The History of Speed by Martin Roach

Ever since we built machines that could transport us, there has been a desire to find ways to make them go faster. For some, going faster isn't enough -- they want to be the fastest. This book celebrates those who have built the machines and driven them at ever greater speeds. This is The History of Speed. Bestselling automotive writer Martin Roach (The Science of Supercars) tells the extraordinary story of those who have come to be obsessed by speed. From Camille Jenatzy, 'the Red Devil', who became the first man to drive at over 100 kmh in 1899, through the golden age of Malcolm Campbell and his Bluebird, and on to the modern era of jet- and rocket-propelled cars, we have gone faster and faster. But this book is not just about these record-breakers, Roach also looks at the technology, the engines and the inventors who helped progress in speed at all levels, from Formula One to the supercars to the likes of Ferrari and Mercedes.