VW BEETLE EBG IPHONE APP DEMO VIDEO

Check out this quick run-through of the VW Beetle - The Essential Buyer's Guide iPhone app!



AVAILABLE NOW through the iTunes App Store. Price: £2.39 UK / $3.99 US.

NORTON COMMANDO

Check out our new blog banner, featuring a lovely shot of an original Fastback, the first Commando. If you fancy owning one then we recommend getting yourself a copy of Norton Commando – The Essential Buyer's Guide!

Having this book in your pocket is just like having a real marque expert by your side. Benefit from the author's years of real ownership experience; learn how to spot a bad Commando quickly and how to assess a promising one like a professional. Get the right bike at the right price!

REVIEWS OF BRITISH WOODIES & MORRIS MINOR EBG

Thanks to Russ Harvey, editor of Morris Minor Monthly for these two new reviews of British Woodies from the 1920s to the 1950s and Morris Minor & 1000 – The Essential Buyer's Guide.

Click image to view full size

TRIUMPH STAG BUYER'S GUIDE REVIEW

Thanks to Peter Robinson for this review which appeared in The Stag Owners Club Magazine, Feb 2010.

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Triumph Stag – The Essential Buyer’s Guide
By Norm Mort and Tony Fox.
• Comprehensive guide reveals the Stag's strongest and weakest points
• Details of all model changes made throughout production listed
• Unique and rare options
• Features 100 previously unpublished colour photographs
• Models produced for European and North American markets
• Engine and detail photos
• Production data and original road test info
• Common problem areas
More info.

SUNDAY TIMES INGEAR APPROVES THE APP

As featured in The Sunday Times, ingear (24/1/2010).

Click here for more info about the app or head straight to the app store!

A VOLKSWAGEN EXPERT ON YOUR IPHONE!

Veloce Publishing Goes Interactive With The Release Of Its First iPhone App


Veloce Publishing has released its first iPhone App -
VW Bus - The Essential Buyer's Guide.
Available now from the App Store.
Priced at £2.39 UK / $3.99 USA.
Compatible with iPhone and iPod touch. Requires iPhone OS 3.0 or later.





Veloce Publishing has been providing books of the highest quality in terms of content, accuracy, presentation, subject range and reader satisfaction to discerning automotive enthusiasts around the world for nearly twenty years. Now, the same level of quality can be found in the form of an App on your iPhone or iPod.

This new VW Bus App gives author Richard Copping the unique opportunity to share his VW Bus expertise directly with you on your iPhone or iPod.
It includes 18 sections, ranging from cost considerations to common problems. Included are three videos – model range, 15 minute evaluation, and paint problems – each featuring an informative voice-over by the author.

Each book in The Essential Buyer's Guide series provides an illustrated, expert guide to an individual model of classic car or motorcycle written by a real expert on that particular model. When you've read the book or the App you'll have the inside track on exactly what to look for to ensure that you get the very best vehicle for your money.

Veloce publisher and co-founder Rod Grainger says, "This first App represents a bold step into a new form of media with a great future. In App form, sound and video have allowed us to add new dimensions to our core product – excellent practical advice. I am particularly proud that this first App was developed entirely in-house, meaning we have the ability to roll out more Apps in quick succession, starting with a series of Essential Buyer's Guides."


Features
- Great value for money!
- Unique buyer’s guide covering VW Transporter based campers, vans and buses produced between 1950 and 1990
- Many colour photographs taken especially for this guide
-Informative text written by enthusiastic experts with the novice in mind
- In-App videos which feature helpful voice-overs by your marque expert, Richard Copping
- Three generations of VW Bus covered
- Invaluable guide to avoiding pitfalls and getting real value for money
- All aspects of buying a VW Bus covered

Description
A unique App dedicated to three generations of VW’s legendary Transporter (almost universally known as the 'VW Bus', whether in Bus, Camper, Van or Pick-up form). Meticulously researched with many model-specific photographs reproduced to illustrate a genuinely informative text.

Covering all the collectable Buses produced by Volkswagen between 1950 and 1990, this App is unique in providing the full story of the high points and pitfalls of buying such models. Written by enthusiasts, the easily readable text is informative to the novice, while still being of considerable value to those who have already owned a Bus.

Use "VW Bus" to find the App in the App store.


Demonstration video

STOP, DON'T BUY A STAG UNTIL YOU'VE READ THIS BOOK!

Triumph Stag – The Essential Buyer’s Guide
by Norm Mort and Tony Fox

Having this book in your pocket is just like having a real marque expert by your side. Triumph’s Stag combined the smoothness and performance of a V8 engine in stylish Italian coachwork designed by Giovanni Michelotti, which allowed for both closed and open grand touring. This Essential Buyer’s Guide examines the model’s evolution, features, fittings, performance and typical problem areas through detailed text and colour photographs of both restored and original examples.

This carefully researched 64-page paperback, pocket-sized volume is available now from bookshops or from www.velocebooks.com. Like Veloce’s other Essential Buyer’s Guides this book features chapters such as “Is it the right car for you?”, a very detailed checklist/scoring system for rating a potential Stag purchase, advice on deciding whether or not to restore a Stag, paint problems, issues that can arise through under use, and lists of clubs, specialists and parts suppliers.

STOP! DON’T BUY A CAPRI WITHOUT BUYING THIS BOOK FIRST!

Ford Capri (All models (except RS) 1969 to 1987 – The Essential Buyer's Guide
(Your Marque expert: Mark Paxton)

When launched, the Ford Capri was revolutionary. It was a car that set the European market alight, allowing even a buyer on a modest budget an intoxicating whiff of the exotic whilst keeping running costs at affordable levels. That status eroded over time, and the Capri sat in the classic car doldrums for many years, its true worth unrecognised. That situation has thankfully changed, and Capri values are rising rapidly, so care has to be taken to make sure you end up with the best one possible for your money.

Ford Capri – The essential Buyer's Guide takes the potential purchaser through a short initial examination to weed out the obviously defective followed by a more comprehensive step by step look at the body and mechanical parts, where the clear, jargon-free text accompanied by over 100 photographs sheds light on even the darkest corners of the Capri’s construction.

A unique points marking system ensures that nothing is overlooked, and an accurate final picture of the car’s condition can be viewed in relation to the asking price.

The 64-page paperback book is available now from bookshops or from www.velocebooks.com.

ON THE GRID IN OCTOBER

Issue 34 of On the Grid is now available! On the Grid is Veloce Publishing's monthly email newsletter – THE place to find out which books are on the starting line of publication. Other features include videos, articles, photos and last but not least, exclusive offers and generous discounts!
Sign up now and find out how you can take advantage of a huge discount on all Veloce books this month. An offer that could get you an Essential Buyer's Guide for a reduced price of £5.99 + p+p! Everything you need to know about old bangers from now until bonfire night!


Click here to visit the On the Grid sign up page

ARE YOU GUILTY OF BUYING WITH YOUR HEART AND NOT YOUR HEAD?

Here's what Australian Classic Car had to say about Veloce's very affordable pocket-sized Essential Buyer's Guide series.



The Essential Buyer’s Guide

Citroën DS&ID, VW Golf, Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow, Fiat 500&600 and Jaguar/Daimler XJ40



By Various Marque Experts

Published by Veloce Publishing







With words like “Don’t buy a Jaguar/Daimler XJ40 without buying this book first” printed

on the back, the Essential Buyer’s Guides from Veloce Publishing set themselves up as an invaluable resource for the classic car enthusiast. Many of us are guilty of buying with our hearts and not our heads – I know I am. Looking back, I wish I had studied a Buyer’s Guide, as it would have saved me many hours of work and valuable dollars.



Freshly published is this batch of Buyer’s Guides for such diverse vehicles as the Fiat 500 and Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow. Each guide presents its useful information in an easy-to-follow format. First, it goes into whether the car you’re interested in is right for you, costs and values, what it is like to own one, and even if it will fit in your garage. Interestingly, it breaks down the inspection into an initial 15-minute evaluation, and then, if you decide to go ahead, what you should look at more closely. Then it gets into the less than exciting (but equally important) paperwork and what the car is really worth. Are you buying to restore or drive daily?



Sensible questions are asked about the logistics of restoring a Silver Shadow or a XJ40, drawing your attention as to what’s involved in repainting, rust removal and the all important hydraulics in the Citroën. Lastly, it provides details for clubs and specialists. While the Buyer’s Guides are written for the UK market, the information covered is just as relevant for Australians. Highly recommended.



Coming soon in the Essential Buyer's Guide series! Ford Capri, Triumph Stag, Norton Commando, Honda SOHC Fours & Hinckley Triples & Fours

DAVID HEMMINGS INTERVIEW

David Hemmings - Porsche 928 Marque expert answers my questions at The Porsche Club GB National Event 2009 at Blenheim Palace.



Porsche 928 - The Essential Buyer's Guide by David Hemmings.
Don't buy a car without this book!
Expert advice from a marque expert.
Unique points scoring system to evaluate cars after inspection.
Walk away or stay? - quick initial evaluation of a car.
How to check the car's authenticity.
Which models are best.
The implications of restoration.
Is it the right car for you? - will it fit your garage, will you fit in the car?
Running cost details.
Detailed specifications.
Click here for more info about the book.

FORD DAY

On this day in history (1903) The Ford Motor Company was founded. Here's a selection of some Ford related books from Veloce.



Visit www.veloce.co.uk to see our full range of Ford publications.

CLASSIC CAR BEAUTY COMPETITION ON TV

BRITAIN’S GREATEST MACHINES with Chris Barrie is a programme on The national Geographic Channel Thursdays at 9pm.

Next Thursday (June 18th) Chris will be down our way at the Haynes Motor Museum in Somerset comparing an E-Type with a Porsche 911, a Ferrari and a Corvette.

Having an E-Type Essential Buyer's Guide (Veloce) is like having an E-Type expert by your side!

DAMIEN HIRST-DECORATED FIAT 500

Five Fiat 500s, decorated by the artist Damien Hirst, were among the prizes won in a luxury charity draw at a star-studded London party last week.

The cars, donated by Fiat and finished in butterfly designs by the award-winning artist, raised £440,000 as sales of their raffle tickets proved popular among guests at the ARK dinner. Party-goers included Hollywood film star Uma Thurman, supermodel Eva Herzigova, singer Sinitta and top UK industry and hedge fund bosses.

Dubbed the most lavish party in Britain, the ARK event raises millions of pounds for children’s charities each year. For 2009 it was held in the disused Eurostar terminus at London’s Waterloo station, where the total raised on the night was a staggering £15.6 million.

“I am immensely grateful to the Fiat Group and to Damien Hirst for their unabated support and generosity to ARK,” says charity chairman Arpad Busson. “The five beautiful 500s added stunning visual drama to our event and raised £440,000 for our programmes.”

The lucky winners of the five unique 500s will take delivery of their cars at Fiat Marylebone, Fiat’s flagship store in London’s Wigmore Street.
Source:Fiat

Fiat 500 & 600 – The Essential Buyer's Guide by Malcolm Bobbitt.
The essential guide to purchasing a baby Fiat, which allows both the novice and accustomed Fiat enthusiast to appraise a potential purchase with professional confidence, identifying what to look for in order to acquire the right car at the right price. With Malcolm Bobbitt’s concise and easy-to-follow guide, packed with sound advice and backed up by specially selected illustrations, the route through checking a car’s provenance is made so much easier. This is YOUR passport to joining the Fiat community and a must for any potential small Fiat owner.
Click here for more info about the book.

THE YEAR OF THE MINI - THE CLASSIC TURNS 50

The Mini, an icon of British motoring icon turns 50 this year, and throughout 2009 tens of thousands of Mini fanatics will be celebrating in style.

From massive events attracting enthusiasts from all over the world, to gatherings of the like-minded at the local pub, or a few friends giving it a quick blast along their favourite stretch of twisty road, ‘Mini 50’ parties will find their way into every corner of the UK.

Future’s new Mini Magazine will be celebrating throughout the year, and can provide expert opinion, quotes from key figures within the scene, interviews, more information and images on Mini 50 celebrations, Mini clubs and Mini enthusiasts relevant to your readership and we are happy to offer any assistance we can to help you cover Mini 50 celebrations.
• Released for sale in August 1959, the Mini was designed by Sir Alec Issigonis as a cheap, economical car for ordinary people. When champion Formula One constructor, John Cooper, gave the engine a few race-inspired tweaks, the Mini jumped effortlessly from the high street to the racetrack.

• In the following years it became class-bending style icon of the swinging sixties, driven by movie stars, pop stars and royalty, as well as ordinary people throughout Britain and beyond.

• By the end of the decade it was a movie star itself, with a starring role (alongside Michael Caine) in one of the most unforgettable car chases of all time in ‘The Italian Job’. The classic Mini stayed in production for more than 40 years, the last cars rolling off the production line in 2000.

• Key events in 2009 include the London to Brighton Mini Run and the International Mini Meet, better known as the IMM in Mini circles. This year it is being organised by the Birmingham Mini Owners Club, and held at a site opposite the Longbridge factory where most classic Minis were built.
Source:Motoring4media/Future

This March is a good month for Mini fanatics, whether a fan of the classic Mini, or some of the bizarre Mini derivatives!

Maximum Mini – The essential book of cars based on the original Mini
By Jeroen Booij.

This book focuses solely on the cars derived from the classic Mini. Small GTs, sports cars, roadsters and fun cars: Mini derivatives that changed the specialist motoring market completely in the early sixties, and new designs kept it busy for nearly four decades. From the well known Mini Marcos and Unipower GT that raced at Le Mans, to the very obscure but as exciting Coldwell GT or Sarcon Scarab, almost 60 cars are thoroughly researched, described and photographed in this book.

Mini – The Essential Buyer’s Guide
By Mark Paxton.

This compact and practical book offers a step-by-step guide to help any prospective buyer avoid expensive mistakes and end up with the best Mini possible for their money. Using over 100 clear colour photographs and easy to follow, jargon-free text, the car’s notorious rot spots, common bodges and mechanical defects are examined in detail, along with auction advice, relative values and the realities of living with this 20th century icon. A few pounds spent on this book could save you thousands!

THE MOST BEAUTIFUL CAR OF ALL TIME

Classic & Sports Car magazine have polled a 20-strong panel as the jury to decide the single most beautiful classic car.

And the winner ...
The Citroën DS!

James Elliott, editor of Classic & Sports Car, said: “The Citroën is a benchmark design, but we were still astonished that it came out on top when you look at the sexiness – and values – of some of its rivals. Apart from the Mini, it’s by far the most affordable car to get any nominations at all, which probably means it’s a great investment!

Giorgetto Giugiaro - the man behind the Maserati Bora, VW Golf, Fiat Panda and Lotus Esprit, said: “The only example of a car really conceived ‘outside the box’. It is just impossible to imitate.”
Source:newspress

Check out these fantastic Citroën DS books published by Veloce:

Citroën DS – Design Icon
by Malcolm Bobbitt.


The most radical of Citroën’s idiosyncratic offerings, the DS was sensational when it was introduced in 1955. Twenty years and 1.45 million cars later it was still technically advanced to most other cars. Revolutionary in driving characteristics and comfort, it remains one of the most innovative cars of all time. Click here for more info about the book!





Citroën DS & ID – The Essential Buyer's Guide by Rudy Heilig.

Guides collectors, restorers and enthusiasts through the various production changes and problem areas that occur between the various models, to make sure that the restoration or prospective purchase is correct, original, and legitimate. This book is an essential reference tool that can be used when buying, selling, repairing or restoring the various D-models manufactured between 1966 and 1975. One hundred colour photos, useful appendices and expert advice mean that this book could save you thousands! Click here for more info about the book!



Personal favourite, The Lamborghini Miura also made the top 10 in the poll!
1. Citroën DS
2= Jaguar XK120
2= Ferrari 275GTB
4= Cord 810/812
4= Ferrari 250GT Lusso
4= Ferrari 250GT Short-wheelbase
4= Jaguar E-type
4= Lamborghini Miura
4= Lotus Elan
4= Lotus Elite (1957)

FIVE BRAND NEW ESSENTIAL BUYER'S GUIDES!

STOP! Don't buy any of these cars without the help of an Essential Buyer's Guide -

Citroen ID & DS
Fiat 500 & 600
Subura Impreza
Jaguar XJ-S
Jaguar XJ40
All available now (UK & USA)
Each just £9.99 UK / $19.95 USA

Buy the right car at the right price
Full coverage of all models
In-depth analysis of strengths and weaknesses
Includes market and value data
Advice on choosing the right version and condition
How to avoid buying a 'lemon'
Like having an expert at your side
Quick check guide and also a detailed inspection plan
details of desirable upgrades as well as modifications to avoid
Where and how to buy
Details of clubs and support organisations

DESCRIPTION
Having this book in your pocket is just like having a real marque expert by your side. Benefit from the author’s years of ownership experience, learn how to spot a bad car quickly and how to assess a promising one like a true professional. Get the right car at the right price!

Visit www.veloce.co.uk for more info!

NOW IN STOCK! - VW GOLF GTI - THE ESSENTIAL BUYER'S GUIDE

VW Golf GTI – The Essential Buyer’s Guide reviewed in Retrocars Magazine.



New! VW Golf GTI – The Essential Buyer’s Guide by Richard Copping and Kenneth Cservenka.

Features
• Compiled by acknowledged experts - authors of Veloce publication 'VW - Golf - Five Generations of Fun'
• Built around the collectable first two generations of Golf
• Concentrates on the hot model – the GTI
• Includes the special edition Mk1 Campaign GTI
• Adds the Rallye Golf and GTIG60 to the Mk2 GTI content
• Special section on the hotter versions of the Golf Cabriolet
• Defines original engine specifications, 1600, 1800, 8-valve & 16-valve
• Predicts which later models will become collectable
• Covers customised models, larger engines and lowered suspension
• Targets would-be owners on a budget as well as the wealthier enthusiast market

Description
While old MkI Golfs have by now largely rusted away, the availability of MkII models at giveaway prices is plentiful ... that is until three magic letters – GTI – appear on the car’s front grille and hatch. Find a good example of the MkI with the aid of this guide and you are in clover! The Buyer’s Guide carefully charts all the models that an enthusiast just has to own, from the iconic late model MkI with its pocket rocket 1.8-litre engine and 5-speed box, through to the exclusive, extremely powerful and much sought-after limited edition Rallye Golf.
Click here for more info about the book.

MINI COOPER S CONVERTIBLE

The new MINI Cooper and Cooper S Convertible are revealed this month at the Detroit Motor Show.

It includes a powered soft-top roof that allows the driver to open and close it while going up to 30 km-h.
The convertible also features an "Openometre" that records the time drivers spend travelling with the roof down.

The four-cylinder, 1.6-litre standard Mini convertible produces 118 horsepower and retails for $24,550, while the turbocharged Mini Cooper S Convertible, which delivers 172 horsepower, sells for $27,450.

The new Mini Cooper S Convertible goes on sale at the end of March.
Source:newspress

Mini also plays a prominent role in Veloce's forthcoming publications in 2009. All three Mini books coming soon! Click book covers for more info.

THE FASTEST JAGUAR EVER

Jaguar today announces that during a secret speed trial at the legendary Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, an XFR prototype recorded a stunning top speed of 225.675mph (363.188km/h), making it the fastest Jaguar ever.

The car – powered by the all-new AJ-V8 Gen III engine – beat Jaguar's previous speed record of 217.1mph (349.4 km/h) set in the XJ220 in 1992.* Paul Gentilozzi – the owner of Rocketsports Racing who successfully led the Jaguar XKR to five series victories between 2001 and 2006 in the Trans Am series in the USA – drove the car on the record-breaking run.

*Note: The Jaguar XJ220 – a mid-engined sports car produced by Jaguar in collaboration with Tom Walkinshaw Racing between 1992 and 1994 – held the record for the highest top speed of a production car until the arrival of the McLaren F1 in 1994.
source:newspress

New in stock! Jaguar/Daimler XJ40 – The Essential Buyer’s Guide by Peter Crespin.
A practical and highly-illustrated hands-on guide, taking you step-by-step through examination and purchase of Jaguar’s highly-developed flagship saloon, which took the company from the Leyland years into private ownership once more. Covering all engine and trim versions, here's what to look for, what to avoid, and whether the car is likely to suit your needs, plus relative values and the best places to buy. Also includes full details on back-up organisations and literature.
Click here for more info about the book.