Pontiac Concept & Show Cars

by Don Keefe

Pontiac was once an important test bed for new ideas and this book by an expert’s expert covers almost 70 years of concept cars and traces their influence on production models.

Mercedes-Benz WINNING! 120 Years on the World’s Greatest Race Tracks and in India

by Adil Jal Darukhanawala

A high-level overview of M-B’s global racing history and, probably for the first time in the West, an account of the marque’s passenger and commercial cars in India

U.S. Army Aircraft (Heavier-Than-Air) 1908–1946

by James C. Fahey

A 70-year-old booklet that once cost all of $1 and is still relevant today catalogs US Army airplanes from the earliest contraptions to the postwar jets.

Thus Spake David E.

by David E. Davis

An acquired taste, and best to consume the bombast in small doses. Still, a distinctive and colourful voice that immeasurably enriched automotive journalism.

A.T.S., The Italian Team That Challenged Ferrari

by Michael John Lazzari

Readers steeped in Ferrari history know about the “Palace revolt” of 1961. ATS is a direct result of that and a thorough account of this episode would be a worthy addition to the literature. This book could be it—if you speak Italian well enough to make sense of this English translation.

Street Muses of London

by Davide Bassoli

If you like to see London change over three decades, this is a splendid book. If you like to see its streets teeming with Rolls-Royces and Bentleys old and new, this is the only book. Almost 1000 photos tell the story.

Armed with Abundance

by Meredith H. Lair

Not every soldier serves in the trenches. In fact, 9 out of 10 are in the rear echelons, away from the fight—and often near to entertainment and recreation. What do they do in their downtime? This book about the non-combat experiences of U.S. soldiers offers civilians a quite unexpected perspective.

Maserati: The Evolution of Style

by Roberto Iasoni, Photos by Roberto Carrer

Forget the brand or that this is about a car: if you have an affinity for the storytelling power of images, you’ll like this book.

The Indy Car Wars

by Sigur E. Whitaker

As motorsports go, Indy racing draws the most eyeballs in the US but the sport’s troubled history remains a polarizing topic. This book takes a stab at unraveling the complicated and often unsavory backstory.

1964 Watson Sheraton Thompson Special

by Donald Davidson, photos by Peter Harholdt

The actual car survives to this day, exactly as it finished its dominant 1964 season which included an Indy win. A short book but expertly written and photographed.

Classic Fighters Colouring Book

by Dariusz Grzywacz

Leaving aside the question of whether children should be coloring warplanes, this book offers 3-views and outlines of 15 aircraft, along with brief specs and a few words as to their purpose. There are worse ways to spend $5.50 . . .

The Cars of Harley Earl

by David W. Temple

A fine survey not just of specific cars Earl’s fertile mind dreamed up but also of the why and how that guide a product designer’s thinking.