Lost Cars Archives - The History Press https://thehistorypress.co.uk/collection/lost-cars/ Independent non-fiction publisher Mon, 08 Sep 2025 16:35:33 +0000 en-GB hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.8.2 https://thehistorypress.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/cropped-favicon-32x32.png Lost Cars Archives - The History Press https://thehistorypress.co.uk/collection/lost-cars/ 32 32 Lost Cars of the 1960s https://thehistorypress.co.uk/publication/lost-cars-of-the-1960s/ Tue, 12 Aug 2025 04:01:21 +0000 https://thehistorypress.co.uk/publication/lost-cars-of-the-1960s/ Sixty diverse cars, sixty fascinating stories, sixty contrasting specifications, just one uniting factor: they’re all forgotten, neglected or misunderstood classics. What is that car? Think you know it? Take another look; is it really what you remember? The 1960s may be regarded as the cradle of the classic car, but these are the tantalising ones […]

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What is that car? Think you know it? Take another look; is it really what you remember? The 1960s may be regarded as the cradle of the classic car, but these are the tantalising ones that got away. Giles Chapman has assembled a line-up of contrasting automobiles here, which quickly became obscure. Each of the cars you’ll discover here tells an unusual story, and the endings are often surprising. In this turbulent decade, brave new engine technology was championed and then rejected, design trends suddenly exploded, and car-buyers became unpredictable. The cars in this book sometimes suffered as a result – although some of them were actually just plain odd! Lost Cars of the 1960s is the final part of a trilogy that includes Lost Cars of the 1940s and ’50s and Lost Cars of the 1970s, recording the intriguing sideshows of motoring history from around the world.

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]]> Lost Cars of the 1940s and ’50s https://thehistorypress.co.uk/publication/lost-cars-of-the-1940s-and-50s/ Fri, 20 Jun 2025 04:02:16 +0000 https://thehistorypress.co.uk/publication/lost-cars-of-the-1940s-and-50s/ Sixty diverse cars, sixty fascinating stories, sixty contrasting specifications, just one uniting factor: they’re all forgotten, neglected or misunderstood classics. Motoring in the 1940s and ’50s spanned from post-war austerity to the you’ve-never-had-it-so-good era. It was a time when engines gained more power, suspension became more cosseting, the chassis frame was rendered a thing of […]

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Motoring in the 1940s and ’50s spanned from post-war austerity to the you’ve-never-had-it-so-good era. It was a time when engines gained more power, suspension became more cosseting, the chassis frame was rendered a thing of the past, and styling followed jet fighters and later space rockets. Many cars found success across the world, but others barely got off the ground and quickly vanished from our collective consciousness.

In Lost Cars of the 1940s and ’50s, award-winning author Giles Chapman presents an all-new selection of the intriguing strays of the car world. Rarely seen archive and contemporary images bring daring new designs, economy models and some extraordinary luxury cars back to life … even if they misfire once again in the process.

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]]> Lost Cars of the 1970s https://thehistorypress.co.uk/publication/lost-cars-of-the-1970s/ Fri, 20 Jun 2025 04:02:17 +0000 https://thehistorypress.co.uk/publication/lost-cars-of-the-1970s/ Sixty diverse cars, sixty fascinating stories, sixty contrasting specifications, just one uniting factor: they’re all forgotten, neglected or misunderstood classics. In Lost Cars of the 1970s, the casualties and sideshows of motoring history from around the world finally get the recognition they deserve. Revisit a motoring decade when fuel economy was top priority, the rotary […]

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]]> Sixty diverse cars, sixty fascinating stories, sixty contrasting specifications, just one uniting factor: they’re all forgotten, neglected or misunderstood classics.

In Lost Cars of the 1970s, the casualties and sideshows of motoring history from around the world finally get the recognition they deserve. Revisit a motoring decade when fuel economy was top priority, the rotary engine rose and fell, and car buyers wanted a hatchback and the latest styling and safety features. Those that made the grade found global popularity – now meet the cars left behind.

Italy’s clever plan to update the Mini; the French GT coupé with an extra seat; America’s electric runabout that paved the way for Tesla; Britain’s stylish, homespun sports cars; the Japanese limo intended to do 25mph; the ‘safety car’ turned into a Polish workhorse … each one enjoys a detailed review that gives the context and thinking around them. Featuring archive images that highlight thirty design specials and one-offs, award-winning author Giles Chapman showcases both the cars that predicted what was to come, and those that pointed to a future that never quite came true.

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