CONTINENTAL JOURNEYS by Davide Bassoli is the definitive history on the Bentley R-Type and Bentley S-Series Continental Models from 1952 to 1956. 

Hardcover in clothbound box, 320x443 mm, 456 pages, 566 pictures (155 black & white, 411 colour), providing extensive lists of all the cars built, with information about body styles, original owners, dealers, colour paints and hides as well as original extras fitted.

Investing an immense depth of research Davide Bassoli found information on every coachbuilt style. Extensive descriptions are completed by a great number of high quality pictures. The sketch of this golden era of the Bentley Continental is completed by a historical and technical analysis. Painstakingly careful compiled lists provide details of every Continental built, with specific information about original owners, colours and extras.

Fair Warning: As only 600 copies had been ordered to be printed it is predictable that within a fairly short period this book will be "out of print"!

COACHWORK ON DERBY BENTLEYS, 3 1/2 LITRE, 4 1/4 LITRE & MARK V 1933-1940 von James Taylor.

The book reviews from Abbey of Acton (GB) thru to Carrosserie Worblaufen(CH) all the creations of the 50+ coachbuilders who did originally design bodies for Bentley from the production at the Derby-factory.  With a high number of incredibly fine illustrations - many photos had been taken specially for this book - the creations are covered. Language: English, hardcover, 199 pages.

The British coachbuilders are dealt with in alphabetical order, as are the overseas companies in a separate section. The cars are listed according to their different types of bodies with their chassis-numbers - which does facilitate a quick overview.

Language: English, hardcover, 199 pages.

UNDER THE SPOTLIGHT gives a most detailed overview about all those Rolls-Royce and Bentley motor cars that had been exhibits at Earls Court Motor Show. Between 1937 and 1976 location of the London Motor Shows had been Earls Court and that was a major international event; the most important then, of course, within the realms of the British Empire. As a motor car manufacturer Rolls-Royce and Bentley and Bentley were keen to promote their products - and that was true as regards coachbuilders, too. This was their chance to impress an international audience with bespoke creations of pinnacle design and quality.

In this two-volume tome each and any Rolls-Royce and Bentley ever exhibited at Earls Court Motor Show is 'identified' by chassis-number. Precise descriptions are provided as regards each single car - and an impressive amount of information is given on the show itself. The compendium is overwhelmingly detailed with impressive illustrations and the illustrations.

Two volumes, 624 pages in total, 441 illustrations (407 mono, 37 colour),

Coachwork on Rolls-Royce & Bentley 1945-1965 by James Taylor.

The book combines facts researched with utmost care and photos of outstanding quality. An impressive overview is given as regards bespoke coachwork on Rolls-Royce and Bentley from coachbuilders in the UK and on the Continent. Most of the 370 photos, many in colour, have been taken especially for this book and didn't appear previously in other publications. - Thus this is a book of particular fine standard - as can generally be stated for products from this publisher - because it doesn't show 'old' photos which already are known from other books where they have been repeated for the umpteenth time.  

In alphabetical order all 56 coachbuilders are covered who during the post-war period bodied Rolls-Royce and Bentley. Inevitably some of their 4-Door Creations, Coupés, Cabriolets and Sedancas did surprise with bizarre elements which added to the flair of these 'Upper Crust Motor Cars'.

Hardcover, 192 Pages, 370 Photos, 270x210mm

ADVERSTISING THE ROLLS-ROYCE PHANTOM III by Steve Stuckey was published in 2019 as a limited edition (300 copies only)t eine Neuerscheinung, die Ende 2019 als limitierte Edition (300 Exemplare) veröffentlicht worden ist. The book includes a collection of 180 advertisements from the period before World War II, when the V12-engined Rolls-Royce Phantom III reigned supreme among 'Upper Crust' motor cars.

Each of the advertisements is enhanced by added information compiled by Steve Stuckey - most presumably the world's leading authority as regards the R-R Phantom III.

Hardcover, 210x297mm, 176 pages, colour and mono-illustrations.

MAKING A MARQUE, ROLLS-ROYCE MOTOR CAR PROMOTION 1904-1940. The promotional history of Rolls-Royce motor cars from the company's beginnings in 1904 to the outbreak of World War II is given based on exhaustive research and a wealth of documents.

464 pages and more than 900 illustrations (!) provide on models from Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost thru Rolls-Royce Phantom III and, too, from Rolls-Royce 20 H.P. thru Rolls-Royce Wraith exhaustive information on promotion, brochures and PR of the manufacturer.

How ably F. Henry Royce and Charles S. Rolls - cleverly assisted by a highly talented staff - achieved to establish Rolls-Royce as "The Best Car in The World" in a constant battle for recognition in all significant markets is fabulously well described and illustrated. Indeed in such impressive quality the book is a feast for the eyes and guarantees hours of entertaining reading.

The Spirit of the Age, The Definitive History of the Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit, Silver Spur, Bentley Mulsanne, Turbo R and Derivatives

The entirely new book The Spirit of the Age was launched in July 2021. This is the definitive tome the 'SZ-Model-Series'; 'SZ' had been the manufacturer's code for the generation of Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit, Silver Spur, Bentley Mulsanne, Turbo R and Derivatives. This book covers the story of the Rolls-Royce and Bentley four-door saloons produced from 1980 to 1998. Written by Davide Bassoli following five years of research, ‘The Spirit of the Age describes all four series of the Silver Spirit and Silver Spur, and provides details of all major modifications. Also covered in this book are Bentley Mulsanne, Mulsanne Turbo, Turbo R, Eight, Mulsanne S, Touring Limousine, Turbo S and Brooklands.

The book describes the absolute quality pursued at Crewe during the production period of these cars, which was the basis of the success of the SZ series. Separate chapters provide a wealth of details about the turbocharged Bentley versions, special editions, and conversions by Hooper and Jankel. On a par with the written information is the quality of particularly well-captioned illustrations.

Hartbound with cloth-covered slip-cover 320 x 243 mm (12¾ x 9 in); 262 pages, 360 colour pictures (many of these previously unreleased) plus 24 drawings and 19 tables; a dedicated chapter about the SZ series' colour range with  51 paint samples reproduced and 40 leather and cloth samples, too; 1st editon limited to 500 copies.  

FREESTONE & WEBB 1923-1958, THE STORY OF A BRITISH COACHBUILDER by James Taylor

Freestone & Webb was a great name in British coachbuilding for some 35 years, but as demand for coachbuilt car bodies dried up in the 1950s, the company became the first of the Big Five remaining specialists to close down.

They had started in the early 1920s, as the motoring scene was settling down after the upheaval of the First World War. Early devotees of lightweight Weymann construction, they soon earned the approval of the nearby Bentley company because their bodies did not unduly hinder the performance of these great sporting chassis. Before long, Rolls-Royce models were also being provided with stylish and well-made Freestone & Webb coachwork, and so were many leading foreign chassis, such as Mercedes-Benz and Packard.

Although the partnership of Messrs Freestone and Webb was dissolved before the 1930s had got under way, the company survived the bleak years at the start of the decade and continued to build both arrestingly beautiful bespoke bodies and distinctive coachwork in small-volume batches. Most notable in this period was their razor-edge style, which was rapidly copied by many other coachbuilders and would remain influential into the early 1950s.

Like others, the company struggled to get back into the game after an enforced layoff during the Second World War. But with the aid of good designs and fine workmanship, they survived into the 1950s with their reputation intact. Sadly, their continued survival could only be a matter of time, and Arthur Webb was already looking to sell the company when he died in 1954. Freestone & Webb continued gamely for four more years, experimenting with new designs and going out in a blaze of glory with their extravagant Honeymoon Express for a Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud.

This is the story of a great British coachbuilder, told with the aid of meticulous research and with great affection for the grandeur and style that its products still represent.

2021 Publication, Hardback, 152 pages, 270x210 mm, over 300 illustrations; Price: 79 EURO (Note: BREXIT-ignited costs increased the price that otherwise might merely be 60+ EURO)

Coachwork on Rolls-Royce Twenty, 20/25, 25/30 & Wraith by James Taylor

When Rolls-Royce introduced its new junior model, the Twenty, in 1922, the motor car maker supplied 'rolling chassis' but no coachwork for such. It was the job of specialist coachbuilding firms, large and small, both in Britain and overseas. Customers commanded a coachbuilder of their choice to provide what they wanted, and got it. It was a system that remained unchanged in principle throughout the pre-war period, from the Twenty thru its successsors 20/25,  25/30, and finally the Wraith before the Second World War brought a glamorous era to an end.

From the relatively well-known Abbott of Farnham, to the little-known Wyllie & Lochhead in Glasgow, British coachbuilders across the country stepped up to the plate and delivered their best on these chassis. Among them, great names such as Barker, Gurney Nutting, H.J. Mulliner and Park Ward led the field with some outstanding designs, many of them produced in small quantities (but always with individual touches). Outside the British Isles, but in far smaller numbers, there were bodies from the likes of Kellner and Saoutchik in France, Erdmann & Rossi in Germany, Gangloff in Switzerland, and Brewster in the USA.

The work of all these coachbuilders and many more is covered in this book, which for ease of understanding divides each coachbuilder’s creations up according to the host chassis and the different styles – saloon, limousine, drophead coupé, and so on. Rolls-Royce owners will particularly appreciate the inclusion of chassis numbers for all the cars bodied by each coachbuilder, a feature which makes this book a valuable reference work as well as a visual treat.

With well over 250 photographs, many in colour by distinguished photographer Simon Clay, this book celebrates the style and flair of a bygone era, and provides a vital fund of information for the many enthusiasts and owners who care about these fine cars today.

2021 Publication, Hardback, 208 pages, 270mm x 210 mm, 280 illustrations,Price 79 EURO plus shipping and VAT where applicable (Note: BREXIT-ignited costs have increased the price that otherwise might have been merely 60+ EURO)

BENTLEY CONTINENTAL THE GENESIS by Davide Bassoli

The history of the iconic Bentley R Continental as never told before. 

The impact of the Bentley Continental in the automotive panorama when introduced in 1952 is described in detail. 'BENTLEY CONTINENTAL THE GENESIS' is complimentary of the previous opus ‘CONTINENTAL JOUNEYS' compiled by Davide Bassoli. That had been published in 2017 and is 'out of print'. The new book is an addition and does not substitute what previously appeared in print.

'BENTLEY CONTINENTAL THE GENESIS' covers the technical aspects and how the Bentley Continental was built. The discovery of new material previously unseen, has allowed to bring to the light new details of the fascinating history of the Bentley Continental.

Details: Date of publication: June 2022, Hardcoverd, 300x207 mm, 204 pages plus 7 inserts for a total of 236 pages, 266 Photos (mony of these previously unreleased); Price 220 EURO