Neil Ward picks his top five books for motoring fans, the ideal present for anyone with an interest in cars.

GRAND PRIX BATTLE GROUNDS
A Comprehensive Guide to all Formula 1 Circuits Since 1950
Christopher Hilton
Publication: Out Now ” Format: Hardback
RRP: £40.00 ” ISBN: 978 1 84425 694 5

Since 1950, Formula 1 World Championship rounds have been contested at 66 circuits, giving the sport a global presence – and each circuit was unique; some fearsome, some fabled, some in ordinary streets, some riding the contours of the land.

Here, for the first time, each circuit is described in unprecedented detail: it’s history, every track change, every one of it’s races, a view from the cockpit and from the grandstand, every winner, every fastest lap. The engaging text is supported by an immense panorama of pictures and memorabilia, much of it never seen before including illustrations showing the layout of each circuit and detailing every corner.

Christopher Hilton is a highly respected motor sport author. His books from Haynes include The Brawn Story, Grand Prix Century, Grand Prix Showdown and best selling autobiographies of Ayrton Senna and Michael Schumacher.

THE BATTLE FOR THE BRITISH GRAND PRIX
The Inside Story of the Fight to Save Britain’s Biggest Motor Race
Alan Henry
Publication: Out Now ” Format: Hardback
RRP: £19.99 ” ISBN: 978 1 84425 974 8

The Battle for the British Grand Prix tells the turbulent, colourful and often controversial story of how the future of one of the UK’s iconic sporting events was successfully secured after a protracted and controversial battle which lasted from 1999, when Brands Hatch tried to take over it’s rival circuit, Silverstone, through the following decade.

It leads right up to the successful conclusion in 2010 when Silverstone saw off a second bid from Donnington Park to secure the long term future of the jewel in Britain’s motor racing crown.

Alan Henry, a regular Formula 1 contributor to The Guardian, is Grand Prix editor of Autocar Magazine, editor of the Autocourse annual and consultant to Speed TV in the USA. He has been involved in this story from the inside as he served as a BRDC board member from 2004 to 2006.

Landrover Defender
Author: Martin & Simon Hodder
ISBN 978 1 84425 710 2 £19.99

Unless you have been living under a rock on an outlying Pacific island for many years the profile of a Defender is instantly recognisable almost anywhere in the world and much has been written on these iconic vehicles. So, how does this book add to this plethora of information?

Simple. This is an enthusiast’s guide very clearly written which provides information on all the models and the changes that have been made over the years and how Defenders have been used (and abused) over the years with clear explanation of the logic behind why changes were made.

What I especially liked was the no-nonsense approach taken by the authors to some of the shortcomings of these vehicles and the provision of practical advice on how to go about alleviating some of them.

The layout of the book is also well thought out and has panels in each chapter with ‘Did you know’ facts in them and in most cases I did not know. .

If you were looking to buy your first Defender this book would be a good start as all the information good and bad is here and presented very clearly. If you already own a Defender this book will certainly add to your knowledge and provides a clear history as to the heritage of one of Britain’s modern day icons both on and off road

Range Rover — The Anniversary Guide
Author: Mike Gould
ISBN 978-1-907085-05-5
£TBA

I have a theory about the new electronic readers that are now becoming a more familiar way of digesting the printed word and the book I have in front of me now succinctly demonstrates it.

The black glossy cover and presentation of the Range Rovers on the front instantly grabs your attention and invites you to delve further in to the pages, even though the title, The Anniversary Guide did not fire my imagination in the same way.

If this had been an electronic book the review may have stopped there as I would, wrongly assumed that this book was aimed directly at those individuals who wear anoraks and can rattle on endlessly.

Far from being a technical manual, although there is certainly a huge amount of information of this nature included, the reader is taken on a journey through the development of one of the worlds most admired cars that is now 40 years old and still going strong.

More accurately to my mind the book represents a complete detailed history of the Range Rover with sumptuous detail, fascinating photographs, original advertisements and informative writing.

The author Mike Gould has achieved a rare balance with this book by presenting facts, figures and technical information in a way that draws the reader in. It is one of those items on a coffee that demands your attention. If you are a fan of the Range Rover then this book is an essential companion.

The Road To Muckle Flugga Great drives in five continents – Phil Llewellin
Foreword by Jeremy Clarkson
Publication: August 2010 ” Format: Paperback
RRP: £9.99 ” ISBN: 978 0 85733 003 1

Some times moving, never predictable and always entertaining, This is a thoroughly enjoyable read that will make you gasp and grin.

‘The great affair is to move,’ said Robert Louis Stevenson. His words are echoed in this collection of stories by Phil Llewellin, an award-winning writer from Oswestry, who roamed the world from the Arctic Circle to Patagonia, driving in everything from modern and classic cars to powerful American trucks.

Meticulously researched and packed with information, humour and interesting photographs, The Road to Muckle Flugga spans five continents and proves that exploring in anything from four to 18 wheels can be fun — and dangerous.

This book, which received high critical acclaim when first published in hardback in 2004, chronicles some of his most exciting journeys.

The late Phil Llewellin, described by Octane magazine as ‘motoring’s own Bill Bryson’, was an award-winning writer whose adventures enthralled readers of leading magazines and newspapers worldwide.

His two million motoring miles — in everything from classic cars to powerful American trucks — took him to wild places like Afghanistan, China, Sudan, Alaska and Borneo. He went to the end of the world’s southernmost road in Tierra del Fuego and, of course, to Muckle Flugga, the northernmost point of the British Isles. Now in paperback, this highly readable book chronicles some of his most exciting journeys.

Phil Llewellin, who died in 2005, was an award-winning writer whose adventures enthralled readers of leading magazines and newspapers worldwide.