Fifty Cars That Changed The World

Everything around us is designed and the word 'design' has become part of our everyday experience. But how much do we know about it? Fifty Cars That Changed the World imparts that knowledge listing the top 50 cars that have made a substantial impact in the world of British design today. From the1908 Ford Model T to the 1998 smart car, each entry offers a short appraisal to explore what has made their iconic status to give them a special place in design history.

A celebration of vintage automobiles and their manufacturers traces their development from the pioneering days to ghe end of the 1930s.

Readers will be absorbed by text that chronicles the revolutionary design and technology that has shaped the world of automobiles, from the earliest days of Austin Seven, Ford, and Bugatti to the classic marques of Rolls-Royce, Chevrolet, and Lamborghini. With stunning photography, detailed statistics, and behind-the-scenes stories, fans of classic motoring will discover what makes a classic car stand out from the rest—including high speeds, revolutionary design, limited availability, and more.

The Chevrolet Corvette; the Dodge Coronet; the Ford GT—they're names that send a shiver down the spine of true car enthusiasts. With big V8 engines crammed into mid-sized shells, they ripped up the roads on their way out of Detroit as they roared onto the market and into the awaiting arms of the power-hungry public. Readers discover which is the most powerful muscle car ever made and what nearly led to their extinction in the '70s, as well as learning which of their 21st century descendants should be purchased today. Readers discover all this and more with beautifully laid-out, detailed profiles of the best muscle cars—their facts, stats, and great stories from behind the scenes.

Can one car transform a nation? The Ford Model T did do so a century ago when it replaced the horse, brought about a revolution in agriculture, became a stimulus to urbanization that eventually changed the landscape of America. Though the Maruti 800, the Tata Indica, the Hyundai Santro and the Maruti Alto, became engines of growth for India, these cars neither drove away the cow nor changed the way Indians travelled. Tata’s Nano was expected to change all that and become the ultimate people’s car, capturing the imagination of the middle class across nations and cultures. In spite of its petite dimensions, the Nano was meant to stand tall. Yet it did not. What caused it to fail and fall from grace despite being lauded as the ‘right product at the right time’ and ‘the most significant new car since the Ford Model T was introduced 100 years ago’? But is it really all over or is there still hope for India’s ‘little wonder’? What will the people’s cars of tomorrow be like? A Million Cars for a Billion People delves into the questions, concerns and doubts, as well as the many misconceptions and myths, that have gathered momentum over the years about India’s automotive history and the industry’s mission to create a true ‘people’s car’. The very first cars that came to India; the early beginnings of the industry; the nascent history of the automobile across nations like Germany, France, US, the UK, Italy, Japan and South Korea, is narrated with authority and charm, from the viewpoint of the quest for the ultimate people’s car.

The BMW Century details more than one hundred years of BMW from its historic aviation roots to today’s trend-setting cars and motorcycles.

The BMW Century profiles one hundred years of BMW car and motorcycle manufacturing a decade at a time with gorgeous photos and detailed text.

See what really goes into every aspect of car design.