Andy Wilman Bücher

One positive if belated aspect of 'Cool Britannia' is that British-originated cars have become (again?) among the coolest on the planet. Range Rover, Mini, Rolls-Royce, Bentley, Aston Martin - especially the Aston Martin - these are names not only of historic significance but have a new resonance in the contemporary world too. But what of the not so cool cars, the cars you shouldn't opt to buy - and those you shouldn't even be seen in or alongside? No, not the Skoda or station wagon, which have a heroic anti-car coolness of their own, but the Golf or Astra or professional footballer's Ferrari.This is a book that jumps from an enormous height on personalised number plates, but celebrates Jarvis Cocker's decision to drive a station wagon and Roger Moore a Renault 5. It questions what happens to the status of your car after you have seen Bernard Manning or Jade Goodie posing next to a model of it in the newspaper.So there is a 'Showroom Questionnaire' for car manufacturers to check out their customers before they deign to sell them a car that might become irrevocably uncool as a result. As funny as it is cool and aspirational, WHAT NOT TO DRIVE will entertain all who love the information, banter and humour of BBC TV's Top Gear.

Loaded with information and wit, this hilarious overview is a must-have for anyone even remotely interested in cars. Its topics include car and traffic etiquette, how to buy a car, how to avoid giving murderers a lift, the seven ages of the motorist from learning how to drive at 18 to driving the wrong way down highways at 80, a spotter's guide to motorists in the style of a World War II manual, customizing, the alternative guide to road rage, and even organizing that last journey—cool hearses to be buried in. Several top 10's are also listed, including the top 10 noble failures, remembering Chrysler's car for women, the "Femme," which came in one color—shocking pink—and a matching shocking pink handbag and lipstick. Lastly, a "What Not to Drive 2007" update covers all the new cars in a cut-out-and-keep guide—everything a driver needs to know. The odd, the mad, the bad, the curious, and the ridiculous are all here in this wonderful, witty, and incredibly useful compendium of all we ever needed to know about the modern world of driving.