a few independent imports annually. As applications ballooned, the regulatory system collapsed. This is the story of a misunderstood but fascinating period in the automotive industry, when creative importers found ways to put American motorists in new Ferraris while the EPA and DOT were backed up with mounds of paperwork.

First produced in 1928, Mercedes-Benz Coupes became the embodiment of elegance and exclusivity on four wheels. Their design became an experience for all the senses, appealing to every emotion. Hans-Dieter Futschik, the designer responsible for many of the later Mercedes-Benz models, said of the Saloon Coupe: 'A shorter wheelbase compared with the saloons gives it different proportions that are almost sports car-like in character. The passenger compartment is set further back. This gives it a sportier look than a saloon. In addition, the greenhouse is smaller and more streamlined than the basic body. It looks like a small head set on a muscular body, exuding a powerful and more dynamic attitude... Everything radiates power, elegance and agility.' This complete guide includes an overview of early automotive history; pre-merger design from both Benz and Daimler; the historical protagonists and how they influenced the design; how design and fashion change vehicle shape; the continued development of Saloon Coupe design to suit every class and finally, the modern idea of the Coupe.

The MGB was a great British success story, a product largely conceived, designed and produced by a small team of dedicated people who genuinely cared about their work. Of course, the MGB came from a proud, successful sports car tradition, and the model it replaced - the revolutionary aerodynamic MGA - had been an unprecedented success - so the new car had big shoes to fill. Launching in 1962 and in production for eighteen years, the MGB became one of the most successful sports cars the world has ever known. This book describes how the MGB arose principally from the ideas of one man, MG's Chief Engineer, Syd Enever, how it was designed and developed, how it survived and thrived, and how it became the classic car still highly regarded today. There have been many previous books about the MGB, and the related MGC and V8 variants, but MGB - The superlative MG reaches a new level of detail together seasoned with fresh insight. David Knowles has been researching and writing about the MGB for more than thirty years. Prepare to be surprised at some of the stories you will have never read before, and new twists on some you possibly thought you knew well.

Gain the technical expertise, practical skills and industry knowledge you need for career success! AUTOMOTIVE ENGINES: DIAGNOSIS, REPAIR, AND REBUILDING, Ninth Edition, features comprehensive coverage of the theory of operation, diagnosis, repair and rebuilding of automotive engines. Written by veteran instructors with firsthand experience as certified technicians and machinists, the text focuses on universal repair techniques and case histories based on real-world scenarios you are likely to see in the field. Now updated with new case histories, additional full-color images and information on the latest trends, tools and technology--including hybrid engines and high-performance components--this trusted text is the ideal resource to prepare you for professional success.

In this age of high fuel prices and concern with continuing availability of oil, scientists are working on a number of approaches to alternate fuel sources. These concerns may provoke interest in how some people in gas-starved Europe dealt with such problems throughout the war years, 1939-1945. One of the most successful innovations, were the so-called gas producer vehicles that utilized the by-products of solid fuel combustion, employing such solids as coal, charcoal, turf, and wood to produce fuel gas for a standard internal combustion engine. This book provides an overview of such vehicles, including those used by the Wehrmacht. Schematics of operating systems and the regulations concerning their use are also included, along with a translated German illustratedoperators manual.

Marketed as the fastest metal cars in the world, Hot Wheels*r revolutionized the die-cast toy car market. Collectors throughout the world recognize the Hot Wheels*r brand. The models produced between 1968 and 1972 represent the vintage years for this line of toy vehicles. The bright Spectraflame*r paint colors and redline tires, unique to Hot Wheels vehicles, identify these models. These original models still drive the collecting hobby today. The 221 wonderful color photographs provide a complete visual guide for collectors. The 118 unique castings produced during this four-year period are explained in detail and a complete variation and price guide is provided to expand knowledge and interest in collecting Hot Wheels. Also included is coverage of the Gran Toros*t cars, launched soon after Mattel bought the Italian company Mebetoys. Introduced in 1970, the line was continued until 1973, though the name continued to 1980/81. This new book is a welcomed addition to Hot Wheels literature by one of the world's foremost experts in the field.

Visit any VW show and what do you find? Correct - wall-to-wall Campers. Interest in the numerous conversions offered over the years spirals ever-upwards as do asking prices for even the most dilapidated examples of the first three generations and 40-years of VW Bus conversions. But are there books to match? No - not, that is, until VW Bus - 40 years of Splitties, Bays & Wedges was conceived.As a direct consequence of the lack of print available, author Richard Copping has collected a wealth of contemporary brochures from all the leading converters, knitted them together and produced a unique and vibrant story of the VW Camper from the first and often rustic conversions of the 1950s to the sophisticated homes on wheels of the late 1980s.Stripping out the original text, Richard has carefully replaced it with his own lively yet informative story - while carefully retaining both the popular look and nostalgic feel of the age. From the untangling of the many stories that contributed to VW Camper history to a restorer's dream of detailed specifications and from the quirkiest of marketing strategies amazingly and endearingly primitive in the 1950s to suavely sophisticated in the latter days, if the word Camper is in it, it's covered.The meticulous reproduction of advertising brochures, many of which can easily be the best part of 50-years old, make this a hard to put down coffee table volume for some - a book with very much in vogue nostalgic visual appeal. For others, the lure of a lively and informative story peppered with carefully detailed pictures will ensure the book is a useful reference to visit over and over again.This extensive collection of rarely seen advertising material provides a unique background to a much-needed book, designed to delight the multitude of VW Camper fans far and wide.

BMW, that most performance-oriented of car companies, had no affordable sports roadster in its line-up before 1995. Stung into action by Mazda's revival of the classic two-seater roadster, the Germany company quickly staked its claim with the Z3, a classic long-nose, short-tail design that used existing BMW mechanical hardware to good effect. This new book tells the story of BMW's Z3 and Z4 two-seater roadsters and coupes, which since 1995 have been at the forefront of the affordable sports car market. The history of the Z3 and both generations of Z4 are covered as well as full specifications of all models; the formidable M Power derivatives and a guide to buying and owning. The book is profusely illustrated with over 200 colour photographs and diagrams. Historical background to BMW's arrival in the two-seater sports car market Complete history of the Z3 and both generations of Z4 Full specifications of all models The formidable M Power derivatives Guide to buying and owning Profusely illustrated with over 200 photographs and diagrams

The essential guide for anyone considering buying a DeLorean, the iconic 1980s car that was featured in the Back to the Future films. Packed with good advice on everything you need to know when purchasing a secondhand DeLorean, from running costs, paperwork, vital statistics and valuation, to information on the DeLorean community, this is the complete guide to choosing, assessing and buying the DeLorean of your dreams.

Chevrolet created the Camaro in response to the runaway sales success of the Ford Mustang, the first pony car. The Mustang went on sale in April 1964, and by August that same year, General Motors launched an intensive program to bring its own pony car to market. In September 1966, the Camaro went on sale. Chevrolet wanted the Camaro to be better than the Mustang in every area, including style, ride-quality, and performance. To that end, with the Mustang having already achieved so much racing success, Chevrolet wanted to beat it on the track also. Racing Camaros: An International Photographic History 1966 - 1986 is a photographic celebration of road racing Camaros throughout the world. It focuses on production-based cars, rather than the heavily modified tube-frame silhouette machines that began appearing in the late 1970s. Included are images of big-budget factory-supported cars competing in the Trans-Am series, right through to low-buck independents, and cars competing throughout the world. For the first time, the international road racing representation of the Camaro is featured in a book, which includes countless photos that have never been published. Technical detail is provided throughout, from concept and design, right through its racing career, and the challenges and developments that took place to make it a winner. Only period images have been used. This is a true photographic history depicting the global popularity of the Chevrolet Camaro as a road racing car.

The Autonomous Vehicle (AV) has been strongly heralded as the most exciting innovation in automobility for decades. Autonomous Vehicles are no longer an innovation of the future (seen only in science fiction) but are now being road-tested for use. And yet while the technical and economic success and possibilities of the AV have been widely debated, there has been a notable lack of discussion around the social, behavioural, and environmental implications. This book is the first to address these issues and to deeply consider the environmental and social sustainability outlook for the AV and how it will impact on communities. Environmental and social sustainability are goals unlike those of technical development (a new tool) and economic development (a new investment). The goal of sustainability is development of societies that live well and equitably within their ecological limits. Is it reasonable and desirable that only technical and economic success comprise the swelling AV parade, or should we be looking at the wider impacts on personal well-being, wider society, and the environment? The uptake for AVs looks to be lengthy, disjointed, and episodic, in large measure because it faces a range of known unknown risks. This book assesses the environmental and social sustainability potential for AVs based on their prospective energy use and their impacts on climate change, urban landscapes, public health, mobility inequalities, and individual and social well-being. It examines public attitudes about AV use and its risk of fostering a rebound effect that compromises potential sustainability gains. The book concludes with a discussion of critical issues involved in sustainable AV diffusion.

The Mini, now an emblem of the Swinging Sixties, was in fact the product of an age of austerity and shortage, a simple design intended to make motoring more accessible and affordable for the average family. Ironically, it would become something very different: a modern, classless style icon that appealed across the boundaries of social status, age and gender and lent its name to everything from fashion to furniture. Using illustrations from the archives of the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust, Gillian Bardsley here tells the Mini's story, from the inspired conception of designer Alec Issigonis, through the car's shaky infancy and up to its glorious heyday when it was beloved of film stars, royalty and the public, as well as having a prominent presence in motorsport.

Collins Big Cat supports every primary child on their reading journey from phonics to fluency. Top authors and illustrators have created fiction and non-fiction books that children love to read. Book banded for guided and independent reading, there are reading notes in the back, comprehensive teaching and assessment support and ebooks available. When Shinoy downloads the Chaos Crew app on his phone, a glitch in the system gives him the power to summon his TV heroes into his world. With the team on board, Shinoy can figure out what dastardly plans S.N.A.I.R. has come up with, and save the day. Location: Stuck in a traffic jam, but not for long... Operative: Super smooth Merit Mission: Get out of the jam as quickly as possible. Watch out for Time Boulders! This exciting title is part of the Shinoy and the Chaos Crew series by Chris Callaghan. Purple/Band 8 books offer developing readers literary language, with some challenging vocabulary. Ideas for reading in the back of the book provide practical support and stimulating activities.

This book looks at both the first and second generation Aston Martin Vanquish as well as the first and second generation Aston Martin Virage.

The Mazda Miata MX-5 has been a popular car among automotive enthusiasts for more than a decade, and hardly a single one of the more than 500,000 sold has not been customized by its owner in some way. This book provides specific how-to instructions through approximately 35 projects that include both maintenance and modification procedures. Each project is treated separately, giving readers very specific information about the commitment in time, tools, money, and talent for each project.