CARS –
First Edition.
Australians and Their Cars: 100 Years of Motoring is a landmark 2003 automotive history book by renowned motoring journalist Bill Tuckey. It documents a century of Australia’s automotive culture, highlighting how the car transformed Australian society.
The book details the rich tapestry of motoring in Australia across key eras and milestones:
- The Early Days: The “love affair” with the automobile began around the turn of the 20th century, which quickly fostered local coachbuilders like Holden, as well as early homegrown attempts like the Australian Six.
- The Holden Boom: The release of the 48-215 (Australia’s first mass-produced, locally built car) in 1948 permanently linked Australian culture to the open road.
- The Muscle Car Era: The cultural rivalry between Holden and Ford escalated, resulting in iconic vehicles like the Monaro, Torana, and Ford Falcon GTs dominating both the streets and the Mount Panorama circuit at Bathurst.
- Adapting to the Land: Vehicles were specifically engineered to survive the harsh outback, deep river crossings, and vast distances that defined the Australian continent.
- 160 p. : ill., ports. ; 30 cm. (Light edge wear to jacket.) #130626