Rolls-Royce Motor Cars: Making a Legend

This six pound book is the biggest and heaviest book in my collection yet but by no means is it the most satisfactory. The book promised to be "THE Rolls Royce book, a collector's item......... " touting " the Silver Ghost, Phantom II and many more models " ( classics implied ) supposedly to be found in its pages. In reality it concerns only the late-model Ghost, Phantom, Wraith, Dawn and Cullinan. ALL post-war classic Rolls Royce models have been bypassed to say nothing of vintage ( which I'm not interested in anyway ). There are ( mostly black and white ) photos of the Silver Ghost, Phantom Sedanca, Phantom I, II and III, Silver Cloud, Corniche and a test bed Silver Shadow. That's it for the "many more models ". These photos appear to have been added in a last minute,hasty, slapdash, halfhearted manner here and there in the book in order to create an impression that a range of Rolls Royce models has been addressed in the book and to avoid possible criticism in this regard. However, turn the page and it's only a Phantom, Ghost or Wraith that greets you in this book. The Crewe cars have been completely ignored. 99% of the book concerns the post-1998 BMW-Rolls Royce models. The Silver Cloud, Silver Shadow, Silver Wraith, Corniche, Camargue, Silver Spirit, Silver Seraph, Phantom IV, V and VI have all been given the go by ----- and the authors have the effrontery to call this book a Rolls Royce collector's item. I consider the Cullinan gross as a model. Rolls Royce should have kept its dignity and not entered the SUV market but that is another story. Beware if you see the words Rolls Royce and Goodwood together. These cars are all post 2003 modelsand bear no relation, distinction or lineage nor are they worthy of, the Crewe and Derby heritage. The Goodwood Phantom ( to say nothing of the other models ) is shaped like a block of ice. There is no comparison with the previous Phantom V and VI limousines. Those carriages are alas long gone. There is nothing for the post war classic Rolls Royce aficionado here in this book. The tome certainly is a coffee table book--- it is so large you could keep two cups of coffee and a plate of snacks on it. The only utility of this glossy book is that it perhaps keeps you up to date with the latest BMW-Rolls Royce models. 24pp are given to describing the Rolls Royce statuette. The sheer size of the book is bothersome. It is physically a problem to store it on the bookshelf. The book is recommended if you have deep pockets and an even wider bookshelf. It is exorbitantly priced which is perhaps only to be expected now a days for a tome of this size. It does not deliver in terms of content. I found it a let down and a wholesale disappointment. Don't let the promo fool you. This book is not as claimed and is in no way a "collector's item ". The volume did not come with the case as advertised. The book is emphatically NOT recommended. I repeat, if you see the words Rolls Royce and Goodwood together in any book, don't touch it with a ten foot pole if you value your money.