The very first Land Rover, launched in 1948, owed its low-key existence to shoestring British ingenuity and - literally - odds and ends left over from World War II. Rover thought it could keep its factory ticking over as the company's post-war fortunes slowly revived. They also thought that farmers might appreciate it as a handy cross between a pick-up and a tractor. But it was soon obvious that the company had created, in the land Rover, a world-beating product. Giles Chapman tells the story of how Land Rovers have tamed the planet's toughest terrain with their unstoppable off-road capability. It also charts how the Land Rover legend allowed the marque to gradually expand its range with the Range Rover, Discovery, Freelander and the latest Range Rover Evoque. They're all cars as familiar in cities and suburbs as they are at home in the countryside. Land Rover has been controversial, its fortunes tied to Britain's economic ups and downs. Today it's on a roll, leading a renaissance in British design and manufacturing, yet the continued presence of the Defender helps keep the Land Rover Story absolutely pukka.

In the world of grand touring cars, Aston Martin occupies a special place. The English firm has always distinguished itself by its restraint, by the elegance of its creations, by the discretion of its style, by a reserve rarely observed in a universe that willingly abandons itself to exuberance. This book is devoted to DB models. David Brown relaunched the brand with emblematic cars, including some models that later became legendary, like the famous DB5 of James Bond. The history of Aston Martin over the past 70 years is organised around eight main designs. They are all strongly typed; directly associated with their creators, and with the nature of the successive owners of the company. Serge Bellu, a specialist in the history of the automobile, has produced a superbly illustrated book on the history of this typically British brand.

'Sweet, funny, heartbreaking but uplifting at the same time. I absolutely LOVED this book.'Alice Fletcher doesn't like to take chances and she certainly doesn't believe in fate. Three years after the end of her last long-term relationship, she's in no hurry to risk another heartbreak. But fate has other plans. One day, on her drive home, Alice comes across a man, dazed and lost, by the side of a wrecked car. And with no one else around, Alice goes to help. TV star Jimmy Mack is riding the crest of the career wave one minute, and the next he's staring at his crashed car. But when Alice comes to rescue him, things start to look up. What Alice and Jimmy discover next changes everything. Fate might have marked them out for each other, but somehow their destinies have got tangled. Will they get their happily-ever-after, or might their time together be shorter than either of them would hope... Join Jill Steeples for this truly 'out of this world' romance and a love story to remember. Perfect for fans of Jessica Redland, Cathy Bramley and Miranda Dickinson. Please note that this book was previously published as Desperately Seeking Heaven. What readers are saying about Jill Steeples: 'So beautiful. So soothing. Filled me with warmth for quite sometime after reading it. Amongst all other things Jill Steeples teaches readers to dream, believe, love and live life to the fullest.' 'What a fabulous book! I was so engrossed nothing was getting in the way of reading this. The ending was not what I expected - and I've never been so pleased to be wrong footed!' 'This is so much more than a 'romance' and the twists and turns had me desperate to know how it was all going to turn out.' 'So I'm sitting here with tears streaming down my cheeks as I write. I have literally just put down this amazing book. I have read some brilliant and heart warming things in my time, but this really did get to me.'

In the very beginning, the automotive industry was dominated by open-top vehicles whose body shapes were very much based on the horse-drawn carriage, there were open and closed carriages and then there was the Coupe. These were developed from the type of carriage known as the Berlin coach, which was designed as a classic vehicle for individual luxury travel and prestige. This type of carriage offered an intimate atmosphere focused exclusively on the passengers; it did not even have space for luggage, it simply exuded style, elegance and luxury in every way. This first volume of the Mercedes-Benz Coupe book addresses the journey from what was a functional sports car design to what has become the incomparable Mercedes-Benz 'Sports Coupe'; its timeless body design has remained, even today both a dream car and a dream Coupe to anyone whom aspires to follow in the footsteps of the early individualists who chose style and elegance over practicality. With over 300 photographs and illustrations, this book includes: an overview of the early days of 'Sports-Car' design; the influences of aerodynamics on design evolution; early protagonists at Daimler-Benz and how they influenced design of the Coupe shape; how the Racing Coupe influenced what became the production Sport Coupe; the experimental and one-off prototypes, and finally the continuation of the Super Sport Light concept through the 'S-Class' range.

In Porsche 911: 50 Years, bestselling author Randy Leffingwell celebrates a half-century of one of the world's premiere sports cars, focusing on the major themes that have defined Porsche's rear-engined wonder. He tells the whole story-design and development, racing and competition, engineering and technology, style and culture. All the iconic 911 models are included: the original 901 prototype that set the standard; the legendary RS models that made the little Porsche a dominant force on the world's racetracks; the infamous Turbo, the car that kept the performance flame alight during the dark, dismal decade of the 1970s; the fabled 959, the model that redefined the term "sports car"; the 993, last of the original air-cooled models; and the 996, 997, and 991, the liquid-cooled cars that brought the 911 into a new millennium. But beyond telling the story of the cars, this book also spotlights the people behind them: Ferdinand "Butzi" Porsche, the son of legendary Porsche founder Ferdinand "Ferry" Porsche, who co-designed the instantly recognizable 911 shape; Peter W. Schutz, the Porsche CEO who saved the 911 from extinction; and Dr. Helmuth Bott, the engineering genius behind many of the groundbreaking technologies that have defined the 911, including fuel injection, turbocharging, and all-wheel-drive. Leffingwell also tells the story of the 911 community-the clubs and culture that surround the car. Together, all of these facets make Porsche 911: 50 Years the most essential book in any Porsche fan's library.

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.

'A band of stubborn pioneers rose from the embers of Britain's cities after the war and created the finest automobiles the world had ever seen... High Performance tells the exhilarating tale of their journey' Ben Collins, bestselling author of How To Drive 'High Performance is a cracking read and an adrenaline-packed tribute to the time when British mavericks "blew the bloody doors off" the competition' Sunday Times In January 1964, a team of tiny red and white Mini Coopers stunned the world by winning the legendary Monte Carlo Rally. It was a stellar year for British cars that culminated in Goldfinger breaking box office records and making James Bond's Aston Martin DB5 the world's most famous sports car. By the sixties, on road, track and silver screen the Brits were the ones to beat, winning Formula One championships and capturing hearts. Designers like John Cooper, and Colin Chapman of Lotus, dismissed as mere 'garagisti' by Enzo Ferrari, grabbed all the prizes, while Alex Issigonis won a knighthood for his revolutionary Mini. The E Type Jaguar was feted as the world's sexiest car and Land Rover the most durable. But before the war only one British car had triumphed in a Grand Prix; Britain's car builders were fiercely risk-averse. So what changed? To find out, Peter Grimsdale has gone in search of a generation of rebel creative spirits who emerged from railway arches and Nissen huts to tear up the rulebook with their revolutionary machines. Like the serial fugitives from the POW camps, they thrived on adversity, improvisation and sheer obstinate determination. High Performance celebrates Britain's automotive golden age and the mavericks who sketched them on the back of envelopes and garage floors, who fettled, bolted and welded them together and hammered the competition in the showroom, on the road and on the track - fuelled by contempt for convention.

When launched, the Ford Capri was revolutionary. It was a car that set the European market alight, allowing even a buyer on a modest budget an intoxicating whiff of the exotic whilst keeping running costs ataffordable levels. That status eroded over time, and the Capri sat in the classic car doldrums for many years, its true worth unrecognized. That situation has thankfully changed, and Capri values are rising rapidly, so care has to be taken to make sure you end up with the best one possible for your money. This guide takes the potential purchaser through a short initial examination to weed out the obviously defective followed by a more comprehensive step by step look at the body and mechanical parts, where the clear, jargon-free text accompanied by over 100 photographs sheds light on even the darkest corners of the Capri's construction. A unique points marking system ensures that nothing is overlooked, and an accurate final picture of the car's condition can be viewed in relation to the asking price.

Strap yourself in for an unforgettable ride through motoring history! From the earliest "horseless carriage" to the modern supercar, this lavishly illustrated history of the automobile is packed with everything you need to know about classic cars through the ages. Filled with stunning photography, and featuring more than 2,000 models, Car shows you how cars have evolved around the world over the last 130 years, and their impact on society as objects of curiosity, status symbols, and items of necessity. Journey back into automotive history and you will find: -In-depth profiles highlighting the most important cars of each period -Virtual photographic tours of some of the most iconic cars from the Ferrari F40 to the Rolls Royce Silver Ghost -A decade-by-decade history told in stunning visual detail -Illustrated feature spreads detailing the evolution of legendary brands from Aston Martin, to Porsche and Cadillac -A timeline of the milestone developments in car manufacturing and technology See the world's most innovative machines come to life! From India's Hindustan Ambassador to Italy's Fiat 500, this book will transport you all over the world, taking a truly international view of the greatest cars through time. Immerse yourself in the stories of the people and companies at the heart of the billion-dollar motoring industry. Covering sports cars, convertibles, and today's environmentally-friendly electric models, no other car catalogue provides such a comprehensive picture of the car world. This new and improved edition includes hybrid and electric cars, as well as looking forward to the "driverless" technologies of tomorrow. So buckle-up and get ready for the journey of a lifetime! The ultimate gift for anyone interested in cars, motoring, and motor racing, this iconic celebration of automotive design is sure to inform and amaze all readers. Interested in all things transit and travel? There's more to discover in this epic series from DK Books! Take an action-packed flight through the history of air travel in Aircraft, and be inspired by the world's most renowned rail routes in Train.

Brooklands, near Weybridge in Surrey, holds a unique and highly important place in the histories of both motoring and aviation. It was the first purpose-built motor racing track in Britain and the first major circuit in the world. From 1907 to the outbreak of the Second World War, the banked circuit was the epicenter of British motor sport, and events at Brooklands - races and speed record attempts - were an important part of the sporting and social calendar.
Motor sport was not the only activity for which Brooklands was famous, however: it became an important center for aviation. The first flight of a British pilot in a British aircraft took place there in 1908, and Britain's first flying school was opened within the circuit in 1910. Several manufacturers began aircraft production at Brooklands, and the most important of these, Vickers, took over large parts of the site when motor racing stopped in 1939. Many aircraft, including the Wellington bomber, were built here in large numbers during the war.
When peace returned in 1945 the race track at Brooklands was in poor condition and built over in places. Racing never resumed, but the aviation history of the site grew ever stronger, with design and production of airliners including the VC-10 and Concorde. Today Brooklands is home to a thriving museum and, as the years pass, more and more of the old track is being restored to its former glory. This book tells the story of this unique and important site, and conjures up the atmosphere of pre-war race meetings, of wartime aircraft production, and the birth of some of the world's most famous aeroplanes.

The W114 and W115 models were enormously successful for Mercedes-Benz, and their sales in nine years of production between 1967 and 1976 almost equalled the total of all Mercedes passenger models built in the 23 years between 1945 and the time of their introduction in 1968. There were many reasons for this success, but perhaps the most important was that Mercedes expanded the range to include a simply vast amount of variants including four-cylinder and six-cylinder petrol engines, four-cylinder diesels; saloons, coupes and long-wheelbase models. With around 200 photographs, this book features the story of the design and development of the W114 and W115 ranges. It gives full technical specifications, including paint and interior trim choices; includes a chapter on the special US variants; gives production tables and model type codes and explores the Experimental Safety Vehicles developed from these cars. Finally, there is a chapter on buying and owning a 114- or 115-series Mercedes.

With the end of the Second World War, it was not long before increasing wealth, cheaper cars, and social pressures made a family car the aspiration of thousands. Ford, Hillman, Standard, Morris and Vauxhall became household names, and the streets of Britain's suburbs began to fill with modern-looking saloon cars, designed to transport mother, father and 2.4 children with ease, if not speed.
This illustrated book looks at the British cars that were available to the post-war family, and also some of the foreign makes that had an important place in the market, and which had a great influence on the British-made cars that followed.

From Le Mans champions to James Bond's favourite ride to today's supercars, Aston Martin DB celebrates 70 years of Britain's greatest sports cars with this superb collection of over 250 stunning, and often rarely seen images from the Aston Martin Heritage Trust archive. From the very first DB1 to the iconic DBs of the 1960s to the very latest DB11, this stylish, lavishly illustrated book is a fitting celebration of one of the world's most enduring sports cars. The fast, beautiful sports cars that Aston Martin built under David Brown's ownership won the Le Mans 24-hour race and the World Sports Car Championship, and provided James Bond with his most famous transport: the ejector-seat equipped DB5 that won acclaim in Goldfinger. Though the DB era ended when Brown sold the company in 1972, its influence continued to be felt - James Bond's most recent car was the specially-made DB10, and Aston Martin has just launched its most complete car ever, the DB11 - and the initials 'DB' mean as much to Aston Martin now as ever. The perfect gift for fans of fast and beautiful cars! Chapters include: 1 Birth of a Legend 2 Crisis and Renewal 3 Designs on Victory 4 The Englishman's Ferrari 5 End of an Era 6 The DB Legacy

This book is designed to give guidance on the original, ex-factory, specifications of the coil-sprung utility Land Rovers built between 1983 and 1990. Known to Land Rover as stage 2 models, they were sold as the Land Rover One Ten, Ninety and (later) One Two Seven. James Taylor has taken the first step in undertaking detailed research into the Stage 2 models, and putting together all the known facts in one place. Topics covered include vehicle identification; specification changes in detail; options, accessories and special equipment; conversions and, finally, promotional material.

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.