10 fascinating automotive books to read – from Spectacular Trips to The Art of the Supercar

By George on June 2nd, 2012

Here we have a list of 10 interesting books related to the world of cars. This is part 1 and we will soon put together another list that features more great books related to the world of cars. Enjoy!

Drives of a Lifetime: 500 of the World’s Most Spectacular Trips [Hardcover]

Pack your suitcase, load up the car, and head for the open road! In the tradition of National Geographic Traveler magazine’s award-winning annual feature showcasing the world’s best auto trips, National Geographic presents Drives of a Lifetime: Where to Go, Why to Go, When to Go. This lavishly illustrated, hardcover travel planner and gift book gives you every bit of information you’ll need to navigate 400 amazing driving routes in some of the world’s most fascinating locales.

Carroll Shelby: The Authorized Biography [Hardcover]

When Ford wanted to add some spice to it’s newly introduced Mustang pony car, it turned to former racer Carroll Shelby. The resulting cars proved to be the definitive performance Mustangs of the muscle-car era.

The choice made sense. Shelby had proven himself a force to be reckoned with on the racetrack, in the tuning shop, and in the auto industry. By the time Ford hired Shelby to create a racer from its Mustang, the man was already an automotive legend.

365 Sports Cars You Must Drive [Paperback]

Sports cars make up one of the most beloved automotive genres for car fans. From towering icons like Ferrari, Lamborghini, Porsche, and Corvette to everyman sportsters from Triumph, MG, Sunbeam, and Miata to oddballs like Crosley, Sabra, and DB, sports cars inspire passion and strong opinions as few other vehicles on the road could. This book, 365 Sports Cars You Must Drive, provides capsule overviews and fun facts about the greatest, oddest, most beautiful, and most ill-considered sports cars of all time. How many have you driven, dreamed about, or shuddered at the thought of?

The Complete Book of Porsche 911: Every Model since 1964 [Hardcover]

The Complete Book of Porsche 911 provides a model-by-model overview for each year of the 911’s production, from the original 901 prototype to the current models. In addition to production cars, the book includes all of the factory’s racing, prototype, and special-production cars illustrated with both current and archival photography. This book is the ultimate single-volume resource for the 911 aficionado.

American Icon: Alan Mulally and the Fight to Save Ford Motor Company [Hardcover]

At the end of 2008, Ford Motor Company was just months away from running out of cash. With the auto industry careening toward ruin, Congress offered all three Detroit automakers a bailout. General Motors and Chrysler grabbed the taxpayer lifeline, but Ford decided to save itself…

Engines of Change: A History of the American Dream in Fifteen Cars [Hardcover]

From Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Paul Ingrassia comes a narrative of America like no other: a cultural history that explores how cars have both propelled and reflected the national experience—from the Model T to the Prius..

Porsche: A History of Excellence [Paperback]

No other sports car has had a run like Porsche’s, on the street or on the world’s racetracks. This richly illustrated volume tells the story of that fabled marque. Renowned automotive writer and photographer (and Porsche aficionado) Randy Leffingwell focuses his lens on each important model from the first 356 to today’s Cayman and 911…

The Ferrari Phenomenon: An Unconventional View of the World’s Most Charismatic Cars [Hardcover]

…Ferrari name means much more than just cars or the numbers that measure horsepower, speed, or price. Whether they were built for the road or the track, Ferraris are also marvelous conduits to a world of interesting stories and fascinating facts. Over the years the lore and legends surrounding Ferrari have involved people, history, design, pop culture, mystery, lies, rumor, and humor…

Form Follows Function: The Art of the Supercar [Hardcover]

For Form Follows Function: The Art of the Supercar, renowned automotive photographer James Mann brings 20 of the world’s most beautiful and desirable supercars into the studio. Removed from their ordinary environment and shot on black backgrounds, the photographer’s lens reveals not just the engineering brilliance of these cars, but also the inherent beauty in their form and details. Classic and new models from the world’s most famous marques, including Ferrari, Lamborghini, Bugatti, Maserati, Aston Martin, and others will be featured. With historical and technical profiles by Stuart Codling and commentary from famed automotive designer Frank Stephenson, Form Follows Function: The Art of the Supercar is a must-have for any automotive enthusiast’s library.

H-Point: The Fundamentals of Car Design & Packaging [Paperback]

The ultimate reference guide for car designers and automotive engineers! H-Point was written by the pioneer of the Vehicle Architecture course at Art Center College of Design, Stuart Macey along with the Director of Advanced Mobility Research, Geoff Wardle. Currently used as the educational handout for the transportation design students at Art Center, it will now be available to aspiring car creators everywhere, clearly organizing the packaging standards that apply to car and truck design; along with insightful graphic explanations, this book demystifies the automotive design process and allows designers access to an illustrious careers worth of knowledge.

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