A beautifully illustrative history of the world's most iconic and popular cars of all time. Perfect for children and adult motoring fans alike! Cars do so much more than get us from A to B: they are vehicles of beauty that allow drivers to determine their own destination. Trace their extraordinary history in this gorgeously illustrated guide, from Benz's first motor wagon to the jet-propelled ThrustSSC. Along the way, discover how the social upheavals of the past 140 years diverted the car's journey: two world wars, economic crashes, the digital revolution and more. Finally, explore the fantastical cars that have been imagined in film and the incredible vehicles that await us in the future. If you liked The Car Book, Fifty Cars that Changed the World and Car Science, you'll love The Story of the Car. Written by acclaimed motor expert Giles Chapman, and beautifully illustrated by the Us Now design studio, this is a visual treat for anyone who is fascinated by cars. The Story of the Car is the start of a groundbreaking series of stunning books on the social history of transport, with The Story of Flight and The Story of Space Travel to follow.

For fifty years, Britain made the best toy cars in the world, expertly shrinking every kind of reallife vehicle and producing them in their countless, die-cast millions. Dinky Toys were the 1930s pioneers, then in the 1950s came the pocket-money Matchbox series, followed by Corgi Toys bristling with ingenious features and movie stardust. But who were the driving forces behind this phenomenon? And how did they keep putting the latest, most exciting cars into the palm of your hand year after year? In this illustrated and expanded edition of Britain's Toy Car Wars, Giles Chapman reveals the extraordinary battle to dominate Britain's toy car industry, and the dramas and disasters that finally saw the tiny wheels come off ...

From the Chevrolet Bel Air to the Ferrari Testarossa, this stunning book showcases the most iconic and important classic cars from every decade since the 1940s. Few things ignite such reverence as a classic car. With more than 250 iconic models from the 1940s to the early 1990s, photographed from every angle, this title is a glorious celebration of the stars in the classic car firmament. The Classic Car Book brings you the story of more than 20 great marques, including household names Bentley, Mercedes, Ferrari, Cadillac and Aston Martin. Its lavish photography reveals every detail in close-up of models that range from the 1940s giant two-ton Daimler DE36, which ferried royals about in style, through to sleek Ferraris from the 1980s capable of smashing the 200mph barrier. It puts you in the driving seat of such icons as the Chevrolet Corvette, the Ford Thunderbird, and the Mercedes 300SL, and brings you the designers of these amazing machines and the story of their manufacturers. This ultimate guide to classic cars further features: - A comprehensive catalogue that draw out the key features of each important model, with detailed profiles and specification. - Feature pages broaden the scope of the book, covering everything from the designers and manufacturers who created them to their evolution over the decades. - Stunningly shot DPS images add an extra layer of colour and flavour to the book. - Written by award-winning author and expert on all aspects of motoring, Giles Chapman, Editor-in-Chief of DK's The Car Book, which has sold over 550,000 copies worldwide to date. - Updates will include the key models that have grown in popularity since the last edition. Whether you dream of owning one of these super-cool cars, or you are a collector already, The Classic Car Book is set to become a treasured favourite.

Sixty diverse cars, sixty fascinating stories, sixty contrasting specifications, just one uniting factor: they're all forgotten, neglected or misunderstood classics. In Lost Cars of the 1970s, the casualties and sideshows of motoring history from around the world finally get the recognition they deserve. Revisit a motoring decade when fuel economy was top priority, the rotary engine rose and fell, and car buyers wanted a hatchback and the latest styling and safety features. Those that made the grade found global popularity - now meet the cars left behind. Italy's clever plan to update the Mini; the French GT coupe with an extra seat; America's electric runabout that paved the way for Tesla; Britain's stylish, homespun sports cars; the Japanese limo intended to do 25mph; the 'safety car' turned into a Polish workhorse ... each one enjoys a detailed review that gives the context and thinking around them. Featuring archive images that highlight thirty design specials and one-offs, award-winning author Giles Chapman showcases both the cars that predicted what was to come, and those that pointed to a future that never quite came true.

Sixty diverse cars, sixty fascinating stories, sixty contrasting specifications, just one uniting factor: they’re all forgotten, neglected or misunderstood classics. Motoring in the 1940s and ’50s spanned from post-war austerity to the you’ve-never-had-it-so-good era. It was a time when engines gained more power, suspension became more cosseting, the chassis frame was rendered a thing of the past, and styling followed jet fighters and later space rockets. Many cars found success across the world, but others barely got off the ground and quickly vanished from our collective consciousness. In Lost Cars of the 1940s and ’50s, award-winning author Giles Chapman presents an all-new selection of the intriguing strays of the car world. Rarely seen archive and contemporary images bring daring new designs, economy models and some extraordinary luxury cars back to life … even if they misfire once again in the process.

It was brash and it was loud - the 1980s put paid to the glumness of the '70s and nowhere was that more obvious than in the cars we drove, which took a quantum leap in durability, performance, equipment and style. They had to: Japanese quality and European design were luring away ever more customers. Features such as fuel injection, turbochargers, computer-controlled systems and four-wheel drive became commonplace. This was also the decade that brought us the people-carrier and the off-roader, new classes of car that radically reshaped family transport. Meanwhile, seatbelt-wearing became law, the M25 opened, speed cameras appeared and ram-raiding was the new motoring nemesis. Relive everything car-related in Britain in the 1980s with Giles Chapman.

The 1980s car era had been brash and loud - but the 1990s that followed was markedly more sober, stylish and sophisticated. A period when safety and durability improved . . . even though insurance hikes, speed cameras and the introduction of the separate theory test made driving more of a challenge. Britpop bands battled in the charts as CD players became the ultimate in-car accessory. In the latest addition to this classic series, Giles Chapman investigates the newly nostalgic motoring decade of the 1990s, looking back in entertaining style over the induction of such memorable icons as the Peugeot 106 and 206, Fiat Punto, Jaguar XJ, Toyota RAV4, Subaru Impreza Turbo, Audi TT, TVR Chimaera and Ford Focus MkI.

Before the Ford Capri arrived in 1969, GT cars had tended to be expensive, temperamental, impractical and rarefied. Ford decided there was no reason why a four-seater coupe couldn't look stunning and go like a rocket (with the right engine) yet be as easy and cheap to run as a Ford Escort. Little wonder that the slogan they used in 1969 to launch it, 'The car you always promised yourself', made an immediate impact. The Capri was a hit from day one, and continued to be a British favourite until 1986, at which time it had been somewhat overshadowed by the emergence of the Hot Hatchback. Over its lifetime, the Capri was available in a vast array of guises over three distinct 'Marks', but all of them had at their heart affordable fun and a surprising degree of everyday practicality. Nothing has ever quite replaced it, but it lives on in the fond imagination of everyone who loved it.

A unique look at the development of the van from German automaker Volkswagen An award-winning transportation writer tells the complete story of the VW Camper, from its origins in 1950 to its continuing appeal today. Full of juicy snippets and fascinating quotes, this book will be of great interest to anyone who loves the VW Camper. Plenty of colorful images chart the transformation and social history of this iconic vehicle.

From Ace to Zodiac - via the world-beating Land Rover, the thrilling Morgan Aeromax, the eternally young Mini Cooper and the unique London taxi - this is a celebration of the best British cars, old and new, in all their glorious diversity. Don't you believe it when people say there's no such thing as a 'British' car any more. As a nation, the calamity of British Leyland and MG Rover lingers in our collective conscience, but car factories in Britain today build some of the world's most advanced and desirable cars. Some of them have Japanese names, for sure, but then Ford was always more hamburger than roast beef, wasn't it? Britain's engineers, designers and entrepreneurs have for decades been the creators of motor cars with unique style and charm, from the Bentley 3-litre and Morris Minor Traveller of 'then' to the Aston Martin Vantage and Lotus Evora of 'now'. Inside, you'll find out about the country's 100 most significant models, boasting style, speed, ingenuity and The Right Stuff. They'll make you glad they're British!

If you owned a car in 1960s Britain, then you'll love this blast back in time to when driving was still fun, highway speed limits were unheard-of (well, until 1965 anyway), and buying a new car was a thrilling family event. It was a golden period for iconic classic cars - the Mini Cooper, Jaguar E-type, AC Cobra and MGB - but also a time when British manufacturers really got their act together with stylish family models. Who can forget great little runabouts with evocative names like Anglia, Herald, Imp, Viva, Cortina and Hunter? Meanwhile, Rovers, Triumphs and Jags were delighting executives as they cruised along near-empty motorways. It was too good to last, of course, with regulations looming and fancy foreign cars creeping on to Britain's driveways by the end of the decade. In this richly illustrated book, Giles Chapman recalls all the key cars of the era that you probably owned - or at least coveted - and brings the swinging '60s back to life.

The 1970s saw some ground-breaking new metal in British showrooms: the Renault 5 established the new 'supermini' class, the Volkswagen Golf gave the average family car a hatchback and top quality, the Ford Capri made sporty cars available to everyone and, despite all of this, that old favourite the Ford Cortina continued to rule the sales charts. It was a funny old time to be a driver, and Britain started to experience a love/hate relationship with the four-wheeled machine that previously symbolised nothing but speed and freedom. The economic rollercoaster sent fuel prices soaring, while the country's roads left something to be desire, and then there was the issue of those cars themselves: it seemed British manufacturers, beset by striking workers and falling quality standards, were stalling as Japan's Datsuns and Toyotas cruised off with contented customers. Giles Chapman documents the whole turbulent decade stunningly illustrated book, from the cars that dominated our motoring lives to the much-maligned Morris Marina and Reliant Robin actually helped drivers out of a jam.

Very few cars inspire as much affection as the original Mini. It's the small car everyone loves to eulogise because it oozes energetic fun, classless minimalism and evergreen style. But it's also of massive historical importance: the 1959 Mini, designed by Alec Issigonis, set the template from which all successful compact cars have been created ever since. It was the technological wonder of its age. The original Mini was on sale for 41 years, during which its 5.3m sales made it the best-selling British car of all time - an achievement unlikely ever to be beaten. And just when it looked like the little car would shrivel and die, BMW had the vision to reinvent it as the planet's most desirable small car range, and put it back on the serious motoring map as the MINI. Here, award-winning writer Giles Chapman tells the whole, amazing story.

After the Second World War, cars in Britain were very hard to come by. Most new models had to go for export or were reserved for those drivers who needed them the most, such as doctors. Petrol was still rationed, roads inadequate and modern technology lacking. With the arrival of the 1950s, things slowly began to change: Morris, Austin and Ford put increasing numbers of British families on the road, new sports cars from MG, Jaguar, Triumph and Austin-Healey promised a thrilling drive, and innovative motors such as the Land Rover and the bubble car emerged. By 1958, new car buying was leading a consumer boom, and Britain's manufacturers still had the market to themselves. Giles Chapman investigates the fascinating motoring history of the 1950s.

The original Land Rover evolved for almost seventy years, from the ground breaking Series I model in 1948 to the final Defender in 2016. Now there is a totally new Defender for the 2020s. Land Rover charts the history of the authentic bloodline in striking, carefully compiled and, in some instances, very rare photographs. It presents the memorable mileposts - and bizarre diversions - in an astonishingly long life. This is a rich visual tribute to the genius and guts of these legendary vehicles.

The Jaguar name is synonymous with style, power, performance, luxury and an intangible element of Britishness. It's hard to imagine its humble origins in a Blackpool backstreet as the Swallow Sidecar Company. Jaguar Cars was formed in 1945, and the metamorphosis began: superb engines, knockout design, epic racing victories and thrilling sports saloons followed. Over the years it has become a living legend. Here, Giles Chapman captures the astounding story of this iconic car company with a collection of beautiful pictures.

It's easy to forget that the original Range Rover, launched in 1970, created the luxury sport-utility vehicle market from scratch. A marvel of British ingenuity developed on a shoestring budget, it was the first four-wheel drive car that was as happy on tarmac as it was on rocky terrain. It truly blazed a trail for a worldwide motoring trend. The Range Rover Story is a timely and concise reminder of all that Range Rover has achieved since a tight-knit group of engineers first turned their thoughts to something ground-breaking.

A stunning visual celebration of cars over a century of progress! Introducing The Story of the Car - a historical and visual exploration of awe-inspiring automobiles over a period of one hundred years, from the first horseless carriage to driverless vehicles, this all-encompassing car book takes you on a journey to explore the ways in which this once rare and luxurious status symbol has become a fundamental part of everyday life. So get in gear and drive straight in to discover: -Fact-filled narrative spreads, profiles, and features offer readers an unrivalled range and breadth of information -Packed with colour photographs and artworks, fascinating facts, and biographies that bring every aspect of motoring to life -Covers cutting-edge advances in car technology providing the very latest information -Features specially commissioned photography, alongside evocative and rarely seen archive images Taking you on a technical journey inside the engine of a luxury car, and into the lives of the most successful pioneers of automobile history, the book also explores the possibilities of the "green" motoring, the electric engine, and the uses of AI on the roads of the future. Combining rarely seen images, insightful biographies. and fascinating features, The Story of the Car illustrates how after over a century of progress and development, cars still convey that undeniable sense of freedom, passion, excitement and desire. From the romance of Route 66, to mainstream motor-racing, alternative car culture to taming the traffic, this all-encompassing book on cars has something for everybody to explore and love. A must-have volume for motoring enthusiasts, whether a gift or a self-purchase, The Story of the Car hosts a plethora of fascinating topics, divided into 8 key chapters, in chronological order. From inventing the car in 1885 and the birth of the automobile industry between 1906-1925, to driving into the future at the start of the new millennium, explore speed, power and style as you race across the world with your new-found knowledge on all things automobiles! On your mark, get set, go!

The KdF car, a German acronym for Strength Through Joy, was conceived by Adolf Hitler's Third Reich as a true German 'people's car'. There is precious little in the legacy of 1930s Nazi Germany that is positive, but after the Second World war - and with a little help from the British - the Volks Wagen really did help put the average man on the road in a car, designed by the great Ferdinand Porsche, that was reliable and well-built. First it set benchmarks for customer satisfaction across Europe, and sales soared. Then it arrived in North America and the slope-backed, rear-engined economy car became a cult hit. By the time the very last original Beetle was built in 2003, over 21m had been built, making it by a long chalk the best-selling single car model of all time. Although its concept is dated by modern standards, the Beetle magic is undimmed, which is why Volkswagen introduced an all-new, modern Beetle in 1998. It has carved out a niche as a distinctive and eye-catching car in a world of automotive clones.

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.

They don't make 'bad' cars any more, right? Well, maybe not, but there have been some real clunkers in years gone by, and this is the first book to celebrate them in all their awful glory. In this new edition, Giles Chapman presents to you "The Worst Cars Ever Sold," containing hundreds of rare pictures of these unreliable, rusty, hideous-looking and just plain mad machines, and thousands of fascinating and entertaining facts about them - some will surprise you, others you'll be all too familiar with. This book will take you back in time to when the family jalopy never failed to let you down, or that banger you bought from the local paper revealed its true character the moment you drove it - behold the worst cars ever sold and enjoy!

Every weekend, throughout the year, an enormous number of British people flock to Car Boot Sales. At any one event, hundreds of them are selling off unwanted possessions or inherited junk to free up space at home and raise useful extra money. But many thousands more are searching for incredible bargains and overlooked gems. This book is a comprehensive guide to both selling and buying. It gives you all the practical information you'll need to be a success at either, as well as an insight into the mindset of both vendor and customer so you can make any 'Boot' work to your advantage. For the would-be Car Boot Sale seller or buyer, every aspect is explained by an author who's been through the process countless times.

A car book which takes you through motoring history, from classic cars to how we enjoy driving today, and beyond. As Jodie Kidd says in her introduction "Sit back, buckle up, and enjoy the ride".

From the public's amazement at the idea of a horseless carriage to today's excitement for driverless vehicles, find out everything you need to know about motoring from 1895 to the present day. Begin your journey through the history of motoring with Drive, and weave your way through the twists and turns of the early days, through to how the motorcar has shaped the modern world over the last century. It also reveals the exciting and impressive advances in technology and design that have made cars faster, safer, and better to drive, and transformed them from a means of transport into objects of status, excitement, and desire. Speed through personal accounts of motoring throughout the years, and discover exciting new facts about the world's most famous racing events.

From the first service stations to the latest fuel cell, this book tells the full motoring story.