The ultimate car book-a love letter to the most beautiful 86 cars ever manufactured by an award -winning car columnist and important cultural and design critic. The story of the car is the story of how objects of industry became a medium of artistic expression. Memorials of our tastes, yearnings, and capabilities, these machines have layers of meaning and can (as Henry Ford knew) be read like a book . . if only you know how. Stephen Bayley, car columnist, design authority and cultural commentator knows how, and in this opinionated volume, presents a spectacular study of achievements in car design. Bayley's 86 favorite designs range from the 1908 Ford Model T, to the 1961 Jaguar E-Type, to the 2003 BMW 5. All presented in chronological order, each automobile also makes a statement about the national character of the country of manufacture. In addition, hundreds of ravishing photographs (including full-body, interior and detail shots) and an elegant slipcase, make CARS the perfect gift book for all car enthusiasts and design aficionados. (2009)