Automobile Year

The fifty-second edition of Automobile Year, published in December, will continue the format and high standards that the annual has established over half a century.

As usual, the 2004/5 edition includes reports on all the world's major motor sports championships and expert analysis of activity in the world's major automobile manufacturing areas.

There's a rundown of new cars introduced during the year and informed comment on the exciting stars of the international motor shows - the concept cars that foreshadow what designers are planning for the cars of tomorrow.

Printed almost entirely in colour, Automobile Year is renowned for the quality of its illustrations.

Top photographers record the excitement of Formula 1, World Rallies, Le Mans and other endurance races and major championships from Europe and the USA.

The same high quality photographs also capture the beauty of the latest limousines and sports cars.

As background to the record of the year just past, there are specialist features, covering varied aspects of cars both past and present. These include stories on how Bentley has thrived under VW's ownership, a range of superbly detailed model cars, the designs of Italian engineer Bizzarini and the return of cars and drivers to Le Mans this summer reflecting fifty years of the circuit's history.

Place those alongside features as diverse as a look at European managers in the Japanese motor industry and a look at the car in the world of the comic-strip and you have a fascinating publication that is ideally timed for the Christmas present market.