Automobile Year 2003/04

By Ian Norris ISBN 2883240698, Published by EditionsJR, £35.00

Thankfully, some things don’t change: Automobile Year is a welcome constant.

The only book of high standing that reports on motorsport and road cars, it is an attractive if idiosyncratic annual. Its usual coverage of the year’s new cars and the concepts that might make production in years to come are augmented by quirky features on the state of the American auto business, one on pre-war great Tazio Nuvolari, another on the early days of the Japanese motor industry, and even one asking whether sports utility vehicles are matchless or useless.

The motorsport section is more straightforward: David Tremayne supplies an overview of Formula One, and a selection of other specialist journalists chart the American scene, sportscars, Formula 3000, touring cars and the World Rally Championship. This is supported by a results section that includes an hour-by-hour ‘lap chart’ for the Le Mans 24 Hours.

Interesting, as always. BSJ