A world without cars would be unrecognizable. They have altered the shape of our cities, transformed our nations and landscapes, revolutionised the way we make and buy things, and profoundly influenced our relationship with speed itself.

From the Ford Model T and the legacy of mass production, to the GM LaSalle and the birth of style and obsolescence, and from the original Volkswagen expression of national identity to the GM Firebird and the desire for frictionless movement, this book presents the car as the driving force that accelerated the twentieth century. It takes an in-depth look at the history of the automobile and its impact, to better understand where we might want to go in the future.



Published to accompany the V&A's exhibition Cars: Accelerating the Modern World (5 October 2019 - 20 April 2020)