Cars today fit a fairly small number of body types—sedan, coupe, station wagon, SUV, hatchback and a few others. The meanings of these familiar terms have changed over the decades as automotive design has evolved. Along the way, a greater number of earlier body types have fallen out of use and become historical curiosities. Who today can identify a charabanc, a dos-à-dos or even a phaeton?
This expanded second edition defines all distinct body types since the early days of the automobile, many of which were derived from horse-drawn vehicles. Entries, many including clear line drawings, describe popular types and variations from different countries and time periods as well as terms for body components. Subtypes and subtle distinctions are explained and common misuses of terms and designations are clarified.

Lennart W. Haajanen is a retired technical consultant, vice president of the Swedish Bugatti Club and editor of its newsletter, the Bugazette. He is of Finish ancestry and lives in Sweden.

Lennart W. Haajanen
Format: softcover (7 x 10)
Pages: 196
Bibliographic Info: 152 illustrations, appendix, bibliography
Copyright Date: 2017
pISBN: 978-0-7864-9918-2
eISBN: 978-1-4766-2404-4
Imprint: McFarland

Table of Contents


Acknowledgments vii

Foreword by Karl Ludvigsen 1

Preface and Explanatory Notes 3

THE DICTIONARY 7

Appendix 179

Bibliography 183

“incorporates obvious and subtle shifts in car-body shape. Commentary focuses on character and cultural iconography as well as practicality and reliability. The illustrations stylize the placement of wheels and chassis and the distinctive qualities of passenger compartments…valuable resource”—Booklist; “this book’s title says it all…highly recommended”—SAH Journal; “a book that is as entertaining as it is authoritative, and can be warmly recommended”—Automobile; “this important and practical book merits a place on the shelves of every car enthusiast”—The Flying Lady; “recommended”—ARBA; “uniquely informed and informative, comprehensive, and thoroughly ‘user friendly’ in organization and presentation…very highly recommended”—Midwest Book Review. Reviews of the first edition: “Most important and comprehensive…neat line drawings…a superb reference work…thoroughly researched…excellent and strongly recommended”—SAH Journal; “unusual and very useful reference book…a must”—Old Autos; “the perfect reference book…comprehensive”—The Automobile; “recommended”—Booklist; “recommended”—Choice; “useful”—C&RL News; “finally here’s a book that explains all the different body styles that cars, including horseless carriages, have been built with. A simple, easy-to-understand description…a truly worthwhile book that all car enthusiasts should have in their library”—Hemmings Classic Car; “fine book”—Antique Automobile; “clarifies the intricacies and explains to us why cars and the bodyworks of cars are designated in various ways…a must…illustrations are well produced”—Klassiker; “comprehensive dictionary…altogether excellent and invaluable reference work…well illustrated…clear and concise…a valuable and much needed addition to a motoring or reference library”—Reference Reviews; “plentifully illustrated…excellent line drawings…interesting and informative…print and presentation is excellent”—Bugantics; “clarifies the intricacies and explains to us why cars and the bodyworks of cars are designated in various ways…a must…illustrations are well produced”—Translation of Review in Swedish; “useful…most readable and helpful”—Vintage Sports-Car Club; “whatever term one cares to look up gives fascinating insight into variant terms, interpretations and national developments. There is no doubt that the work is a ‘must’ for all who are seriously interested in cars, their development and history…the work is an international high-level achievement”—SVKG-Bulletinen; “well worth including on the shelf”—ARBA; “important and practical…merits a place on the shelves of every car enthusiast”—SpeedReaders “deals with all terms…a most serious and competent text accompanied by clear and pedagogic illustrations of the various body styles…should not be missing from any enthusiast’s book shelf”—Classic Motor Magasin; “this kind of book should have existed long ago”—Siipimutteri; “never has a more thoroughly researched analysis of the world’s body style terms been presented…very interesting…fantastic…required reading”—Autohistorica; “a dictionary containing all imaginable body styles…very thorough…very useful”—Bulletin; “a most serious and competent book”—Autogenial; “important”—Pur Sang; “an excellent and most comprehensive and instructive book…abundant sources of information”—Ventilen; “Comprehensive…extensive and professionally correct automobile dictionairy…recommended.”—Hans A. Koch, Automobile Expert.