BOOK REVIEW: ICONIC CLASSIC CARS

This is a book with what seems like a rather boastful double word title (Iconic Classic) but, in truth, does a fine job of not only postulating what those “Iconic Classic” cars are by name, but artfully photographing them in their native environs and giving us a page or two of intriguing highlights about each machine.

There are twenty-five machines so honored here.

Each reminiscence is cleanly written with the story behind the vehicle and a bit about its significance in the passing parade of four-wheel wonder cars. 

The 25-car litany leads off rather abruptly with a metallic blue and green Ferrari 166MM Barchetta from 1949 that just happens to be the first production model that the fledgling post-war factory produced. 

It’s bold, squared-off bodywork birthing an era of Ferrari road cars that were just barely civilized after their work as full combat racing models.

As billboarded by this one's title, the icon count here is 25—and there’s not a single car here that this writer would disqualify and only a handful of personal favorites (the Lotus 7, perhaps? Or maybe the unloved but true supercar Porsche 928S?) that I might deign to add.*

A nice feature here, in addition to some interesting and straightforward text, is a full-page portrait of each machine with a quick rundown caption below that lists the year(s) of manufacture, the number of units produced, the motor configuration, horsepower, and top speed.

From the (truly “iconic”) sweep of the gullwing doors of the vaunted Mercedes 300SL to the sleek, simple, straightforward, super clean lines of the 1968 Lamborghini Miura roadster and on to the “blunt instrument: lack of any artifice of the 289 Shelby Cobra”, in each case each car is here presented in relatively short (but information-packed) two to four page “talks” that are as cleanly-written as the hundreds (literally) photos that anchor this one.

Just below is the full roster of the twenty-five cars that are recognized in this book. And you’re right! It’s a formidable ensemble if ever there was one. Classic, Iconic, timeless, and in more than a couple of cases here, pretty darn bad-ass.

Each listing has a clever subtitle; we won’t reveal all of them here, but that GTO Ferrari is well characterized as the “Gioconda of Ferraris”, the Lancia Stratos is pegged perfectly as“Straight From Another Planet”, and the Mercedes 300SL is very aptly ennobled with “The Wings of Stardom”. -DS

NOTE: If you can’t find two, three, or maybe even four of your all-time favorites lovingly listed in the regal round-up above, you might well be reading the wrong book review.

* Of course, the thought of a sequel: “ More Iconic Classic Cars” must occur to many.