By purchasing through the links, you support this site at no extra cost to you. Learn more >

Cars (1980s and 1990s): Illustrated History Books & Guides

Explore the best illustrated books on classic automobiles. Discover the history, models and evolution of cars from the 80s and 90s.

Cars (1980s and 1990s): Illustrated History Books & Guides | Quick Select

Cars We Loved in the 1980s
English | The History Press
Cars We Loved in the 1990s
English | The History Press
Génération 80 en 80 voitures
French | ETAI
Génération 90 en 90 voitures
French | Sophia
Les voitures emblémentiques des années 1980
French | Ramsay
Alle Autos der 80er Jahre - 231 PKW-Marken aus 40 Ländern
German | Motorbuch

Cars We Loved in the 1980s

It was brash and it was loud - the 1980s put paid to the glumness of the '70s and nowhere was that more obvious than in the cars we drove, which took a quantum leap in durability, performance, equipment and style. They had to: Japanese quality and European design were luring away ever more customers. Features such as fuel injection, turbochargers, computer-controlled systems and four-wheel drive became commonplace.

This was also the decade that brought us the people-carrier and the off-roader, new classes of car that radically reshaped family transport. Meanwhile, seatbelt-wearing became law, the M25 opened, speed cameras appeared and ram-raiding was the new motoring nemesis. Relive everything car-related in Britain in the 1980s with Giles Chapman.

Product details

Author:	Giles Chapman
Details:	160 pages, 6.1 x 7.1 x 0.43 in (15.5 x 18 x 1.1 cm), paperback
Illustrations:	150 b&w photos
Language:	English
Publisher:	The History Press Ltd (GB, 2014)
ISBN:	9780750958455

Cars We Loved in the 1980s

Language: English

Cars We Loved in the 1990s

The 1980s car era had been brash and loud - but the 1990s that followed was markedly more sober, stylish and sophisticated. A period when safety and durability improved . . . even though insurance hikes, speed cameras and the introduction of the separate theory test made driving more of a challenge. Britpop bands battled in the charts as CD players became the ultimate in-car accessory.

In the latest addition to this classic series, Giles Chapman investigates the newly nostalgic motoring decade of the 1990s, looking back in entertaining style over the induction of such memorable icons as the Peugeot 106 and 206, Fiat Punto, Jaguar XJ, Toyota RAV4, Subaru Impreza Turbo, Audi TT, TVR Chimaera and Ford Focus MkI.

Product details

Author:	Giles Chapman
Details:	160 pages, 5.9 x 7.1 x 0.39 in (15 x 18 x 1 cm), paperback
Illustrations:	extensively illustrated
Language:	English
Publisher:	The History Press Ltd (GB, 2020)
ISBN:	9780750993180

Cars We Loved in the 1990s

Language: English

Génération 80 en 80 voitures

Both so close and so far away, the 1980s are synonymous with progress for the automobile: ABS, four-wheel drive, aerodynamics and airbags. This book travels through this decade, both gentle and violent, at the wheel of the flagship models of this era. It also crosses it through its current events marked by a wind of freedom blowing in the East or revolt in China, the years of Tonton, Noah, Prost, Balavoine, Tapie and Paul-Loup Sulitzer, Caroline of Monaco, and Dallas and its merciless universe.

An invitation aboard 24 cars from the 1980s. Cars that you may have owned or that have made you dream. From iconic models like the Porsche Carrera, Alpine and Renault 5 Turbo to more popular ones like the 2 CV Charleston, Renault 4, Visa, Fiat Panda, or more sporty ones like the 205 GTi, Renault 5 Turbo, Golf GTI, Delta Intégrale.
A fascinating journey on the roads of the 1980s still lined with many service stations, free of roundabouts and speed bumps, and fixed speed cameras.

Product details

Author:	Patrice Vergès
Details:	208 pages, 11.8 x 9.8 x 0.79 in (30 x 25 x 2 cm), paperback
Illustrations:	280 b&w and color photos
Language:	French
Publisher:	ETAI (F, 2021)
ISBN:	9791028305000

Génération 80 en 80 voitures

Language: French

Génération 90 en 90 voitures

During the 1990s, the automotive industry responded to new demands by evolving towards more economical, imaginative, environmentally friendly, domestic and protective vehicles. This evolution gave birth to a captivating generation of cars.
Ninety iconic models are carefully selected, reflecting the spirit of the decade. These include family saloons and MPVs such as the Renault Espace, Citroën Picasso, Citroën ZX and Peugeot 306, as well as more sporty saloons such as the Golf VR6, Clio Williams and BMW M3.

The book also explores open-top experiences with the Mazda MX-5, Fiat Barchetta and MGF, as well as tests of sports models such as the Alpine A610, Viper GTS, Nissan 300 ZX, Ferrari 512 TR and Alfa Romeo GTV.
This selection represents an immersion into the 1990s era, highlighting iconic vehicles that marked the decade through their design and performance.

Product details

Author:	Patrice Vergès
Details:	208 pages, 11.6 x 9.8 x 0.87 in (29.5 x 25 x 2.2 cm), paperback
Illustrations:	400 color photos
Language:	French
Publisher:	Sophia Éditions (F, 2023)
ISBN:	9782385140106

Génération 90 en 90 voitures

Language: French

Les voitures emblémentiques des années 1980

The 1980s were a turning point in the evolution of the automobile industry, following the technological upheavals that began in 1975. We are witnessing a strengthening of the robotization of production lines in factories and the amplification of a competitive market strongly impacted by globalization. Japanese brands are continuing their penetration of European and American markets.

In Europe, Germany, France and Italy occupy a significant share of the market and the major companies are deploying a policy of internationalization of production supplemented by a desire to regroup by merging or buying smaller manufacturers to reduce costs.

Product details

Author:	Jany Huguet
Details:	189 pages, 11.6 x 9.8 x 0.94 in (29.5 x 25 x 2.4 cm), paperback
Illustrations:	many b&w and color photos
Language:	French
Publisher:	Ramsay Editions (F, 2022)
ISBN:	9782812202964

Les voitures emblémentiques des années 1980

Language: French

Alle Autos der 80er Jahre - 231 PKW-Marken aus 40 Ländern

Once again a unique volume from the pen of Roger Gloor, the chronicler of world automobile production after 1945. His new volume offers a complete overview of all cars of the 1980s - all brands, all countries, all types that were omnipresent on the streets, especially in Europe before the scrappage scheme.

But the author doesn't just awaken memories of dream cars of the past, he also describes history and technology in a knowledgeable and detailed manner and traces the major development trends in automotive history in that decade - just as he portrays the outstanding personalities of that era.

Product details

Author:	Roger Gloor
Details:	560 pages, 11.4 x 8.7 x 0.91 in (29 x 22 x 2.3 cm), paperback
Illustrations:	1100 b&w and color photos
Language:	German
Publisher:	Motorbuch Verlag (D, 2022)
ISBN:	9783613044876