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Cars of Eastern Europe lifts the veil off a motor industry that, for many years, remained mysterious, hidden in the eastern half of the continent. Eastern Europe missed out on the first century of the Industrial Revolution and even in the middle of the twentieth century, its motor industry, with one or two exceptions, was still very much a cottage industry. It took less than fifty years, an unparalleled mix first of communism and then freewheeling capitalism, to create an industry capable of rivalling its older neighbours in France, Germany and Italy.

The engineers and designers worked first not to the whims and fancies of motorists, but to the plans and ideals of government planners and communist believers. And then overnight they found themselves cast adrift and unprepared on the wild seas of the free market.

Cars of Eastern Europe tells the story of the cars and vans made in Poland, the former Yugoslavia, the Czech Republic and Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria and East Germany. In a region that stretches from the Black Sea to the heart of Europe, the vehicles were as varied as the nations themselves. There were body shells made from cotton waste, rear-engined V8 limousines and air-cooled superminis.

Skoda spanned the decades enduring successfully both communism and capitalism, as well known in the West as domestic marques. Trabant and Wartburg, the world's last two-stroke powered cars, survived almost unknown before fading away in the bright lights of capitalism as communism's Iron Curtain was drawn back.

The Serbian Yugo managed to take America by storm before post-communist Yugoslavia disintegrated into civil war. Dacia, whose exports were once cold shouldered even by its socialist comrades, has been reborn to produce a truly global car, spreading out from Romania and Europe to India, Iran and Mexico.

Now that Eastern Europe has come in from the cold, joining the European Union family of nations, Cars of Eastern Europe offers a timely and unique look at the cars and vans of this often overlooked part of the continent.

Innehåller bland annat:

• A unique collection of pictures and photographs of cars produced in these countries, with particular emphasis on the post-war era.
• Gives a fascinating account of the role played by east European cars in the British and world-wide car markets.
• The story of how each nation developed its own motor industry.
• A detailed record and fascinating history of the cars and vans produced by the countries of eastern Europe.
• Lavishly illustrated with nearly 700 photographs.

Om författaren: Andy Thompson, whose first book for Haynes was the highly acclaimed Cars of the Soviet Union, has had a lifetime interest in cars and vans, having owned over 70 vehicles himself and being particularly interested in lesser known or forgotten marques and brands. Once a Radio Caroline disc jockey, he now works as a housing manager for local authorities and housing associations.

ISBN:  9781844259915
Bok NR:  H4991
Språk:  Engelska