My Dad Had One Of Those

As solid and dependable as the man himself, Dad’s car was often almost a member of the family, whisking you to exciting days out, or just to visit relatives to the chant of "Are we there yet?" Maybe in an idle moment Dad dreamed of driving something fast, but the demands of family life meant hard tops and firm suspension—anything less than four doors would have been wildly hedonistic. Even though the family car may not have been the very essence of rock ‘n’ roll, Dad was proud of it. Spanning the 1950s to the 1980s, this is a celebration of the heyday of the Dad car. From beloved family workhorses like the Ford Cortina and Vauxhall Viva to the rakish excitement of the Rover 3500 and Citroen CX, 60 of the best-known and best-loved family cars of all time are organized into categories such as Sporty Dad, Frugal Dad, and Compact Dad, with an affectionate and witty article dedicated to each car. Reflecting on a time when the nearest thing to an airbag was hiding behind your brother, this is a celebration of cars that were as flawed and as loveable as Dad himself.

Giles Chapman's writing on cars has appeared in such publications as Auto Express, Classic & Sports Car, Condé Nast Traveller, and Top Gear magazine. His other titles include Chapman's Car Compendium, TV Cars, and Worst Cars Ever Sold. He was the 2006 Jeep Consumer Writer of the Year. Richard Porter is a contributing editor for Top Gear magazine and the author of Crap Cars.