Written and photographed by Dennis Adler, The Art of the Automobile takes the reader back to the very beginning, to a small workshop in Mannheim, Germany. From there, Adler traces the history of the automobile, from the American automakers, including Packard and Duesenberg, to European manufacturers like Porsche and Ferrari, for more than 110 years. We learn about how the automobile grew into one of the most "cherished and influential inventions" known to man. Adler’s photographs of these gems are spectacular in their ability to tell a story. Not only do we view these vehicles in their splendor, but we see into their character.

One of the world’s leading photojournalists, Adler has published more than 5,000 articles and photographs on cars. The Art of the Automobile is his twelfth book, and a lavish display of some of the world’s most prestigious automobiles. The first patented motor-driven carriage came in 1886, produced by Carl Benz. Since that time, there have been many makes and models that have come and gone. The automobiles featured in The Art of the Automobile are from several car collections in the United States, including the Nethercutt Collection, the Otis Chandler Vintage Museum of Transportation & Wildlife, the Robert M. Lee Collection, the Jerry J. Moore Collection, the Dr. Joseph A. Murphy Collection, the Blackhawk Collection, among others. Jay Leno’s collection is also among the chosen ones. The Meguiar family, maker of car polishes and waxes, lent support to the author for this project. Adler is a member of the Meguiar’s committee, which selects and pays tribute to each year, those individuals who have excelled in the automotive hobby.

"How do you pick The Top 100 cars out of thousands of makes and models," the author asks in the introduction to the book. He gives us some idea. First, he writes, you define "great," then you ask the collectors and enthusiasts. When questioned, the antique car collector will say technology is the criteria to use when choosing the best automobiles. The broad-minded collector who owns a variety of cars from antiques to classics will be biased toward the "best cars of their time, in their time." Every automobile chosen for the top 100 greatest had to possess exceptional styling, advanced engineering or have influenced the automotive world in some way. Hence, the addition of cars as diverse as the VW Beetle and the Model J Duesenberg.

Some of the 100 greatest cars featured in The Art of the Automobile won’t surprise; some will. For the car enthusiast and aficionado, there are probably few models they won’t recognize. However, for the average person, there are automobiles that won’t be remotely familiar, such as the 1933 Hispano-Suiza J12 (one of the "best-built automobiles in Europe"), the Delage D8 120 Delta Sport Cabriolet (French), and the Talbot —Lago T150 SS Teardrop Coupe (France). Then, of course, there are those specimens of auto-excellence most will resonate with, the Volkswagen Beetle (1946), Ford Mustang (1964 _), 1955 Ford Thunderbird, and the 1957-58 Chevrolet Corvette and 1963 Split-Window Coupe Corvette. Along with Ferrari, Cord, Duesenberg, Packard, Chrysler, Mercedes-Benz and Porsche, there is an automobile for everyone’s taste.

Some of the cars chosen and photographed for The Art of the Automobile are one-of-a-kind, hand-built, custom-produced automobiles, originally built for film stars and various dignitaries. There are also those automobiles that changed history; for instance; the Volkswagen Beetle, Ford Mustang and Chevrolet Corvette. Many spin-offs resulted from these three classics. Every automobile manufacturer could only dream of producing an automobile that would bring as much success and popularity as these three did.

In the back of the book, Adler also publishes an alphabetical list of "The Second 100 Greatest Cars." Included among its prestigious members are the 1955 Jaguar D-type, 1954 Jaguar XK-140MC Roadster, 1957 Lotus, 1959 Mercedes-Benz 220 SE Cabriolet, 1968 Triumph, and one of my all-time favorites the 1948 Tucker.

Reading The Art of the Automobile, one learns that what is old is new. As noted by Jay Leno in the foreward, "almost everything we consider modern today, such as overhead camshafts, four-and-five-valve heads, and the use of lightweight alloys, existed within the first quarter-century of the automobile." Adler makes the statement that there are more great cars behind us than ahead. The majority of cars chosen for his 100 greatest list were manufactured before 1950, and the greatest advances in engineering and design took place between the turn of the century and the beginning of World War II. The balance of essential cars, notes Adler, are those of the 1950s, when the automobile was rediscovered; the 1960s, "when America rediscovered itself," and the 1970s, when automakers began to reconsider the large automobile as gas-guzzler.

Perhaps obvious in their absence, to some enthusiasts, would be such makes as the Chevrolet Corvair and the Ford Edsel. When attempting to include the "world’s" greatest cars in the top 100, those with more individuality took precedence. When compared to European cars such as the Jaguar XK-120, the Cord or Duesenberg, there is no comparison between the coachbuilding and engineering of these classics, to the modern technology of the mass-produced Corvair. As the author reminds us, there isn’t one list of classic automobiles that doesn’t include such greats as Packard, Bugatti and the rarest of automobiles Hispano-Suiza. Cars that also show up with some frequency on Adler’s Top 100 list include the postwar sports cars, a few that evolved from factory-sponsored racing programs.

Adler’s first few pages in The Art of the Automobile carry pictures and history of the "Top Ten Cars of the Century;" makes and models that appear on virtually all Top Ten lists. Included on this list are the Model J Duesenberg, Mercedes-Benz 540K, Packard Twelve, Hispano-Suiza J 12, Bugatti Type 57SC, Talbot-Lago T150 SS Teardrop Coupe, Delage D8 120 Aero Coupe, Mercer Raceabout, Ferrari 250 GTO, Mercedes-Benz 300SL. Found on every list compiled in the past 20 years, a Duesenberg model is the most famous American car of the classic era, and can claim more $1 million cars than any other marque. The Mercedes-Benz 540K Special Roadster and Special Coupe is of the rarest and most expensive collector cars known, always ranking in the top ten. The Packard Twelve has the distinction of being one of the best-built cars of the 1930s. More of these exist today than any other American classic. The Bugatti Type 57S and SC Bugatti rank among the best-styled of high-performance sports cars of the 1930s, and the Talbot-Lago, one of the most desirable classic cars of all time.

A handsome design, the Delage D8 120 Aero Coupe was originally built for display at the 1939 New York World’s Fair, and is one of the rarest automobiles from the 1930s. The Mercer Raceabout is renown for being one of the most advanced automobile designs of the early 1900s, and indeed, it resembles something much more advanced than might be expected in 1900. For racing enthusiasts, the Ferrari 250 GTO can’t be beat, for both its unique design and awe-inspiring performance. It has become the "rarest and most desirable road/race car ever to bear the Cavallino Rampante emblem," writes the author. And finally, the Mercedes-Benz 300SL, another unique design, featuring the gullwing door design. The most recognized sports car, the MB 300SL was a much-mimiced design, however, for all the automakers that tried it, including DeLorean, it spelled disaster.

The Art of the Automobile is a magnificent book, whether you display it on the proverbial coffee table, or give it a prominent spot on the bookshelf. Adler’s photographs are unequaled in detail, composition and positioning. There is one particularly striking shot of a 1935Auburn 851 Boattail Speedster resting in a field of yellowish-orange flowers. Portraying auto excellence at its best, this photograph would make even the non-believer drool.

A little history of the Meguiar family business and its car-care products is given by Barry Meguiar, with mention that the company too, is celebrating its 100^th anniversary. Since 1901, there have been four generations of Meguiars who were not only car enthusiasts, but served in one capacity or another in the family business. The maker of car polishes and waxes, Meguiar’s products were originally used only in assembly plants, car dealerships, body shops, restoration shops, and by serious car collectors. Over the years, rising demand from the public forced Meguiar to offer their products for sale. It was then that a whole line of car-care products was created for sale through retailers. Reviewed by Susan Frissell, Ph.D., for Cars.com.

CATEGORIES: Automotive; Automobile-history; car culture; car collectors;

KEYWORDS: Automotive; Adler, Dennis, author; photography--automobiles