In July 1965, an Artesian Turquoise Chevrolet Biscayne rolled off a General Motors assembly line destined for a dealership in Utica, New York, where it caught the eye and the imagination of the author. When he and his father purchased it on August 11, little did James Ward know that this car would become a member of the family, playing a role in his honeymoon, years of graduate school, the birth of his daughter and her first driving lesson, among countless other memories. Four decades - and a lot of history - later, the author still owns and drives this rolling historical artifact dubbed Phoebe. Using the family car as a narrative thread, this first-person account explores American history over the last forty years as experienced by the author. From Lyndon Johnson to George W. Bush, from the automotive industry to fast food franchises, it chronicles American life since the mid - 1960s. In his faithful Phoebe, the author witnessed a KKK cross burning, took part in a civil rights march, passed through the eye of a major hurricane and drove across the back roads of twenty-first century America, he and the car aging together. Photographs accompany this unique memoir.

Norway has long been an insider tip among road lovers. The Trollstigen is often mentioned in the same breath as legendary passes all over the world. It's important to know that whether you move on two wheels or four, there is so much more to discover here. Curves has set out in search of the absolute highlights and presents exactly that here: breath-taking views, endless winding roads, and gastronomic highlights - all combined to create a travel guide of a very special kind. Norway is presented here as you certainly don't know it - yet! Text in English and German. Also available: Curves: Germany's Coastline | Denmark ISBN 9783667110909

The Cadillac story is more than the story of a car company. It is, in many ways, the story of the American automobile industry itself-- which, as much as any industry, drove America's growth in the twentieth century and defined who we are as a people: mobile and prosperous. Cadillac, again and again, played a critical role in that story, for both good and ill.
In the depths of the Great Depression, the brand redefined itself and the luxury market. After World War II, it epitomized expansive prosperity. Then, in the 1980s, it epitomized the industrial crisis that had suddenly overtaken America. Today, Cadillac's struggle to survive in a furiously competitive--and suddenly international--automobile industry mirrors the challenges facing American industry as a whole. Its success in meeting those challenges will have much to say about the future of American industry and of General Motors.

In late 1910, three American adventurers set off on a remarkable around-the-world journey by automobile. Sponsored by the Hupp Motor Car Corporation, the trip was intended to publicize the durability of the Hupmobile and help stimulate export sales. The car was first driven from Detroit to San Francisco-a very difficult journey in its own right in 1910. From San Francisco, the car and its drivers took a steamship to Hawaii, and from there to Fiji, Australia, New Zealand, and Tasmania, unloading and touring at each port of call. The men and their machine spent the next five weeks attempting to drive through the Philippines, and then pushed on to Japan and China, where they managed to stay one step ahead of the Chinese revolution. They then drove across India, and from there, sailed to Egypt, brining the first automobile ever to be seen in that country. Next, the Hupmobilists sailed to Italy. In Rome, the adventurers met Pope Pius X, and then drove north to Germany and France. They crossed the English Channel to Folkstone, toured England, and then ferried from Liverpool to Ireland. They returned to New York in time for the 1912 auto show. In the end, the Hupmobile was driven 41,000 miles and transported by steamship another 28,000. A new world was dawning, both for transportation and for American business enterprise.

Why does a man with a Ferrari and a Porsche drive a Fiat Panda? Is going fast really necessary? Is it your fault if you get run over? Why will electric cars really save the planet (possibly)? In Carbolics the UK's favourite petrol head (after Clarkson and Hammond) James May answers these questions and more. Across 80 essays, James gives his quirky, entertaining take on cars, motorbikes, trucks - and explains why the bicycle might just be the best invention of all. Written with James's characteristic wit and humour, Carbolics is the perfect Christmas gift for petrolheads.

Few cars in history have grabbed the public's fancy as much as the ill-fated Edsel-the Titanic of automobiles, a marketing disaster whose magnitude has made it a household word. Remarkably, there has never before been a book that tells the whole story-how the Edsel was planned, created, produced, and marketed. This richly illustrated book is the result of years of research by an award-winning automotive historian with access to the dark reaches of the Ford Motor Company's archives. The author also interviewed most of the original key Edsel design team stylists, who have supplied additional archival material. The result is a unique history of the Edsel program from the initial discussions in the late 1940s, through the first sketches in the mid-1950s, to the last, unlamented 1960 models. The Edsel story, however, deals with much more than a new brand of car. It was a key component in a deadly serious corporate undertaking at Ford Motor Company following World War II. Ford wanted to remedy years of mismanagement and return the company to parity with General Motors by dramatically expanding Ford's presence in the burgeoning medium-priced field. The Edsel was the most spectacular failure in that effort, but was only one pawn in a complex, high-stakes chess game that was a thoroughgoing disaster from start to finish. In the case of the Edsel, the failure was the result of almost too many factors to count: poorly conceived marketing, contentious internal corporate politics, bad quality control, and, ultimately, lack of support at the higher reaches of the corporation. The greatest irony of all, though, is that the Edsel-as this book demonstrates in its surprising conclusion-was actually a modest success that deserved continued management support.

This Essential Buyer's Guide leads you through the process of buying an Alfasud from whether this is the right car for you, what it's like to live with and what it will cost you to run, to which version and engine is best for you and what you should be paying for it.Having helped you decide these factors, this guide then takes you through the buying process. It explains what equipment you'll need when you go to view a car and shows you how to quickly determine whether to look at a particular car in more detail or to just simply walk away.A comprehensive and thorough evaluation section, with a points scoring system, lets you fully assess a prospective purchase and detailed illustrations show exactly what to look for. With advice on paperwork, buying at auctions and thorough and clear advice on restoration, every aspect of sourcing your car is covered.Having led you to your perfect car, the Guide goes yet further to give you all the contact information you'll ever need to get involved with the Alfasud-owning community allowing you to make the most of your new pride and joy!

Anyone who assumes that a car is simply a means to get from point A to point B, or who even thinks that they know what a car is, should read this book. Profoundly shaped by culture, the car gives rise to a wide range of emotions, from guilt about the environment in the UK to aboriginal concerns with car 'corpses', to struggles to keep the creatures 'alive' with everything but the proper spare parts in West Africa. Cars and their landscapes prove central to human life from its most intimate to the widest sense of global crisis, and are capable of inspiring epic passions.
From road rage in Western Europe to the struggles of cab driving in Africa to the emergence of Black identity in the US, this book examines the essential humanity of the car, which includes the jealousies, gender differences, fears and moralities that cars give rise to. Firmly grounded in detailed ethnographic and historical scholarship, this is the first book to provide an informed sense of cars as one of the most familiar and significant forms of material culture.

With an original approach, this book chronicles every model and lists every chassis number ever produced by Alvis, one of the great British manufacturers. It details famous owners and drivers, notable number plates, and is illustrated with original period photographs, and depictions of Alvis cars in the humorous cartoons of the day. The Alvis car has always seemed to appeal to a type of buyer who has made their mark upon society in a variety of ways. This 'social history' aspect of the book looks at the many Alvis owners from the world of politics, stage and screen, sport, the armed forces, medicine, and the arts. These range from a King to a serial killer, and every variation in between. The book has been written with full cooperation and approval of the Alvis Company, and is the result of much research by the author and other enthusiasts, who have managed to allocate a very large number of registration marks to chassis, by trawling County Archive Record Offices up and down the country, thus creating a unique record that will be a valuable resource for owners and collectors.

Man, racing driver, entrepreneur: three terms that well describe Gianpiero Moretti, creator of Momo half a century ago, an Italian company renowned for its excellence in the production of steering wheels, racing suits and car components from 1964 to today. The historic marque decided to celebrate this important anniversary with a book that covers the salient stages of its development and consolidation, as well as Moretti's long and prestigious motor racing career. From the company's association with Ferrari, dating back to the '60s when the Prancing Horse adopted Momo steering wheels for Formula 1, to the prolific IMSA experience, first with the Porsche 935 and then the Ferrari 333 SP, to its current involvement in the official Momo team. Then there was the far-reaching production of steering wheels and rims for production cars and the lively, colorful advertising campaigns that branded half a century of communications. These are just some of the chapters that comprise this engaging book, produced in close collaboration with the company.

Few marques inspire such enthusiasm as Alfa Romeo, and among its most celebrated jewels are undoubtedly its coupes and spiders, the sportiest members of an already sporty Alfa family. This book tells the full story of Alfa's two-door cars in the post-war era. It starts with the achingly handsome 6C 2500 and coachbuilt 1900s, followed by the glorious Giulietta Sprint, Spider and SZ. Then comes the host of Giulia models, from Bertone's Sprint GT and Pininfarina's Duetto to the racing GTA and TZ. Add in some rare V8s - 33 Stradale and Montreal - plus the Alfetta GT and the monstrous SZ/RZ, and Alfa's rich heritage is indisputable. It's all clearly detailed by a true authority on Italian cars, Chris Rees, editor of Auto Italia.

Jaguar's series of XK sports cars used the remarkable twin overhead camshaft engine that was first exposed to the public in 1948 in the new XK120 two-seater, which took the motoring world by storm. For 1954 the XK120 was replaced by the mildly restyled XK140 model, with an increase in power, optional overdrive and a roomier cockpit. It was replaced in 1957 by the XK150. With disc brakes on all wheels, the option of engines up to 265bhp and a completely new body, the XK150 was an extremely competent performance car with more than a touch of glamour. This book opens with an exposition of the background to the introduction of the XK140, a key model because the XK120 was such a hard act to follow. Then comes a full technical analysis of the new car, covering all aspects of the chassis, running gear, engine and transmission. This sets the scene for the coverage of the XK150. Major production changes during the evolution of the two models are recorded, and production and sales worldwide are analyzed in depth. The author also provides information on prototypes and special-bodied cars.

Throughout the history of the sports car, no marque has epitomized the excitement and passion of driving like Porsche. The Saratoga Automobile Museum, in collaboration with architect Steven Harris, presents 22 of the marque's rarest air and water-cooled cars. This remarkable collection highlights the manufacturer's past seven decades of production -- from 356 Carreras and Speedsters, to high-performance RS 911s -- all captured in sensational detail by James Lipman. The stunning imagery is accompanied by specifications and history, as well as driving impressions from leading automotive writers Jethro Bovingdon, Andrew English, Andrew Frankel, Richard Meaden, and John Simister. The 911 Edition is a special version of Air & Water for collectors, limited to just 911 individually numbered units. It features a unique cover with individually numbered metal plates, an art print of an image from the book, and an exclusive cloth-wrapped clamshell case. Each copy of the 911 Edition is protected by a custom-made individual mailing carton.

Inspired by the sight of RAF Lightning fighter interceptors climbing vertically into the sky at 50,000 feet per minute and by other British engineering and design achievements, Richard Noble, determined to put Britain back in the lead during the resurgence of national confidence of the 1980s, wanted Britain to regain the world land speed record. Thrust 2, driven by Richard Noble, broke the world land speed record on 4 October 1983 in the Black Rock desert in Nevada. Powered by a Rolls-Royce Avon turbo-jet engine, it reached a speed of 650.88 mph (1,047,49 km/h}. It would hold the land speed record until 25 September 1987. In this fascinating book, Richard Noble tells the inside story of the development of the car that would beat the world. The story takes the reader from the drawing board, through the considerable technical difficulties, including aerodynamics, mounting an engine designed for jet fighter aircraft, and maintaining stability with suspension and wheels at speeds of over 650 miles per hour. Despite the huge challenges, including recovery from a crash, they were overcome by the confidence and determination of Richard Noble and his team. Including unseen illustrations, this is the true inside story of the world-beating Thrust 2 project.

Features hundreds of questions and answers about every aspect of car maintenance and repair. Coverage includes step-by-step repair procedures for the range of conditions afflicting cars; consumer information on purchasing accessories; how to increase the longevity of vehicles by following essential maintenance practices; how to get malfunctions repaired properly and keep your mechanic honest, and much more. A detailed table of contents enables readers to easily locate whatever information they need.

Iconic cars such as the 356's and the immortal 911's, extraordinary success stories in the classic endurance races, great champions and remarkable engineers. These are the principal ingredients of Porsche. The Golden Years, a book examining the full history of the legendary Stuttgart firm, with spectacular and previously unpublished images by the photographer Franco Villani. The Porsche 356 with both closed and open bodywork was the model that in 1948 officially inaugurated the catalogue of the celebrated Stuttgart firm. In that difficult period of reconstruction the Dr. Ferdinand Porsche, artificer of the car and founder of the marque, was already an undisputed authority in the automotive field for having designed the Volkswagen Beetle, the people's car. The Porsche 356's were "legitimate offspring" of the Beetle and soon found favour with the public: they were sporting cars that were easy to use in everyday life. This is the true Porsche "DNA", confirmed with the launch of the 901, or rather the 911 that first saw the light of day in 1963, a model that soon became a planetary success story, a car capable of traversing the decades while maintaining intact its appeal. The Porsche name also evokes the innumerable victories obtained in legendary endurance races such as the Le Mans 24 Hours and the Targa Florio, in the World Rally Championship and in the great African raids such as the Paris-Dakar, as well as in Formula 1 as an engine supplier to McLaren in the early `80s.

BMW's M5 was a simple concept: a production 5 Series saloon re-developed for high performance by the Motorsport division. The M5 was the car that really initiated the legend of the M-cars from BMW. The letter M has been applied to a high-performance BMW as early as 1978, but that year's M1 was an exotic supercar. It had the right image, but the M1 was never going to bring in major profits. The M5 was much simpler in concept. It was and remains a production 5 Series saloon, redeveloped for ultra-high performance. Manufacturing costs were minimized, allowing BMW to price the car more attractively and still bring in healthy profits. This new book charts the development of the M5 across five generations. For all fans of the BMW M5, this book provides essential background. It is packed with the facts and details that make the M5 legend come alive.

THE complete guide to setting up, equipping and using a home car workshop. Working on your car at home saves you money and helps you to achieve the results you want. You might want to perform routine servicing, modify a car, restore a car, or even build a car from scratch, but to achieve the best outcome, you'll need a properly-equipped workshop. Whether you have a small or large space, this book covers workshop design, equipment, storage, safety aspects and much more. You will find handy tips on the safe use of tools, a guide to welding, as well as instructions for building your own storage racks and cabinets, how to build a strong workbench - even how to make your own full-length car ramps. It also gives advice on the best tools for working on the electronics of your car. The book is fully illustrated throughout with real-world examples. If you are planning to set up your own home car workshop, this book covers everything you need to know.

The Datsun Z Sports car is the best selling sports coupe in the world. Most people have been touched by one at some point in their lives. You may have owned one when they were new and regretted selling it. Maybe you remember your friends' Zs, and always longed for one but thought the task to find a good 240Z too difficult. This book will give you the knowledge and confidence to go out there and find your Z. With advice on finding, assessing, and buying a Datsun 240Z, including a unique scoring system to evaluate a potential purchase, as well as tips on buying at auction, checking the paperwork and much more, this book is THE essential guide.

Using his own wealth of hands-on experience, combined with input from many owners and aided by the top TR7 & TR7 V8 specialists on both sides of the Atlantic, Roger Williams explains, in great detail, how to increase the performance, improve the aesthetics, handling and braking of the TR7. He also describes existing TR7-V8 conversions, plus the original TR7 V8.Balanced improvements for fast road, ultra fast road/rally, track-day or even more serious motorsport are all explored.

Since its introduction in 1997, the Porsche Boxster has earned a reputation as one of the world's greatest sports cars, as well as a huge, loyal following of devoted drivers. This book is aimed at those owners of Boxsters who want to improve their machines while avoiding thousands of dollars in mechanic's costs. Clearly and simply written, with straightforward illustrations, this manual offers 101 projects to help you modify, maintain, and enhance your Porsche. Focusing on the 986 and 987 Boxster models, 101 Projects for Your Porsche Boxster presents all the necessary information, associated costs, and pitfalls to avoid when performing a wide array of projects. In a word, it makes owning a Porsche Boxster an unqualified thrill.