The Key 2022, The Top of the Classic Car World

Antonio Ghini, editor

It’s that time of year . . . the TCCT Yearbook. The data you have come to rely on (or dread?) and new topics that are so off the beaten path you don’t know what to make of them. Exercise the grey matter!

The Greatest Escape

by Martin Barratt

RAF Bomber Command’s slogan was “the bomber will always get through.” But not necessarily back. Almost 45% of their aircrews died in WWII. Almost 10,000 were captured, and many kept their stories to themselves. This is one of them.

The Michelin Man, 100 Years of Bibendum

by Olivier Darmon

One of the world’s oldest trademarks still in active use, Bib has been around for longer than there have been cars. His custodians over the decades embraced change to their mascot, just as the times around him changed, and that’s what this book shows.

The Cartier Tank Watch 

by Franco Cologni

Is it the Porsche 911 of wristwatches? Todays’ model looks recognizably like the very first one from over a hundred years ago yet each iteration pushes design and technology forward and so remains as relevant as ever.

NASCAR 75 Years

by Pearce, Hembree, Crandall, Creed

No matter what you think about the racing action, as an organization and business NASCAR is an uncommon success with staying power. What started as 40 races in the first season has grown to over 1,500 sanctioned events in multiple countries.

Racing the Silver Arrows

by Chris Nixon

Two German teams dominated Grand Prix racing because of their technical superiority made possible by enormous government investment into the racing programs but also the companies overall because of their military value.

Forty Six: The Birth of Porsche Motorsport

by Bill Wagenblatt (Editor)

Right in time for the 100th anniversary of the race at which this car won its class as Porsche’s first postwar works entry this book tells its colorful story in forensic detail. How the provenance of the car was proven is amazing, and it raises the bar for “doing right” by historically important vehicles.

Corvette; Legend or Myth & Zora’s Marque of Excellence

by Kenneth W. Kayser

The Corvette program began in the 1950s and you’d think by now every morsel of data has been turned over multiple times and the canon is rock solid. Well, this deep dive by a retired GM engineer offers new wrinkles—and he shows the internal docs to prove it.

Bugatti: The Italian Decade

by Gautam Sen

An Italian Bugatti? No matter its inglorious end it was a fine, capable car quite unlike anything else. Big names were involved. Big money was spent—on building it and on buying it.

Superbears—The Story of Hesketh Racing

by James Page

Need something to do on the weekends? Got a pile of money? Why, let’s start a racing team! It’s 1972. Their caterer had better credentials than their—unemployed—driver. The opposition laughed, but not for long.

The Spirit of the Age

by Davide Bassoli

Hardly the sexiest Rolls-Royces and Bentleys ever but for their buyers they were the only game in town at that segment of the market. Over their 20-year production run many modifications were made, not least the first-ever disappearing mascot.

Chrysler 300: America’s Most Powerful Car

by Robert Ackerson

The “banker’s hot rod” was not an ordinary car. The 300 has a deservedly proud history, which is why Chrysler keeps bringing the nameplate back. To learn how it all started check out this book.