Great Cars of All Time

Book excerpt: “ ... For enthusiasts of every age, here is a gallery of great cars from the beginning to the present day. Each of these machines has its own claim to fame—some for fabulous styling, some for technical developments that changed the course of automotive history, some for racing prowess, and some for sheer “personality.” For each chapter there is a beautiful full-page color portrait of the car in its proper setting. The text is no mere description of the machines. With authority, enthusiasm and wit the author traces the history of each make, illuminating the characters of both cars and men with spine-tingling racing adventures and inside anecdotes. While the story of each make is complete in itself and may be read alone, the book as a whole provides a panorama of automotive history. The story of cars is, of course, also the story of men—some of the most colorful figures of the modern world—drivers such as Nuvolari, Oldfield, Fangio: engineers such as Bugatti, Ford, and Porsche. But cars are the real heroes of this book; in these words and pictures they emerge, not as mere collections of nuts and bolts and sheet metal, but as creatures with a kind of life of their own. A life that embodies the urge to freedom and adventure, the pride and love of beauty of both their creators and their users.” (New York – 1960)