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Car Wars: The International Giants & The World They Made |
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Book Details |
Library |
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Author |
Jonathan Mantle |
Category |
Non-Fiction |
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Publisher |
MacMillan |
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Country |
Great Britain |
Personal |
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Read it |
Yes |
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Year Published |
1995 |
Date Read |
25/06/2006 |
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ISBN |
033361867 |
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Edition |
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Printing |
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Acquired from |
Marlborough Library |
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Binding |
Hardcover |
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Pages |
241 |
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Overview |
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One hundred years ago there were six experimental cars. Today, jammed bumper to bumper one a three-lane motorway, the earths three hundred and fifty million cars would stretch for two hundred thousand miles – eight time around the world and two-thirds of the way to the moon. The car manufacturers themselves have grown beyond national status and have become players in the global marketplace. 'Car Wars' takes the reader on a rollercoaster ride down the motorways and back roads of the 2nd half of the 20th century as it tells the history of the world as seen through the development of the car industry. The first true biography of the motor car, it narrates a struggle that began with the end of one war and developed into the economic and political equivalent of another. For beneath the activities of these global companies lie all the forces of nationalism – as the car manufacturers grow ever more competitive and powerful the signs are that in the 21st century they will be the focus of economic conflict between nations. |
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Comment |
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The first thing that struck me about this book was that it hardly mentioned Ford – the original motor car and the first to use an assembly line – very little. The book begins with Hitler and his demand for a People's Car – what became the VW Beetle (including the idea that Hitler named it, saying it looked like a beetle). It tracks the European history of the motor car, the rise and fall of the British car manufacturing industry, and the apparent theft of the Beetle concept. The woes of GM are detailed, including the sixty-odd thousand applying for seven thousand jobs. The assault mounted by the Japanese on both the American and European markets was only surprising in that none of the American or European companies adopted the successful idea of a small, economical car. I was surprised at how much importance and how much influence the car companies have had, both in their own countries and the places they exported to. I learnt quite a bit from this book, which is totally stuffed with information, presented in an easy-to-digest style with a good touch of humour. Was an enjoyable read, but I get the impression that leaving out the beginnings of the motor car – the release and growth of Ford – might have been a mistake. It made me wonder what other bits and pieces are left so the author can present a nice, smooth picture. |
