Where might we have been for the last century without the car? Henry Ford saw the potential for a more dynamic and connected world, moving beyond the limited travel options of trams and steam trains. Before the advent of mass-produced cars that were affordable to the general population, our lives were quieter and more localised, but with its advent, we embraced an exciting new era of exploration and freedom. The car is an unparalleled consumer product, transforming our lives and allowing us to travel further, broadening the horizons of our journeys and experiences. Yet surprisingly little has been written about its profound social impact in recent times. This book offers a comprehensive technical, social, and cultural history, examining 150 game-changing cars to illustrate how this simultaneously remarkable yet commonplace invention, J. G. Ballard's 'huge, metallised dream', has come to so deeply influence our lives. 32-page plate section