Napier - The First to wear the green (David Venables)

Author: David Venables, Hardbound, 208 Pages, ISBN: 9780854299898, 1st Edition, 1998, Second-Hand copy in excellent condition

Told here fully for the first time, this is the fascinating story of Napier, the London company whose cars established Britain as a major player in the pioneering days of international motor racing, and whose engines later powered a spectacular series of world land speed record breakers. Meticulously researched and lavishly illustrated, the book chronicles half a century of continuous technological achievement, from Queen Victoria's reign to the 1960s.

The story began in 1898. When the racing cyclist S.F. Edge wanted his newly acquired Panhard motorcar modified, he asked Montague Napier of the Napier precision engineering company to help. Napier then began building cars which Edge, a brilliant entrepreneur, marketed through racing. It was a highly successful partnership. They won a number of laurels — including the 1902 Gordon Bennett Trophy, Britain's first international race triumph.

In addition, the 1920s saw the start of an entirely new chapter in Napier history. The Napier Lion aero engine — developed during the First World War to power bombers — was the greatest record-breaking engine of all time, achieving world land speed records for 36 years in a succession of cars driven by Malcolm Campbell, Henry Segrave, and John Cobb. It was in one of these, at Utah, USA, in 1947, that Cobb clocked up 403mph — the first time a car had exceeded 400mph. That feat remained unbeaten until 1963, while the Lion-powered Napier-Railton was the ultimate Brooldands champion.

Drawing on such rare sources as Napier factory records and the notebooks of Edwardian drivers, David Venables weaves into the narrative the technical details of all the significant advances in Napier car and engine development, as well as the comedies, tragedies, triumphs and heartbreaks which accompanied this inspirational era.

Venables has had a passion for motor cars since childhood. After a career in the law, culminating in 13 years as the Official Solicitor, he retired to spend time writing about vintage cars and motor racing history. Assistant Editor of the Vintage Sports Car Club Bulletin, he has already compiled a history of 1500cc racing in the 1930s. For relaxation he drives a 1930 Frazer Nash and a 1936 Fiat in vintage events.