This book is unique. It is a compendium of wonderful automotive treasure, as discovered. With the passage of time all cars became worthless and unloved, no matter how eminent. Racing cars inevitably became uncompetitive and redundant. Many vehicles passed into scrapyards, the motoring equivalent of a cemetery, or simply rotted away.

Today, of course, we value, covet and preserve the work of great designers, engineers and coachbuilders, and their creations give enormous pleasure to many, whether it be in ownership, driving, competing or simply as historic objects to be admired when on display. All will have a story – sometimes sad, sometimes heroic.

Many of the more esoteric car companies produced machines that were not only engineering masterpieces but also great works of art:

• Famous coachbuilders featured include Pinin Farina, Zagato, Touring, Vignale, Saoutchik and Bertone.
• Grand Prix cars, sports racers, Formula 2 cars, CanAm cars, Formula Junior single-seaters and more.
• Legendary racers including several ‘Birdcage’ Maseratis, a Matra Le Mans car, Ferrari Testa Rossa…
• Cars formerly owned by Nuvolari, Chiron and Fangio.
• Porsche racers including examples of 917, 906, 718 RSK ‘Mittellenker’, 910, 904, 550 RSK Spyder, 911 RS, 910/8 ‘Bergspyder’, RS 60…
• Unique cars, prototypes, specials and unidentified vehicles, race team transporters, crashed cars and pedal cars.