Lotus: The Marque
By William Taylor
Eleven years have passed since Mr. Taylor published the third in his series of definitive Lotus chronologies, and since then a lot has happened in Lotus Land, so time seemed right for an update. Rather than simply appending his previous volume, however, Taylor and Coterie Press have reformatted the entire book, converting from a Type-number sequencing to a year-by-year approach while revising and upgrading all the text as well.
Comprehensive is still the adjective to describe the exercise, and the 11 years of fresh information that fill the latter chapters roll on from the Type 119 “Downhill Racer” that closed the book’s S3 version to include several permutations of the Type 111 Exige line, the Type 121 Europa S, the Type 122 Evora and variations—including a competition version of the Evora altered sufficiently to get its own Type number, 124—the Type 123 2-Eleven “circuit car” and the Type 125 “F1-inspired Track Car.”
So, if your interest in Lotus ended when the marque’s F1 effort closed, you can probably get by with S3, but if all things Lotus still hold your interest, this book is a must. Available for US$69.95 from enthusiast bookstores or direct from the publisher at www.coterieress.com
Reviewed by John Zimmermann
Tyler Alexander: A Life and Times with McLaren
By Tyler Alexander
Five decades is a long time in anyone’s life, but in the high-stakes world of top-class motor racing it’s a span of time filled with incessant change that packs more into each day than almost any other endeavor. It’s also the length of Tyler Alexander’s involvement, and this new offering from David Bull Publishing is his first-person account, meaning it’s filled with details few ever knew, until now.
Alexander had already acquired an airframe and engine license when he began helping a friend with a Cooper F3 car—taking photographs on the side. Those skills were a natural fit for racing and led to his being recruited by Teddy Mayer to help with brother Tim’s Formula Junior Cooper. That sparked an enduring relationship that took Tyler to victory circles all over the world as he and Teddy became integral elements of Team McLaren from the very beginning.
Those McLarens would dominate the Can-Am, win several Indy 500s and a couple of F1 World Championships, all in no small part due to Tyler’s expertise—and that’s just the highlights. The tales this ultimate insider tells are such that readers will find difficulty putting this book down until every page has been absorbed. Available for US$55/£37 from enthusiast bookstores, or direct from publisher David Bull at www.bullpublishing.com
Reviewed by John Zimmermann
