Customer Reviews

The Car Design Yearbook 4: The Definitive Annual Guide to All New Concept And Production Cars Worldwide

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This volume continues the format and quality of volumes 1-3, with the same strengths (beautiful photos, appealing coffee table appearance, etc.) and weaknesses (commentary isn't always helpful; every car gets about the same depth of coverage, whether it's a production-ready Fiat or an amazing concept car). If you liked the earlier editions, you'll enjoy this one too.

For those who want a great record of the automotive year in review, this series has assembled a great collection of photos, from corporate press kits distributed to media at auto shows. The comments by Steven Newbury verbally describe the designs in the photos and provide his personal critiques, which are at times baffling. More in-depth stories behind the designs, the development of the concept and the team behind it would make for more entertaining reading. The designer profiles in the back of the book are more interesting. Enjoy leafing through the photos and the attractive format in which the material has been assembled.

A great annual collection of showcars as well as production cars and focusses on the design aspects rather than pure cost and performance lists that other car yearbooks often do.
A little section with designer interviews is very entertaining.

The images are plenty and nice but could as always be bigger, better and more, especially for the concept cars of which you usually wouldn't find much media coverage. Overall a great reference series to go back to!

it would be interesting to create a book of design reviews like the one Automobile magazine publishes monthly...

This is one of the coolest yearbooks around, especially if you like to stay updated on cars that came out last year. These books are excellent reference for years to come.

The book is divided in to different sections, or topics which change from year to year so they are well worth buying each year.

Each car is given 2 pages of awesome pictures and informative text and the layout is nice and clean.

The one thing I don't like too much about these books is the use of pictures, I think there are too few in some cases. Some cars are shown in only 2 pictures, sometimes the text describes the interior or the rear end of the car but there are no pictures of it. It seems graphic style and consistency goes before content, meaning the layout is too rigid.

But having said that I still think this book and all the others in this series are well worth the money and a must for anyone interested in the latest cars, both production and prototype.

Many fine pictures of sports and performance cars of major and minor marques; with excellent informed commentary on their characteristics and design heritage. Presentation layout is well done in a convenient sized volume.

It will take an in-depth automotive fan to appreciate the very technical The Car Design Yearbook 5 - but any fan of automotive design will find this an essential addition to the latest concept and production cars around the world, representing the fifth installment in Merrell Publishers' yearbook series. Here are A-Z profiles of all such cars of the last 12 months - over a hundred of them - showing exteiror and interior designs and technical machine layout. The profiles on leading auto designers is also an important feature, covering leading designers. Jam-packed with color photos throughout, this is a survey no transportation collection should be without.

Diane C. Donovan

California Bookwatch

It will take an in-depth automotive fan to appreciate the very technical The Car Design Yearbook 5 - but any fan of automotive design will find this an essential addition to the latest concept and production cars around the world, representing the fifth installment in Merrell Publishers' yearbook series. Here are A-Z profiles of all such cars of the last 12 months - over a hundred of them - showing exteiror and interior designs and technical machine layout. The profiles on leading auto designers is also an important feature, covering leading designers. Jam-packed with color photos throughout, this is a survey no transportation collection should be without.

Diane C. Donovan

California Bookwatch

Best bang for the buck as car books go. Excellent and Current info.

i have all the books in the collection, and this one is a great addition to it.

Every year I attempt to buy one of these books. Every year they either show up months after Christmas or not at all. Sorry for the bad review but it is what it is.