A world without cars would be unrecognizable. They have altered the shape of our cities revolutionised the way we make and buy things, and influenced our relationship with speed itself. From the Ford Model T and the legacy of mass production, from the original VW expression of national identity to the GM Firebird and the desire for frictionless movement, this book presents the car as the driving force that accelerated the twentieth century. It takes an in-depth look at the history of the automobile and its impact, to better understand where we might want to go in the future