The Hillman Imp divides opinions perhaps more sharply than any other car in British motoring history. You either love it or hate it. The Rootes Group's answer to the BMC Mini, the Hillman Imp was built in a purpose-built factory in Linwood, Glasgow, and it was hoped that it represented the beginning of a new era for the Scottish motor industry. With the help of interviews with key members of the design team, and unprecedented research of official papers, the story of the design and development of this quirky little car is set against the complex commercial and political intrigue that surrounded it, making this book not just the story of a car but a fascinating insight into an industry in crisis.
Book Description
Product Details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
More About the Author
Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.
Customer Reviews
|
Share your thoughts with other customers:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fascinating history about a fascinating car,
By Daantjie Badenhorst "Daantjie Badenhorst" (Pretoria, South Africa) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Imp: The Complete Story (Hardcover)
When the Rootes group decided to take on the likes of the Mini and the Ford Anglia, they decided to do something completely different.
This is the story of the Hillman Imp and its derivatives,cars that were supposed to cause a revolution in the automotive industry, but did not live up to its full potential. Mowat-Brown has long been an Imp enthusiast, and although one would have expected Graham Robson to tell their story, he does a very good job of it. Not only is the development history of these cars discussed in detail, but a lot of space is given to the story of the Linwood plant in Scotland that produced nothing but the Imp during its entire production life. All the problems surrounding the car are also extensively covered. Many of the Imp derivatives, like the stunning Sunbeam Stiletto, the Singer Chamois and the Hillman Husky are also included. However, this is where my only real criticism of the book needs to be mentioned. Where is the Clan Crusader, which was built on the Imp chassis, and what about the Zagato Zimp? The inclusion of the latter car is difficult to understand, because although it was scrapped with the introduction of the Stiletto and the other coupe models, it was a significant model in the Imp's history. Otherwise, this is a fascinating history. It is a shame that the Imp was not quite a success, and that it was eventually neglected. If you like these cars, you will enjoy this book.
Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
|
|
Tag this product(What's this?)Think of a tag as a keyword or label you consider is strongly related to this product.
Tags will help all customers organize and find favorite items. |
Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store
If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store.
Learn more
