Random House New Releases - Transportation - Automotive - Domestic - History

Mini by Gillan Bardsley

2013-08-20T00:30:00-05:00

Mini
Written by Gillan Bardsley

Trade Paperback, 56 pages | Shire | Transportation - Automotive - Antique & Classic; Transportation - Automotive - Domestic - History | $12.95 | 978-0-7478-1255-5 (0-7478-1255-1)

The Mini was born in an age of austerity and shortage, intended to widen the base of motoring by making it more affordable for the average family. Ironically it would become something very different, a modern classless car which appealed across the boundaries of social status, age, gender, affluence or affordability. It became a key indicator of its era, lending its name to everything from fashion to furniture. Using unique illustrations from the Archives of the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust, this book tells the story of Mini's conception in the mind of the gifted designer Alec Issigonis, through its shaky infancy, its glorious heyday beloved of film stars and royalty, its glamorous sporting success, and its continued survival in the affections of the public despite many attempts to sideline or replace it over 41 triumphant years.

Touring Caravans by Jon Pressnell

2011-03-22T00:30:00-05:00

Touring Caravans
Written by Jon Pressnell

Trade Paperback, 32 pages | Shire | Transportation - Automotive - Domestic - History; Transportation - Automotive - Antique & Classic; History - Social History | $11.95 | 978-0-7478-0119-1 (0-7478-0119-3)

For a long time the caravan - a travel trailer - was a neglected part of the classic vehicle scene, but now the historic caravan is becoming an increasingly common - and increasingly popular - exhibit at classic car shows. The development of the caravan is a fascinating story, and a vital part of motoring heritage.

In Touring Caravans, expert author Jon Pressnell traces the evolution of the touring caravan in Britain from its earliest horse-drawn days through to the lightweight, aerodynamically styled 'designer' caravans of today. This is an absorbing tale of a cottage industry which expanded rapidly in the motoring revolution of the 1930s, as the motor car extended the horizons of the British public; a story of how the caravan evolved from a half-timbered 'cottage on wheels' to the mass-produced, streamlined versatile trailer which we take for granted today.

This addition to Shire's continuous coverage of all aspects of classic motoring chronicles the process and brings alive the appeal of the classic caravan, with the help of a fine selection of period photographs.

Country Garage by Llyn Morris

2010-09-21T00:30:00-05:00

Country Garage
Written by Llyn Morris

Trade Paperback, 32 pages | Shire | Transportation - Automotive - Domestic - History; History - Great Britain | $11.95 | 978-0-85263-711-1 (0-85263-711-X)

The advent of the internal combustion engine brought many changes to society, the most neglected of which is arguably the garages built throughout Britain to serve motor vehicles, which revolutionizd rural life. Yet, for all the fame attached to the now well known heroes of early motoring, their exploits depended upon the energy and elbow grease of the early garage mechanic, and the petrol served on the forecourt by his wife from a hand-cranked pump. This book is a reminder of those days and of those men and women who held the tools to the motor industry's success.

The British Motor Industry by Jonathan Wood

2010-05-25T00:30:00-05:00

The British Motor Industry
Written by Jonathan Wood

Trade Paperback, 64 pages | Shire | Transportation - Automotive - Domestic - History; History - Great Britain | $12.95 | 978-0-7478-0768-1 (0-7478-0768-X)

Austin, Hillman, Morris, Standard and Wolseley were a handful of the myriad marques that once constituted Britain's indigenous motor industry. Born in 1896 into the high summer of Victorian prosperity, the native British industry survived until the collapse of The Rover Group in 2005. Jonathan Wood chronicles this industry's 109-year life, from its production of hand-made bespoke automobiles for the fortunate few to the arrival of mass production to provide cars for the many. He looks at the factories and the people who worked in them, and examines the role played by the component manufacturers that serviced the industry. Wood also offers explanations as to why motor manufacturing followed the British motorcycle, bicycle and cotton industries into oblivion.

The Road Haulage Industry by Chris Woodcock

2010-02-23T00:30:00-05:00

The Road Haulage Industry
Written by Chris Woodcock

Trade Paperback, 56 pages | Shire | Transportation - Automotive - Trucks; Transportation - Automotive - Domestic - History | $12.95 | 978-0-7478-0773-5 (0-7478-0773-6)

Road haulage has been in existence for as long as roads themselves: wherever goods need to be moved across land, people have set themselves up in business to carry those goods. For hundreds of years horses were at the center of this business, but in the twentieth century everything changed, first with the widespread use of steam power on the roads, and then the internal combustion engine.

The lorry driver was a new, hardy breed, working phenomenally long hours in all weathers and with few of the comforts afforded to today's truckers. Drivers needed to be able to maintain their own wagon, and loading and sheeting was an art hard leaned.

This book tells the real story of motor road haulage in Britain, featuring the design and development of the vehicles, competition from the railways and the coming of the motorway age, the changing organization of the industry, the services that kept the trucker going, from garage to transport cafe, and the men themselves. Illustrated throughout with period photographs, this will be a feast of nostalgia for anyone who has enjoyed a career in the industry, and real eye opener for anyone who hasn't. It will appeal not only to lorry enthusiasts but also to social historians and those wanting to know more about one of Britain's unsung industries.

Brooklands by Nicholas Lancaster

2009-10-20T00:30:00-05:00

Brooklands Cradle of British Motor Racing and Aviation
Written by Nicholas Lancaster

Trade Paperback, 56 pages | Shire | Transportation - Automotive - Domestic - History; Transportation - Aviation - History | $12.95 | 978-0-7478-0707-0 (0-7478-0707-8)

Brooklands, near Weybridge in Surrey, holds a unique and highly important place in the histories of both motoring and aviation. It was the first purpose-built motor racing track in Britain and the first major circuit in the world. From 1907 to the outbreak of the Second World War, the banked circuit was the epicenter of British motor sport, and events at Brooklands - races and speed record attempts - were an important part of the sporting and social calendar.

Motor sport was not the only activity for which Brooklands was famous, however: it became an important center for aviation. The first flight of a British pilot in a British aircraft took place there in 1908, and Britain's first flying school was opened within the circuit in 1910. Several manufacturers began aircraft production at Brooklands, and the most important of these, Vickers, took over large parts of the site when motor racing stopped in 1939. Many aircraft, including the Wellington bomber, were built here in large numbers during the war.

When peace returned in 1945 the race track at Brooklands was in poor condition and built over in places. Racing never resumed, but the aviation history of the site grew ever stronger, with design and production of airliners including the VC-10 and Concorde. Today Brooklands is home to a thriving museum and, as the years pass, more and more of the old track is being restored to its former glory. This book tells the story of this unique and important site, and conjures up the atmosphere of pre-war race meetings, of wartime aircraft production, and the birth of some of the world's most famous aeroplanes.

Victorian and Edwardian Horse Cabs by Trevor May

2009-09-22T00:30:00-05:00

Victorian and Edwardian Horse Cabs
Written by Trevor May

Trade Paperback, 32 pages | Shire | Transportation - Automotive - Domestic - History | $11.95 | 978-0-7478-0430-7 (0-7478-0430-3)

The Hansom cab is one of the most striking images of the Victorian city, but it was not the only type of cab in use during the Victorian and Edwardian periods. Much of the work was done by the 'growler', a four-wheeled cab that rattled through the streets, laden with luggage and with families eager to catch a train. Trevor May travels through the streets of Victorian and Edwardian England to trace the origins of the horse cab and the improvements in its design throughout the period, and to celebrate the cab drivers themselves, who had a reputation for quick-wittedness and repartee equal to that enjoyed by today's taxi-driver.

The Austin Seven by Jonathan Wood

2008-09-23T00:30:00-05:00

The Austin Seven
Written by Jonathan Wood

Trade Paperback, 32 pages | Shire | Transportation - Automotive - Domestic - History | $11.95 | 978-0-7478-0416-1 (0-7478-0416-8)

One of the most famous of British cars, the diminutive but robust 750cc Austin Seven, introduced in 1922, changed the course of automobile design and proved the viability of the small-capacity four-cylinder car. The salvation of the Austin company, it was aimed at families who might otherwise have travelled by motorcycle and sidecar, and it remained in production until 1939. The Seven performed as well on the race track as it did on the road and inspired a team of magnificent twin overhead camshaft single-seaters. It survives in respectable numbers to provide new generations of enthusiasts with a practical, economical car to run, race and restore.

The Morris Minor by Ray Newell

2007-09-01T00:30:00-05:00

The Morris Minor
Written by Ray Newell

Trade Paperback, 32 pages | Shire | Transportation - Automotive - Domestic - History | $11.95 | 978-0-7478-0149-8 (0-7478-0149-5)

The Morgan by Ken Hill

2007-02-01T00:30:00-05:00

The Morgan
Written by Ken Hill

Trade Paperback, 32 pages | Shire | Transportation - Automotive - Domestic - History | $11.95 | 978-0-7478-0328-7 (0-7478-0328-5)

Vintage Motor Cars by Bill Boddy

2007-01-01T00:30:00-05:00

Vintage Motor Cars
Written by Bill Boddy

Trade Paperback, 32 pages | Shire | Transportation - Automotive - Domestic - History | $11.95 | 978-0-85263-776-0 (0-85263-776-4)

Old Buses by David Kaye

2006-04-01T00:30:00-05:00

Old Buses
Written by David Kaye

Trade Paperback, 56 pages | Shire | Transportation - Automotive - Domestic - History | $12.95 | 978-0-7478-0650-9 (0-7478-0650-0)

Number plates by Dave Moss

2006-02-01T00:30:00-05:00

Number plates A History of Vehicle Registration in Britain
Written by Dave Moss

Trade Paperback, 32 pages | Shire | Transportation - Automotive - Domestic - History; Reference - Genealogy | $11.95 | 978-0-7478-0566-3 (0-7478-0566-0)

The End of Detroit by Micheline Maynard

2004-09-21T00:30:00-05:00

The End of Detroit How the Big Three Lost Their Grip on the American Car Market
Written by Micheline Maynard

Trade Paperback, 368 pages | Crown Business | Business & Economics - Corporate History; Transportation - Automotive - Domestic - History | $23.00 | 978-0-385-50770-7 (0-385-50770-4)

An in-depth, hard-hitting account of the mistakes, miscalculations and myopia that have doomed America’s automobile industry.

In the 1990s, Detroit’s Big Three automobile companies were riding high. The introduction of the minivan and the SUV had revitalized the industry, and it was widely believed that Detroit had miraculously overcome the threat of foreign imports and regained its ascendant position. As Micheline Maynard makes brilliantly clear in THE END OF DETROIT, however, the traditional American car industry was, in fact, headed for disaster. Maynard argues that by focusing on high-profit trucks and SUVs, the Big Three missed a golden opportunity to win back the American car-buyer. Foreign companies like Toyota and Honda solidified their dominance in family and economy cars, gained market share in high-margin luxury cars, and, in an ironic twist, soon stormed in with their own sophisticatedly engineered and marketed SUVs, pickups and minivans. Detroit, suffering from a “good enough” syndrome and wedded to ineffective marketing gimmicks like rebates and zero-percent financing, failed to give consumers what they really wanted—reliability, the latest technology and good design at a reasonable cost. Drawing on a wide range of interviews with industry leaders, including Toyota’s Fujio Cho, Nissan’s Carlos Ghosn, Chrysler’s Dieter Zetsche, BMW’s Helmut Panke, and GM’s Robert Lutz, as well as car designers, engineers, test drivers and owners, Maynard presents a stark picture of the culture of arrogance and insularity that led American car manufacturers astray. Maynard predicts that, by the end of the decade, one of the American car makers will no longer exist in its present form.

The Mini by Jon Pressnell

2004-06-01T00:30:00-05:00

The Mini
Written by Jon Pressnell

Trade Paperback, 32 pages | Shire | Transportation - Automotive - Domestic - History | $11.95 | 978-0-7478-0235-8 (0-7478-0235-1)

The End of Detroit by Micheline Maynard

2003-09-23T00:30:00-05:00

The End of Detroit How the Big Three Lost Their Grip on the American Car Market
Written by Micheline Maynard

eBook | Crown Business | Business & Economics; Business & Economics - Corporate History; Transportation - Automotive - Domestic - History | $17.99 | 978-0-385-51152-0 (0-385-51152-3)

The AA, History, Badges and Memorabilia by Michael Passmore

2003-04-01T00:30:00-05:00

The AA, History, Badges and Memorabilia
Written by Michael Passmore

Trade Paperback, 40 pages | Shire | Antiques & Collectibles - Cars; Transportation - Automotive - Domestic - History | $11.95 | 978-0-7478-0552-6 (0-7478-0552-0)

Steam Wagons by Derek A. Rayner

2003-02-01T00:30:00-05:00

Steam Wagons
Written by Derek A. Rayner

Trade Paperback, 40 pages | Shire | Transportation - Automotive - Domestic - History | $11.95 | 978-0-7478-0551-9 (0-7478-0551-2)

The Ford Cortina by Graham Robson

2001-12-01T00:30:00-05:00

The Ford Cortina
Written by Graham Robson

Trade Paperback, 32 pages | Shire | Transportation - Automotive - Domestic - History | $11.95 | 978-0-7478-0519-9 (0-7478-0519-9)

Proprietary Engines for Vehicles by Nick Baldwin

2001-07-01T00:30:00-05:00

Proprietary Engines for Vehicles
Written by Nick Baldwin

Trade Paperback, 40 pages | Shire | Transportation - Automotive - Domestic - History | $11.95 | 978-0-7478-0496-3 (0-7478-0496-6)

Random House New Releases - Transportation - Automotive - Domestic - History

Mini by Gillan Bardsley

Mini Written by Gillan Bardsley

Touring Caravans by Jon Pressnell

Touring Caravans Written by Jon Pressnell

Country Garage by Llyn Morris

Country Garage Written by Llyn Morris

The British Motor Industry by Jonathan Wood

The British Motor Industry Written by Jonathan Wood

The Road Haulage Industry by Chris Woodcock

The Road Haulage Industry Written by Chris Woodcock

Brooklands by Nicholas Lancaster

Brooklands Cradle of British Motor Racing and AviationWritten by Nicholas Lancaster

Victorian and Edwardian Horse Cabs by Trevor May

Victorian and Edwardian Horse Cabs Written by Trevor May

The Austin Seven by Jonathan Wood

The Austin Seven Written by Jonathan Wood

The Morris Minor by Ray Newell

The Morris Minor Written by Ray Newell

The Morgan by Ken Hill

The Morgan Written by Ken Hill

Vintage Motor Cars by Bill Boddy

Vintage Motor Cars Written by Bill Boddy

Old Buses by David Kaye

Old Buses Written by David Kaye

Number plates by Dave Moss

Number plates A History of Vehicle Registration in BritainWritten by Dave Moss

The End of Detroit by Micheline Maynard

The End of Detroit How the Big Three Lost Their Grip on the American Car MarketWritten by Micheline Maynard

The Mini by Jon Pressnell

The Mini Written by Jon Pressnell

The End of Detroit by Micheline Maynard

The End of Detroit How the Big Three Lost Their Grip on the American Car MarketWritten by Micheline Maynard

The AA, History, Badges and Memorabilia by Michael Passmore

The AA, History, Badges and Memorabilia Written by Michael Passmore

Steam Wagons by Derek A. Rayner

Steam Wagons Written by Derek A. Rayner

The Ford Cortina by Graham Robson

The Ford Cortina Written by Graham Robson

Proprietary Engines for Vehicles by Nick Baldwin

Proprietary Engines for Vehicles Written by Nick Baldwin

Mini
Written by Gillan Bardsley

Touring Caravans
Written by Jon Pressnell

Country Garage
Written by Llyn Morris

The British Motor Industry
Written by Jonathan Wood

The Road Haulage Industry
Written by Chris Woodcock

Brooklands Cradle of British Motor Racing and Aviation
Written by Nicholas Lancaster

Victorian and Edwardian Horse Cabs
Written by Trevor May

The Austin Seven
Written by Jonathan Wood

The Morris Minor
Written by Ray Newell

The Morgan
Written by Ken Hill

Vintage Motor Cars
Written by Bill Boddy

Old Buses
Written by David Kaye

Number plates A History of Vehicle Registration in Britain
Written by Dave Moss

The End of Detroit How the Big Three Lost Their Grip on the American Car Market
Written by Micheline Maynard

The Mini
Written by Jon Pressnell

The End of Detroit How the Big Three Lost Their Grip on the American Car Market
Written by Micheline Maynard

The AA, History, Badges and Memorabilia
Written by Michael Passmore

Steam Wagons
Written by Derek A. Rayner

The Ford Cortina
Written by Graham Robson

Proprietary Engines for Vehicles
Written by Nick Baldwin