The Great Automobile Aficionados By Robert Puyal

Synopsis: Speed can set a pulse, if not a lifestyle, racing. As can style; that thrill of the well-designed object which leads to near-obsessive desire. And innovation captivates and charges the mind. These are three components of the automobile that, since the first fuel-powered car was created 125 years ago, have exhilarated men and women, in strikingly powerful ways.

In Behind the Wheel over fifty icons of the automobile world are profiled. Pioneers of the industry, champion racing drivers, and superstar car aficionados from differing countries and diverse backgrounds are seen (along with their cars!) in vintage photographs as well as recent shots.

Inspirational figures such as Henry Ford, who, despite his illiteracy, broke speed records with a machine of his own design. In 1902 his innovative Ford Model T enabled him to be the first to make the joys of driving available to a mass market. In Argentina Juan Manuel Fangio started out as a small town mechanic, competing in perilous amateur road races before his talent for speed was discovered. In mid-twentieth century he won five Formula One world championships and still today, is regarded as the greatest driver in the history of the sport. On the celebrity front, Steve McQueen and Paul Newman are among the many Hollywood stars to take up racing. Prior to that James Dean met his death behind the wheel of his ‘Little Bastard’, the sobriquet for his Porsche 550 RS. Other passionate drivers include André Derain, Jean Bugatti, Gianni Agnelli, Enzo Ferrari, Soïchiro Honda, Jackie Stewart, Gilles Villeneuve, Nick Mason, and Quentin Tarantino. And of course there are the machines themselves, those cars which play starring on- and off- screen roles.

Part history, part tales of driving, these stories profile drivers, manufacturers, and designers and will whet the appetite of anyone interested in cars, racing, and their histories.

Robert Puyal has been an automobile journalist for thirty years and specializes in motor-sports and the history of car makes and models.

Published by Flammarion

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Behind-Wheel-Great-Automobile-Aficionados/dp/2080301543/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1294251456&sr=1-1

Hot Brands Cool Places Verdict
Another sumptuous book from Flammarion, beautifully photographed, a wonderful step back in time, and presenting a fascinating history of motor sports, from the celebrities, the cars and how they were constructed. A fascinating read, a wonderful gift for any lover of motor-sports.