The 1970s and 1980s were critical years for the British motor industry. A downward spiral in industrial relations led to crippling strikes; two major oil crises made thirsty older designs virtually unsaleable; and foreign manufacturers moved in with products that were affordable, reliable and available on demand.
Yet, by and large, British family motorists carried on buying British as long as they could. The average Briton was broadly content with what the domestic motor industry produced (though he might have grumbled a bit), and it certainly produced an array of cars which entered the public consciousness as symbols of their times. Names like Marina, Maestro, Montego, Cortina, Escort, Granada, Cavalier and, above all, Mini live on in popular memory. Looking back, we remember these humble workhorses with more fondness than we might expect.
James Taylor has been a motoring writer and historian for more than 30 years, and in this book he remembers this period with a mixture of affection and amusement, tempered with an honest appraisal of how good or bad these cars really were.

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 good RX-8 requires care.This guide will help you do just that. Understand the differences between models, and learn what to look for when buying one. What are the true running costs, and does the need for a new engine mean the end to your dreams? What other issues - with the mechanicals, body or interior - should you look out for? Follow the advice of an experienced RX-8 owner and benefit from his research among owners and specialists in Europe and North America.

Each 96 page, hard cover book in the series is 10 1/2" x 7 5/8" and contains color and black and white photos, drawings, charts, and catalog facsimiles. Each classic model is presented in its historic and developmental aspects.

William Hillman started manufacturing cars in Coventry in 1907 before selling his company to the Rootes Brothers in 1928. Three years later came the Hillman Minx, the first of a line that would endure in multiple forms for nearly half a century, even after the remarkable Imp arrived in 1963 to claim a slice of the market opened by the BMC Mini. Rarely revolutionary, Hillman cars nevertheless carved out a special place in the hearts of the British people as well as many overseas customers. This beautifully illustrated introduction to a classic British marque traces Hillman's history from its first cars at the turn of the century until, weakened by industrial disputes, it disappeared in the mid-1970s.

Thinking about a knockout audio system for your car? Not sure what you need, want, or can afford? "Car Audio For Dummies" is a great place to find some answers

But wait -- what if speakers that vibrate your floorboards don't turn you on? What if you're thinking more about hands-free phone access and a DVD player to entertain the kids? Surprise "Car Audio For Dummies" can give you a hand there, too. Whether you want to feel as if your favorite band is performing right on top of your dashboard or you want to keep the soccer team entertained on the way to the tournament, this friendly guide can help.

From planning your system and buying components to getting them installed and protecting your investment, you'll find plenty of wise advice. Get the scoop on: Figuring out what kind of equipment you need to do what you wantIdentifying good sound quality when you hear itAdding components to a factory systemChoosing a video player, hands-free phone system, amplifiers, speakers, and moreFinding a reliable installer (today's automotive electronics systems are so complex that you probably won't want to go it alone)Understanding warranties and returnsProtecting and insuring your system

"Car Audio For Dummies" is sort of like that knowledgeable friend you want to take along when you tackle a project like this. Sounds like a good idea, doesn't it?

There are lots of books about the classic BMW Boxers; their history, performance, lineage, and the minutiae of its specification. But none of them concentrate entirely on telling you what to look for when buying one secondhand. That's what this book is about - it is a straightforward, practical guide to buying a used Boxer twin. It doesn't list all the correct colour combinations for each year or analyse the bike's design philosophy - there are excellent books listed at the end of this one that do all of that - but it will help you avoid buying a dud. Point by point, it takes the reader through everything that needs looking at when buying a Boxer, plus spares prices, which is the best model to buy for your needs, and a look at auctions, restorations and paperworkThe last of the 'classic' air-cooled Boxer twins, these bikes are now collector's items, and many have been saved, restored and continue to be ridden - this book tells the reader how to be part of the Boxer's ongoing story.

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.

This illustrated history chronicles electric and hybrid cars from the late 19th century to today's fuel cell and plug-in automobiles. It describes the politics, technology, marketing strategies, and environmental issues that have impacted electric and hybrid cars' research and development. The important marketing shift from a "woman's car" to "going green" is discussed. Milestone projects and technologies such as early batteries, hydrogen and bio-mass fuel cells, the upsurge of hybrid vehicles, and the various regulations and market forces that have shaped the industry are also covered.

A definitive new history from internationally known Saab aficionado Lance Cole, Saab Cars - The Complete Story offers a detailed insight into the company's story, from the prototype UrSaab in 1946 to the end of production in 2012. It is a fitting tribute to the spirit and ethos of Saab design and engineering. Explains in detail the design and engineering history of Saab's pioneering work in aerodynamics, form, function and safety.Investigates the history and founding of Saab.Provides in-depth analysis of Saab's early cars and their engineering and design features.Profiles key figures in Saab's manufacturing and rallying success. Charts the days of the 'Save Saab' campagin and the battle to survive, and details the events that led to the company's demise.Includes recollections from Saab workers and those on the factory floor.Stunning visual coverage of the Saab models, with rare archive images and design sketches.

When the Range Rover Sport was launched in 2005, it was aimed at a new group of customers who in many cases would never have considered a Land Rover product before. These customers wanted and could afford a luxurious vehicle that was expensive to run; but they also wanted a very personalized vehicle that did not have the rather grand and conservative connotations of the full-size Range Rover. Brasher and more glamorous than its older sibling, the Sport was soon adopted by celebrities and others who expected to be noticed. Range Rover Sport - The Complete Story is the first book devoted specifically to the first-generation Range Rover Sport. It tells the story behind the development and launch of the vehicle; it explains the market reaction, including contemporary press reviews; provides details of each model with technical specification tables and colour and trip options; lists production figures and VIN identification and dating; details prices and sales figures for the UK, USA and Canada and finally, includes a useful chapter on buying and owning.

The original muscle car, the Royal Bobcat GTO was the baby of a burgeoning Detroit subculture, one not sanctioned by the big automakers of the early 1960s. In a post - World War II America hungry for chrome, flash and speed, Royal Pontiac in Royal Oak, Michigan, modified and sold its souped-up versions of GTOs to customers, and in the process created a demand for custom street racers in America. Founded by Ace Wilson, the Royal name became synonymous with speed. This book outlines the history of the Royal Bobcat GTO, from the people - including Milt Schornack, the mechanic who raced for Royal Pontiac and was responsible for the custom Bobcats - to the fabled midnight test runs on northern Detroit's famous Woodward Avenue. Fourteen chapters, illustrated with 25 photographs of vintage GTOs, the infamous Car & Driver road test photos against a Ferrari GTO, and more, chronicle the history of a car that changed the focus of the Detroit auto industry for the next decade. Former editor-in-chief of Hot Rod Magazine Ro McGonegal contributes a foreword.

Germany is most often credited with the birth of the internal combustion engine. France gave rise to the first credible motor industry. The United States added a little Yankee ingenuity and came up with its own version of both. While the American automobile industry got off to a bumpy start, by 1908, U.S. automobile production had surpassed that of European manufacturers. When the outbreak of World War I all but halted European production of passenger cars, American auto makers took advantage of the opportunity to establish a toehold in Europe. During the war and for two decades after, American automobiles, which were considered reliable and cheap, were a common sight on the streets of many European cities and towns. This book contains a unique and unprecedented collection of period photographs, recording American automobiles - and their owners - in various locations throughout Europe between the years of 1900 and 1940. Captions include the make and model of each car; information on the setting of the photograph; and remarks on interesting details, unusual accessories or distinguishing features of each car. Argo, Jewitt, Durant and Reo automobiles are represented here along with household names such as Buick, Chevrolet and Ford.

From bestselling author, racer and stunt driver Ben Collins - the man who was The Stig - comes a story of spies, speed and hard-driving genius: a driver's love letter to one of the world's best-loved machines. Aston Martin's first, wickedly fast models were forged at a time when Ferrari's premises at Maranello was nothing but a ploughed field. This book celebrates a century of innovators who kept the fire burning brightly for over a century, from the visionary pioneers Martin and Bamford to modern-day design guru Adrian Newey; from a glamorous web of pre- and post-war spies and racing drivers, to David Brown and the achingly beautiful DB models beloved of Bonds past and present. Ben Collins explores the car with the double-o prefix from a unique perspective behind the wheel, carving through country lanes in his father's V8 Vantage, driving Aston Martins in four James Bond movies and competing against them in the legendary Le Mans 24-hour race. Ultimately, this is a very British success story: of a triumph of engineering that has burned brightly from the Roaring 20s to the 2020s, and an iconic car that never says die.

Most childhood fascinations are a passing fancy, but something about cars tends to capture the imagination forever. Witness the countless backyard weed-wrapped classics, rusted just shy of a shadow, slated one day for a return to glory; cloudy vacation memories of choking exhaust, deafening engines and blinding chrome; countless white-knuckled highway moments as the driver faces backwards to better glimpse some passing oddity spotted four lanes over. Somehow, cars have a way of getting into a kid's blood. Any chronic condition requires a lifetime of maintenance. John Lumley caught the fever early?likely from a midnight blue Hudson?and it's been with him ever since. This automotive memoir follows a life spent nursing an obsession with cars, fitting for a son of Detroit's heyday. With occasional play in the garage of the Ford estate and an excursion to see Buckminster Fuller's three-wheeled Dymaxion among his earliest memories, John Lumley's enduring love of cars is no surprise. From those childhood adventures followed a lifetime spent elbow-deep in engines?Nashes, Hupmobiles, Mercurys, Citro?ns, Spitfires, Volkswagens, Lagondas, Armstrong-Siddeleys, Bentleys and more, many of them pictured. Though his career was devoted to loftier pursuits, the grease beneath his nails perhaps best sums up Lumley's lifelong love. Fifty-eight photographs and an index accompany the text.

After a period of post-war austerity, in 1957 Alfa Romeo decided it was time to re-enter the market for luxury/executive class cars with a new range designed for the growing number and prosperity of potential customers. Thus, the first models in the new 2000 series emerged, followed by the 2600 series in 1962. That they were not hugely successful, although some 18,540 were manufactured between 1957 and 1966, can be attributed to a number of factors, principally cost. Largely ignored for many years, these cars are now recognized as a significant element in Alfa Romeo's history and this book is a valuable record of their story. Richly illustrated with over 200 colour and black & white photographs, this book introduces the history of the company and its early designs; describes the early Berlina saloon, Spider convertible and Sprint coupe, and their development into the 2600 series; details the evolution of the 1900-based engine into the 6-cylinder 2600 engine; provides a history of the SZ Sprint Zagato; includes information on prototypes, show specials, specification tables, colour schemes and production numbers and, finally, includes a chapter on owning a 2000 or 2600.

After World War I, there was a great hunger for cars in Britain. Many servicemen had learned to drive and had money from their demobilization grants to spend, but British factories were not immediately able to get back into car production, so they looked to America for automobiles. In 1919, two out of every five cars on British roads were Fords built in England, and in 1925, General Motors took over British manufacturer Vauxhall. Hudson also became a prolific assembler during this time and Chrysler built an assembly plant in Kew. This volume features numerous photographs and commentary on many makes of American cars that could be seen on British roads before the beginning of World War II. Allard, Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Dodge, Durant, Duryea, Essex, Ford, Hudson, Jewett, La Salle, Oldsmobile, Overland, Packard, Plymouth, Saxon, Stanley, Studebaker, Stutz and White are among the manufacturers whose cars are included. The author provides a concise description of each automobile he covers, and points out its interesting features and technical details (horsepower and engine size, for example).

This comprehensive manual provides professional but easy-to-follow know-how on how to restore, improve and maintain your classic car's suspension, steering and wheels. This book will familiarise you with the components of your car's suspension and steering systems and their construction, it also takes a detailed look at refurbishing wheels and the choice of tyres. The relevant restoration techniques are fully explained and illustrated with detailed step-by-step photography. The book is a new title in Veloce's Enthusiast's Restoration Manual series, and is based on articles from Europe's leading classic car magazine OLDTIMER MARKT.

With a grandfather who drove a horse car in 1900 and who later had a 25-year career as a chauffeur for a wealthy family, Nelson Bolan has a unique viewpoint about the automotive industry during the first third of the 20th century. In later years, Bolan began his own car collection. His first, a 1929 Chevrolet, was purchased for USD 100 in celebration of his brother's safe return from World War II and his own high school graduation. It had an outside gasoline gauge, and if the driver forgot to read the gauge before getting into the driver's seat, he had no way of knowing how much fuel he had. Chevrolet made the change to dashboard gauges in 1930. The car also had actual wooden floor boards, which were removed and reinstalled easily when servicing was necessary. By 1937, all U.S. automobile manufacturers had converted to all-steel bodies, so the term ""floor board"" has been a misnomer since that time. This automotive memoir includes a chapter for each of Bolan's first forty cars, including photographs of the actual vehicles where possible. A nostalgic but factual recollection of each car in the order it was acquired, the book includes interesting information about each model. All were passenger cars and built in the United States, with the exception of a Dodge van station wagon assembled in Canada.

Inspired by the success of the Ford Mustang "pony car" in the USA, Ford UK launched the Capri - "The Car You Always Promised Yourself" in 1969 and it was an instant hit, with its long bonnet, sleek 2+2 coupe body, and low stance. For 1974 Ford launched the Capri II, with a new smooth body style, engines ranging from 1300 to 3000cc, and a plush Ghia version of the 3-litre model. In 1978 came the Capri Mk3 with yet more refinement and a four-headlamp nose. These classic Fords now have an almost fanatical following, supported by some very active owner's clubs. Good examples are eagerly sought, and with prices rising restoration has become a very viable proposition. An astonishing number of variants of the Capri Mk2 and Mk3 were offered, so they really need to be identified. This book, companion to our 2017 title Factory-Original Ford Capri Mk I, does the job, taking the reader right through the production period and pinning down the correct factory specifications, equipment and finishes across the range. This information is backed up by nearly 300 specially commissioned colour photographs of outstanding examples of the cars.