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.

This book is a pictorial study of the workers who built the legendary line of MG sports cars. With over 160 period photos depicting factory life, car building, and the war effort, this is a fascinating story. The demand for these fiery little cars exploded, eventually pushing to a massive facility outside of Abingdon. The factory included everything needed to build the vehicles, as well as soccer and cricket fields, a pool hall, and a hockey rink. The facility even had its own volunteer fire department, it was so well developed. MG Abingdon's famous racing reputation gained in the 1930s made it the obvious place to site BMC's Competition department with its maiden venture the 1955 Le Mans 24 hour race. The many original pictures in this book chronicle every aspect of the factory, from its opening amidst great euphoria in 1930 to its closing amidst great recriminations in 1980.

A history, description and analysis of the 3 1/2 and 4 1/2 Litre Bentleys built by Rolls-Royce during the 1930s following their surprise takeover of Bentley Motors early in the decade.

Promoted as "the silent sports car," these cars proved to be an extraordinary success due to their performance and manners, the excellence of their engineering and construction, the wonderfully attractive coachwork offered on the Bentley chassis, and the association of the Bentley with the illustrious reputation of Rolls-Royce.

After outlining the story of Bentley Motors and the Rolls-Royce takeover, the author gives a thoroughgoing account of Rolls-Royces search for a car with which to relaunch Bentley before the earlier glories began to fade. Then he gives a highly detailed technical analysis of the 3 1/2 Litre, covering every aspect of the chassis, running gear, engine and transmission. This is followed by equivalent coverage of the succeeding 4 1/2 Litre and the short-lived Mark V. Each of these receives comprehensive treatment, including information on differences from previous models, revisions, the range of bodies available from coachbuilders, performance and behavior, and appearances in competitive events.

There are also chapters on using the cars today and on the practicalities of ownership, with advice on parts availability, maintenance and preservation. The 70 color photographs, some of them specially commissioned, feature outstanding examples of the coachbuilders art, and are backed up by some 140 images from the archives.

At its presentation in 1955, the Citroen DS was a sensation and a magnet for designers, philosophers, and politicians alike. No other automobile was able to combine form and technology so coherently and seemingly effortlessly. Radical in its implementation and revolutionary in terms of comfort and safety, the DS is one of the most innovative design icons of the 20th century. In collaboration with Lars Muller Publishers, the Swiss architect Christian Sumi published the new edition of AS in DS by Alison and Peter Smithson in 2001. In this new book, he now analytically examines the characteristics of this classic vehicle, which he documents in carefully arranged picture series and with drawings by Flaminio Bertoni and the Citroen design team, such as of the body, the chassis, or the legendary hydraulics. Using image essays from advertising campaigns for the Citroen DS, Sumi critically examines its iconization and reception, along with theories that discuss the phenomenon in both a contemporary and philosophical context.

Following the format of MBI Publishing Company's wildly successful 101 Harley-Davidson Performance Projects (0 7603 0370-3), this all-colour collection guides owners of all 911s, from the short wheelbase to the SC, through 101 carefully selected, weekend projects illustrated with step-by-step, studio photography. Divided into three categories - performance, handling, and customization - the projects range from 30-minute tune-ups to eight-hour performance modifications. Each is accompanied by a handy chart indicating how much time, talent, and cash are needed to successfully complete the project. Author Wayne Dempsey also explains why the jobs should be undertaken and what kind of improved performance the owner can expect. An unprecedented book on the subject and a great resource for everyone from casual enthusiasts to shop pros.

Why We Drive is a rebellious and daring celebration of the human spirit and the competence of ordinary people by the bestselling author of The Case for Working with Your Hands. Once we were drivers on the open road. Today we are more often in the back seat of an Uber. As we hurtle toward a 'self-driving' future, are we destined to become passengers in our own lives too? In Why We Drive, the philosopher and mechanic Matthew Crawford celebrates the risk, skill and freedom of driving. He reveals what we are losing to technology and government control in the modern world, and speaks up for play, dissent and occasionally being scared witless. 'Fascinating... A pleasure to read' Sunday Times 'Persuasive and thought-provoking... A vivid and heartfelt manifesto' Observer

Haynes offers the best coverage for cars, trucks, vans, SUVs and motorcycles on the market today. Each manual contains easy to follow step-by-step instructions linked to hundreds of photographs and illustrations. Included in every manual: troubleshooting section to help identify specific problems; tips that give valuable short cuts to make the job easier and eliminate the need for special tools; notes, cautions and warnings for the home mechanic; color spark plug diagnosis and an easy to use index.

Trace the evolution of the supercar through the technology that drives it. With an introduction by David Coulthard. This is the definitive story of the science behind the art of supercar design. Written by bestselling author Martin Roach and featuring bespoke technical illustrations from F1 insider Neil Waterman, plus contributions from the biggest names in the supercar world, including: Adrian Newey - legend of Formula 1 design Gordon Murray - creator of the McLaren F1 Achim Anscheidt - chief designer of the Bugatti Chiron Tony Hatter - Porsche design guru Horacio Pagani - founder of Pagani Nigel Mansell - Formula 1 world champion Christian von Koenigsegg - founder of Koenigsegg And many, many more. From the earliest supercharged monsters to the complex machines of today, The Science of Supercars traces the evolution of the supercar through the technology that powers it.

The Rootes Group once dominated the British motor industry, and its legacy lives on in thousands of carefully maintained cars - most notably Hillmans, Humbers, Singers and Sunbeams. In this book, using beautiful images from the Rootes Archive Centre, Richard Loveys details the Group's history and leading car models, from its creation as a car dealership by William and Reginald Rootes, through its transition into motor manufacture, and expansion by taking companies over and developing their car and commercial vehicle ranges. It was a significant contributor to the war effort in 1939-45, producing large numbers of military aircraft and vehicles, and in its post-war heyday produced such icons as the Sunbeam Alpine and Hillman Imp.

With a quarter of million cars a day crowding onto the M25, and millions more standing nose-to-tail on our A-roads, Britain is now officially Europe's largest car park. In Germany it's illegal to drive on a motorway at less than 37mph, but over here it can be a struggle even to reach such a speed during daylight hours. Over-stressed, over-taxed, with petrol at well over a pound a litre and the morning and evening rush hours merging into one, UK motorists have become the slaves of the machine rather than its master. People, even so, are still keen to go places - according to the Times the A-Z to of London is the most shoplifted book in Britain - and so far at least there's not better way of doing it than by car. Written with the suffering millions in mind, Blood, Sweat and Tyres is the antidote. Casting a wry eye over the world of modern motoring, and highlighting some of its strangest and more bizarre aspects, it seeks to put the sheer awfulness of commuting into some kind of perspective. Or at least to give the victims - motorists, their passengers, friends and families - something funny to read and to reflect on whilst they join the queue. Find out: why the most successful Le Mans driver of all time wishes he could race a 90 year old lady; why the Fab Three bullied Ringo into selling his favourite French supercar and how big a forest your average football team would need to plant to offset the massive carbon footprint of all the gas-guzzlers in the players' car park.

This portfolio covers the years 1991 to 2009, the most innovative period in Morgan history to date. The Plus 8 continued to be developed and in 2000 the stylish and dynamic Aero was introduced followed by a gorgeous coupe, the AeroMax of which only 100 are to be built. In 2006 a one-off experimental fuel cell powered prototype was commissioned.

The E-Type was introduced at the 1961 Geneva Salon. Both the media and the public went wild about its styling and performance. It was upgraded in 1968 to meet new US requirements and the Ser. III came in 1971 powered by a new 5.3 litre V12 engine. In this form it remained in production until the end of 1974.

Replacing the 420G saloons, MkIIs and S-types the XJ6 became a world standard for refinement and luxury. The Series I lacked rear legroom and the 2.8-litre engine acquired an unfortunate reputation. The long-wheelbase XJ6L was announced in 1972 and became standard on the Series II cars. The 2.8-litre engine was replaced by a 3.4-litre while the short-wheelbase came back in 1973 under the two-door coupT XJ6C. Due to poor relations in the British motor industry in the mid to late-seventies quality suffered appallingly with the result that there are good and bad examples of Jaguar XJs from this period. This is a book of contemporary road and comparison tests, technical & specification data, new model intro's, long-term tests, buyers guide. Models covered include: 2.8, 4.2, 3.4, Daimler Sovereign, Daimler 4.2 Auto., Series II 4.2, XJ6L, XJ6C, XJ12C, Convertible.

Ford's legendary Sierra and Escort RS Cosworths conquered worldwide motorsport, while changing the face of high-performance road cars forever. With turbocharged two-litre engines producing over 200bhp, these four-seater everyday saloons could keep pace with supercars - and their 500bhp-plus circuit-racing counterparts overwhelmed everything in sight. Even now, Sierra and Escort RS Cosworths are in touch with modern machinery, making them as desirable to keen drivers as they are to classic collectors. The RS500 in particular is a rare beast, commanding prices normally befitting upmarket brands. Sadly, many Cosworths were stolen, abused, crashed, copied, neglected, and modified, which makes buying one today a task that's fraught with risk. To help the would-be RS Cosworth owner, this quick-reference guide acts as a handy pocket-sized companion during the purchasing process. It aims to help buyers select the best car, pay the right price, and avoid the potential pitfalls. Written by a motoring journalist and long-term Cosworth enthusiast, this one-stop package of great advice includes at-a-glance tips, illustrated in-depth inspection guidance, specifications, notes on modifications, real-world cost considerations, and even checks to help spot a fake.

Having left motor racing in the early 1950s - at least officially - Alfa Romeo returned to the sport once again at the start of the following decade due to the commitment and enthusiasm of Autodelta. This Alfa offshoot distinguished itself by preparing and racing about 30 of the manufacturer's different cars that really did make history. Among them, the Giulia TZ holds a place at the head of the crowd. It had a 1.5-litre, 113 hp engine from the Giulia SS, front and rear suspension of modern conception, disc brakes and an especially bold body shaped by Zagato on a modern tubular chassis. Those were the strong points of this car, which scored results of absolute prestige in its brief career at Sebring, in the Targa Florio, the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Tour de France. Vito Witting da Prato, already the author of a meticulously written book on the Alfa Romeo SZ, covers the winning, human, technical and sporting factors of this unforgettable car in a monumental work. A book which, to the precise text and painstaking historical reconstruction, has been added illustrations of previously unpublished pictures and technical designs by Autodelta.