American Auto Legends

American Auto Legends presents more than 50 remarkable American cars in a chronological fully illustrated book filled with historic photographs. It covers all eras of American automobiles, from the "horseless carriages" of the early 1900s to the sleek and ultra-efficient machines of the early twenty-first century. Concise descriptions highlight the key features of each vehicle, while stunning images by one of America's leading car photographers provide the reader with an unparalleled visual record. American Auto Legends features all the major US manufacturersâ??including Buick, Chevrolet, Ford, Lincoln, and Studebakerâ??this book is an essential and authoritative guide to the many legends of the American highway. Includes biographies of key figures in the US automobile industry, a full technical glossary, and details of where the cars may be seen. This lavishly illustrated book will appeal to classic car enthusiasts worldwide.

The cars are presented chronologically in a succession of seductive photographs by Michel Zumbrunn, widely recognized as one of the best car photographers working today. The combination of general views, taken from a variety of angles, and numerous close-ups of exquisite detailing allows the reader to appreciate fully these masterpieces of the car designer's art. Each entry is accompanied by a vivid commentary by Robert Cubmerford, a car designer and renowned motoring journalist, who shares his astounding knowledge with the reader in order to highlight the history and essential design features of each vehicle. An illuminating introduction traces the development of styling trends and influences, while brief biographies of the most innovative designers from the last one hundred years and a full technical glossary are also included. The book concludes with a directory of museums and public collections around the world where examples of the featured cars may be seen.

Since the days of Henry Ford's Model T, American cars have dominated not only the market but also the imagination and desires of millions of people throughout the world. Dedicated to the exciting history of this icon of past and present times, this volume presents a complete overview of the history of the American car, with text written by one of the most famous journalists in the filed, enhanced by illustrations that capture the excitement, aesthetics, and the charm of this everlasting legend. Many books provide a basic catalog of American automobiles from ca. 1900 to 2000. This volume takes a very different approach: in addition to detailing engineering and styling advances, it also presents the broad social and economic environment and demonstrates how and why the automobile has evolved and thrived so stongly throughout the United States. Cars may be a universal product, but that's not to say that they are the same everywhere. Viewed from afar, American cars (and trucks) look too big, have engines that are too large, and are extravagant for solo commuting. Considering the American continent's vast extent, its wide, open roads, readily available parking and low energy prices, it is understandable why American automobiles differ in design, engineering, and size from those found elsewhere in the world. Beginning with the automobile's early days and Henry Ford's invention of the assembly line and continuing until modern times, this intriguing, richly illustrated volume traces the entire history of American automobiles. Whether luxury-market or average-family models, the American car is a dream possession and cult object famous and desired throughout the world.

Lost Car Legends is an entertaining look at nearly 50 shuttered independent automakers from the past 75 years. From Allstate to Zimmer, noted automotive historian Pat Foster covers an incredible array of makers and their cars... and what variety there was! There were tiny cars, electric cars, retro cars, luxury cars, commuter cars, sports cars. There were well-established companies with thousands of employees to sham companies with nothing but a good story. Automakers covered include Allstate, Argonaut, AMC, Autoette, Avanti, Bricklin, Checker Motors, Citicar, Commutacar, Colt, Cord Automobile Company, Crosley Motors, Dale, Davis Motorcar Company, Excalibur, Fascination, Frazer, Freeway, Glassic, Henry J, Hudson, International Harvestor, Kaiser, King Midget, Markette, Mobs, Muntz Jet, Nash Motors, Packard, Playboy, Powell, Quantum, Rambler, Shay, Shelby, Stuart, Studebaker, Trivan, Tucker, Willys, Woodhill Wildfire, and Zimmer.

Get the full history of the American muscle car in The All-American Muscle Car, from it's origin as an act of descent, to where it sits now.

Legendary American Automobiles is a richly illustrated volume that profiles the most renowned vehicles to be built in the USA, from the pre-assembly line era to modern times. Since the days of Henry Ford’s Model T, American cars have dominated not only the market, but also the imagination and desires of millions of people around the world. Dedicated to the exciting legacy of this iconic automobile, Legendary American Automobiles presents a complete overview of the history of the American car. This exhaustively written by one of the most famous journalists in the field, Matt DeLorenzo, this volume is also enhanced by illustrations that capture the exhilaration, aesthetics, and charm of these legendary vehicles. Where many books provide a basic catalog of American automobiles, Legendary American Automobiles takes a very different approach. Here you will see engineering details and styling advances, as well as the effect of the social and economic environments at the time. Beginning with the automobile’s early days and Henry Ford’s invention of the assembly line and continuing until modern times, this intriguing, richly illustrated volume traces the entire history of American automobiles. Whether luxury-market or average-family models, the American car is a dream possession and cult object famous and desired through the world.

As soon as there were automobiles, there was racing. The first recorded race, an over road event from Paris to Rouen, France, was organized by the French newspaper Le Petit Journal in 1894. Seeing an opportunity for a similar event, Hermann H. Kohlsaat--publisher of the Chicago Times-Herald--sponsored what was hailed as the "Race of the Century," a 54-mile race from Chicago's Jackson Park to Evanston, Illinois, and back. Frank Duryea won in a time of 10 hours and 23 minutes, of which 7 hours and 53 minutes were actually spent on the road. Race cars and competition have progressed continuously since that time, and today's 200 mph races bear little resemblance to the event Duryea won. This work traces American auto racing through the 20th century, covering its significant milestones, developments and personalities. Subjects included are: Bill Elliott, dirt track racing, board track racing, Henry Ford, Grand Prix races, Dale Earnhardt, the Vanderbilt Cup, Bill France, Gordon Bennett, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the Mercer, the Stutz, Duesenberg, Frank Lockhart, drag racing, the Trans Am, Paul Newman, vintage racing, land speed records, Al Unser, Wilbur Shaw, the Corvette, the Cobra, Richard Petty, NASCAR, Can Am, Mickey Thompson, Roger Penske, Mario Andretti, Jeff Gordon, and Formula One. Through interviews with participants and track records, this text shows where, when and how racing changed. It describes the growth of each different form of auto racing as well as the people and technologies that made it ever faster.

This superbly illustrated book brings together more than fifty of the most significant British cars designed between the early twentieth century and the present. Each model – starting with the Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost of 1907, famed for its exemplary reliability, and concluding with the Jaguar XK180 of 1998, a breathtakingly attractive concept car – is a milestone of British motoring heritage. Beginning with an introduction that charts the often tortuous story of the British car industry and the development of its legendary marques, the book goes on to describe each car's history, design and performance. Accompanying the lively commentary on each model are exquisite images by one of the world's foremost car photographers, including exterior shots taken from different angles and close ups of the interior and engine and other design details. Also featured are biographies of the influential designers of the last century, a full technical glossary and a directory of museums and other collections worldwide where the cars may be seen.