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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.
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.
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 ...
Sixty diverse cars, sixty fascinating stories, sixty contrasting
specifications, just one uniting factor: theyâre all forgotten,
neglected or misunderstood classics. Motoring in the 1940s and
â50s spanned from post-war austerity to the
youâve-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 â50s, 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 âŚ
even if they misfire once again in the process.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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 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.
Good old Dad and his good old Dad's car. As solid and dependable as
the man himself, if a little less balding, Dad's car was almost a
member of the family, whisking you to exciting days out, or just to
visit boring relatives in distant parts of the country to the chant
of 'are we nearly there yet?' Like the man behind the wheel, Dad's
car made you feel safe and secure, because it was as reassuring and
sensible as he was. Maybe in an idle moment Dad dreamt of driving
something rakish and fast, just like in idle moments he dreamt that
your Mum was Twiggy, but the demands of family life meant soft
tops, hard suspension and anything even remotely sporty were off
the cards. Even anything less than four doors would have been
wildly hedonistic. But although the family car may not have been
the very essence of rock 'n' roll, Dad was proud of it. Spanning
the 1950s to the '80s, this is a celebration of the heyday of the
Dad car. From much loved family workhorses like the Ford Cortina
and Vauxhall Viva to the rakish excitement and playground kudos of
the Rover 3500 and Citroen CX, all the great Dad cars are here.
Reflecting a time before people carriers and lifestyle off roaders,
when the nearest thing to an airbag was hiding behind your fat
brother, this is a celebration of simple, honest cars that were as
flawed and as loveable as your Dad himself.
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.
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