Assouline Rare Cars: The World's Most Exclusive Rides

The cars in this book are masterpieces in the way works of art can be masterpieces !

Throughout the history of motoring, a select group of craftsmen have blurred the line between machine and artistry, creating vehicles that are true masterpieces. Curated by renowned automotive journalist A.J. Baime, this comprehensive compendium showcases over forty extraordinary motorcars produced from 1931 to the present day, many of which command astonishing prices in the millions. Whether you're an avid collector, aspiring enthusiast or simply a fan of unique vehicles, this volume offers the next best thing to getting behind the wheel of these remarkable machines.

The collection spans the globe - from Japan to Detroit and England to Turin - and features iconic marques that have made their mark on automotive history. Notable entries include the Toyota 200GT Roadster, famously seen in the James Bond film You Only Live Twice, James Dean's legendary Porsche 550 Spyder and one of Ralph Lauren's prized Ferraris. Each vehicle tells a story beyond its engineering, embodying cultural significance and the allure of the open road.

Many of the cars featured in this book are considered works of art, either for their groundbreaking engineering - such as the first Ferrari, the 1947 125 S, with its innovative Colombo V-12 - or for their unique and sometimes bizarre features, such as the 24-carat gold-plated DeLorean created as part of an American Express promotion in 1980. Others have made headlines for their staggering auction prices, such as the 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé, which sold for a record-breaking $142 million. The collection also embraces the new wave of automotive innovation, with models such as the Rimac Nevera Time Attack, designed by a Croatian teenager, and the exclusive Pagani Zonda Barchetta, which became a global sensation after a crash in 2022. All of these cars have two things in common: timeless beauty and shocking rarity, with each one being so limited in number that meeting one in real life is a rare privilege.

To honour the materials that define these iconic automobiles, the book features a luxurious hardcover with a mounted metal title plaque, crafted from lightly scented rubber infused with a unique essence. The interior is lined with hand-stitched Italian leather, making this volume not only a collection of automotive history, but also a tactile experience that celebrates the beauty and craftsmanship of the cars inside.