The Rootes Story - The Making of a Global Automotive Empire traces the meteoric rise of the two Rootes brothers, William and Reginald, development of one of Britain's most important motor vehicle manufacturers. The Rootes Group acquired some of the most famous names in the British motor industry: Hillman, Humber, Sunbeam and Singer cars, as well as Commer and Karrier commercial vehicles. Over the years, some of the models built by Rootes would become household names: the Hillman Minx, Humber Super Snipe, Sunbeam Alpine, Singer Gazelle, Commer Superpoise and Karrier Bantam. In its heyday in the late 1950s, Rootes was the fourth largest manufacturer of cars and trucks in Britain, exporting to over 180 countries worldwide, becoming a global automotive empire. In this book, the people and various companies involved with Rootes are profiled, as are the cars and commercial vehicles built by them, with specifications of principal models. Personal insight from employees is given along with valuable contributions from the Rootes family themselves.

The VW Beetle is one of the best-loved of all classic cars, with many thousands preserved across the world, many in regular use. Over the years countless changes were introduced, together making a mid sixties Beetle, for instance, very different from one built in the mid-50s, or mid-70s, despite the obvious similarities. With the aid of hundreds of full colour photographs this new edition in paperback documents all the Beetle's specification changes and model differences during the classic period 1949-67, making it possible to determine the original specification and fittings of any Beetle from this period.

Porsche and motorsport always belonged together - so you would think. But in fact, private owners were the first to be successful with their 356s on the racing tracks. The Porsche 550 Spyder from the 1950s was the first racing car manufactured at the plant - and achieved great successes right from the beginning! Motorsport not only gave Porsche the opportunity to test progressive technology that could be transferred to roadsters, it also was the ideal marketing tool with an enormous influence. Looking back at models like the Porsche 917, 904 and 956, successful serial winners and racing legends emerged from that. Just as legendary are Rene Staud's Porsche photos. As one of the best and most famous automobile photographers in the world, he staged the top-class sports cars in a way so far unmatched. Beyond the racing track's noise and dirt, the Porsche models unfold their unique magic and show the tough developmental work behind them as well as the timelessness of functional design. Text in English and German.

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.

Since the early 1920s the name Bluebird has been synonymous with world speed record breaking on land and water. Driven first by Sir Malcolm Campbell, then his son Donald, and latterly by Donald's nephew Donald Wales in electric powered vehicles, they have consistently pushed records ever higher.This book is the story of the design and construction of the fastest of the Bluebirds, the Campbell-Norris 7 (CN7). This car, now resident in the National Motor Museum at Beaulieu in England, is the most sophisticated design ever produced for a wheel-driven record breaker. Using methods and materials developed for the aircraft industry, the CN7, given suitable running conditions, was capable in 1960 of a speed exceeding that produced by the present wheel-driven record holder 19 years later.The author was first employed by the designers Norris Brothers Ltd as a design draughtsman on the Bluebird K7 hydroplane. After completing his National Service in the RAF, he rejoined the company to work with the two chief designers developing the specification for CN7, and he later became project co-ordinator for its construction.

In 1954, the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL was unveiled at the International Motor Sports Show in New York - the start of an unparalleled success story. Victories in the 24-hour race at Le Mans and the Carrera Panamericana made it world-famous. It also possessed groundbreaking technology, including the first series-production fuel-injected engine. Its elegant shape and futuristic gullwing doors made it a coveted prize, symbolising exclusivity and freedom. This volume has everything that is important about the legendary sports car: wonderfully aesthetic automotive photography by Rene Staud and archive pictures rich in patina, snapshots of racing successes and famous owners, and interesting facts from the model's history to the colours of the paintwork.

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.

Park Ward, The Innovative Coachbuilder is a major three-volume work on the pre-war history and cars of the great British coachbuilder. The company was the most prolific coachbuilder on Rolls-Royce and Bentley chassis, ultimately completing over 4,300 cars. Volume I and II is the story of Park Ward & Co Ltd and covers the company's growing relationship with Rolls-Royce Ltd. A photographic record of all the Rolls-Royce models from Silver Ghost to the Wraith that carried Park Ward coachwork is included, along with chapters on the W. O. Bentley cars, and the Rolls-Royce and Bentley experimental cars with Park Ward coachwork. The Derby-built Bentleys follow, supported by chapters on the London Motor Show cars, coachwork on marques other than Rolls-Royce and Bentley, and examples of Park Ward advertising literature and catalogues. An appendix contains a series of articles written by `Bill' Ward, the company founder's son, entitled `The Art and Evolution of Coachbuilding'. Volume III contains extensive tables detailing each of over 3,000 pre-war Park Ward-bodied Rolls-Royce and Bentley, as well as a listing of over 1,000 Park Ward bodies on other marques. In addition and rarely seen before, there are over 700 sales order pages extracted from Park Ward's Finishing books.

First launched in 1976, the Lotus Esprit was designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro and based on a Lotus Europa chassis. The following year, the car made its debut in the Bond film The Spy Who Loved Me, where, after a car chase, it metamorphosed into a submarine. In this comprehensive book, the authors use their first-hand knowledge from twenty years of ownership to cover essential information such as how to buy, own and keep a Lotus Esprit as well as unpublished research and history of the various models, including the original 'Essex' turbo models. They describe the development of the new designs for the Esprit in 1987 by Peter Stevens and in 1993 by Peter Thomson. They also explore the story of the Bond film cars, both terrestrial and aquatic, and where they are now. The book explains how to maintain an Esprit on a budget and also lists the suppliers, businesses and clubs that can help keep an Esprit on the road while also adding a social dimension to ownership. Packed with original illustrations, this book is a must-have guide to one of the Lotus company's most famous models.

From the star of the YouTube sensation Jason Drives, the senior editor of the acclaimed website Jalopnik, and a producer of Jay Leno's Garage comes the wittiest and most insightful guide yet to self-driving cars and the road ahead. Self-driving cars sound fantastical and futuristic and yet they'll soon be on every street in America. Whether it's Tesla's Autopilot, Google's Waymo, Mercedes's Distronic, or Uber's modified Volvos, companies around the world are developing autonomous cars. But why? And what will they mean for the auto industry and humanity at large? In Robot, Take the Wheel, famed automotive expert Jason Torchinsky gives a colorful account of the development of autonomous vehicles and their likely implications. Torchinsky encourages us to think of self-driving cars as an entirely new machine, something beyond cars as we understand them today. He considers how humans will get along with these robots that will take over our cars' jobs, what they will look like, what sorts of jobs they may do, what we can expect of them, how they should act, ethically, how we can trick them and have fun with them, and how we can make sure there's still a place for those of us who love to drive, especially with a manual transmission. This vibrant volume brims with insider information. It explores what's ahead and considers what we can do now to shape the automated future.

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.

The BMW M5 has acquired an aura of dominance over all its intended rivals; it is still the benchmark in every way and always will be despite the efforts of Mercedes-Benz and Audi, its two main rivals. It was the first of its kind and today are much sought after. BMW was not sure of the reaction to a quality high performance sedan, but they need not have worried, as it was the beginning of a huge success story and since then each new BMW M5 has been a much anticipated 'event'. Other manufacturers have followed but it is still the car by which others are judged.

Following on from the merger between AMG and DaimlerChrysler in 1999, things really began to happen for AMG Mercedes-Benz enthusiasts. The special touch of the AMG engineers was being seen on every model in the entire vast Mercedes-Banz model range, from the prosaic C-Class through to the S-Class and the SLK sports cars, as well as the ML and G-Class off-roader wagons. Not to be left out was the exotic Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren with its supercharged 5.5 litre quad-cam V8 engine that was fettled by the AMG people. Included are road and comparison tests, model releases, technical and performance data, plus advice on buying a Mercedes-Benz AMG. Models covered include the C30, 32 & 55, CLK430, 55, TDM & GTR, CL55 & 65, CLS55, E55, G55, ML55, S55 & 65, SL55 & 65, SLK32 & 55 Plus SLR McLaren.

The 2002 began as the brainchild of Max Hoffmann, BMW's US importer, who wanted a car to follow up the 1600-2. Hoffman suggested using the 2-liter engine from its larger saloons, which would give excellent performance even in emissions-controlled form. The BMW engineers did as Hoffmann suggested and the result took the motoring world by storm on its announcement in 1968. So popular did the 2002 become that it went on to sell more than 300,000 examples over the seven years of its production. The original 2002 was complemented by a whole range of derivatives - convertible, hatchback touring models and finally, the legendary 2002 Turbo. The 2002 models are widely and rightly recognized as classics of their period and enjoy a large and committed following. This book forms an invaluable reference work and will be welcomed by enthusiasts everywhere.

In 1913 an ambitious young businessman named William Morris converted a derelict military college on the outskirts of Oxford into an assembly hall for motor vehicles. He thus opened the first chapter in one of the most extraordinary success stories of the British motor industry, becoming Lord Nuffield and a multi-millionaire in the process. From Morris Motors and Pressed Steel, via the British Motor Corporation and British Leyland to its role as part of BMW and their successful manufacture of the new Mini, car manufacture at Cowley has been a significant player. Though the old factory chimneys have given way to more modern developments, Oxford today would be a very different place without its influence. Most of the photographic material in this book is taken from the comprehensive archive collections of the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust, located at the Heritage Motor Centre, Gaydon. Now in this revised and fully updated edition, new illustrations and text seek to show further how important Morris was to Cowley.

Following World War 2, private car manufacturers were in ruins and austerity reigned. Invention follows necessity and an era of ingenuity and rebirth blossomed. With car ownership still an unreachable dream for many, the notion of buying your own sports car seemed way out of reach. Yet a new industry quickly sprang up, building sports cars that enthusiasts craved. This was a time when a chassis and glassfibre body could be bought for the price of a cheap second-hand banger. Home builders could now create their own 'specials', either from scratch or using kits of parts - a major new innovation. This fascinating and meticulously researched book tells the story of the post-war British specialist car industry and the birth of the kit car movement. As well as familiar names like Lotus, TVR and Ginetta, this book features pioneers like Buckler, RGS and Rochdale, plus long-forgotten makes such as Ashley, Martin and Microplas. Perhaps the most fascinating aspect of all is the dozens of obscure makes and cars which have never been seen in a book before.