The Beaulieu Encyclopedia of the Automobile (2 Vol. Set)

First published in 2001. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

This hefty three-volume encyclopedia (weighing in at eight pounds, twelve ounces, per volume) is, by far, the most impressive compilation of automobile information available. The National Motor Museum at Beaulieu in England has produced a work that will become the world's authoritative reference source on automobiles. Editor Georgano is well known for his work on other important reference works covering automobiles, including The Complete Encyclopedia of the Motorcars, 1885-1968 (Ebury, 1986), which historians have looked to for factual information. With this new encyclopedia simultaneously published in Great Britan by the Stationery Office, the National Motor Museum has assured itself a place among the some 1,000 motor museums in the world as the most important source of information on automobiles.

The Beaulieu Encyclopedia provides A-Z coverage of almost every make of car that was intended to be manufactured and sold. Some of these cars may have had only one, two, or three actual models built. Cars that were built purely for racing and experimental cars are not included. Motorcycles are also not included, except for some models that were designed into carlike vehicles. Most entries are brief descriptions of individual makes, although major names (Chrysler, Citroen, Toyota, etc.) are accorded long entries within which their models are discussed. In these cases, there was no attempt to describe and list every model. However, the range of models is indicated, with notes describing any unusual, unconventional, or unexpected designs.

Each entry for a make includes the official name, an abbreviation for the country of manufacture (unfortunately, these are not included in the list of abbreviations used), years of manufacture, and a complete description of the car, including information on racing, those who designed certain models, and other facts about the manufacturer and the people involved at the time. Entries for manufacturers include country, dates, various name changes, and detailed histories. Key inventors, designers, owners, and managers have their own sidebar entries within the articles on manufacturers with which they are associated. A list of biographical entries is provided in the front matter and includes Gottlieb Daimler, Horace Dodge, Enzo Ferrari, and Jacques Nasser, to name a few. Many entries include one or two books and articles for further reading. There are very few cross-references, although capital letters are used to indicate model names that are also entry headings. All entries are initialed by their contributors, whose biographies (complete with photos) are provided at the close of each volume. The set's British origin shows in the use of terms such as bonnet and boot; the list of "Terms and Abbreviations Used" translates these for American readers.

The volumes are illustrated with hundreds of black-and-white photographs as well as a section of color photographs. All photographs are outstanding in clarity. Selected advertising flyers and posters are also included. It would have been very useful to have an index of models mentioned in the text. Readers looking for information on the Corvette or Crown Victoria will have a difficult time unless they know the manufacturers; and even then, one must browse through long articles on Chevrolet or Ford to find pertinent information. Another concern is the binding and weight of the volumes. The binding will not hold up to heavy use, requiring each volume to be rebound; with the narrow gutter margin this may be a problem. Ideally, this should have been a four-volume set.

In spite of this binding problem and the lack of an index, The Beaulieu Encyclopedia of the Automobile is recommended for most libraries. It is destined to become a classic resource for information about automobiles. RBB
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