Description
Author: Alain Piccard, Hardbound, 272 Pages, ISBN: 9782883240438, 1st Edition, 1997, 2nd hand book, good condition
The forty-fourth edition of Automobile Year is, like all its predecessors, a fascinating reflection of a year in the world of the car. 1996 marked the 100th anniversary of the motor industry in Britain and the United States, and this annual serves as a reminder of the amazing growth and diversity which that industry has achieved by presenting, in expert words and exciting pictures, a record of the new cars, the motor sport and the motor industry in this centenary year.
The year was a vintage one for new models. New sports cars from major manufacturers like Mercedes, Jaguar and Ferrari combined with less exotic, but commercially more important, new family cars from across the world to show that the hundred year-old industry has lost none of its dynamism. And its products have lost none of their appeal for enthusiasts; those who look through the lavish crop of colour pictures which Automobile Year has selected are sure to find plenty to excite them among the year's collection of production cars and concept vehicles.
In an enlarged section devoted to Grand Prix racing, Automobile Year does what it does best - convey the excitement and atmosphere of the sport through superb photography, expert commentary, and detailed results. For those whose motor sporting interests spread beyond Formula 1, there is coverage of international rallying, American racing, GT and Endurance - highlighted by the Le Mans 24 Hours - touring cars and Formula 3000, all with pictures, commentary and results. But not everything in Automobile Year is tied to 1996. There's a look back to big-time motor racing as it was fifty years ago which provides an eye-opening comparision with the multi-million dollar showbiz which is Fl today.
There's a study of classic italian makes which, although they are less than fifty years old, are now all-but forgotten. You'll read about the past, present and future of a car which celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of entering production in 1996 but which is far from forgotten - the Volkswagen. There's a fascinating photo-essay on days of glamour from the past; the times when in order to win in a Concours d'elegance, a lady had to have a Dior suit, a Hermes scarf - and a Bugatti car.
For almost half of the life of the automobile, Automobile Year has been chronicling its progress and the pleasure it brings. Number 44 just continues the tradition
