The Royal Automobile Club held its prestigious annual Motoring Book of the Year awards in central London last night, where authors from around the world gathered to celebrate the best motoring book published over the last 12-months.
Hundreds of books were submitted from expensive coffee table books to hobbyist paperbacks and, to win, a book really needed to stand out to catch the eye of the esteemed judging panel who had to score each on its merit.
Austin Pedal Cars Director Jamie Burnett was in the audience, having submitted our own book The Austin Pedal Cars Story, alongside him was our commissioned author, and J40 expert, David Whyley. With no idea if we had won or not, the aim was to enjoy the evening and be proud we were amongst so many greats of the publishing world.
As the category winners were announced, including the category we were included within, we started to feel that it wasn’t our night, especially with only one award remaining – the coveted Motoring Book of the Year award, celebrating the best of the best.
However, to our delight (and amazement), The Austin Pedal Cars Story was deemed the winner of this prestigious and sought after award, David taking to the stage to collect the trophy while Jamie applauded from the audience. What a moment that was!
The creation of the book took many years as we uncovered more and more important information on how the Austin J40 was produced and enjoyed. To be cited as the best motoring book of the year is a real honour, and one we will always be immensely proud of.
Thanks to David Whyley for his tireless research and dedication to the book. Thanks also to all those we interviewed and who shared information with us and, of course, to our publisher Porter Press International.
The Austin Pedal Cars Story book tells the intriguing story of how Austin developed, manufactured and launched the J40 in a lavishly produced, 488-page book. Its large-format pages are extensively illustrated with over 1,000 images, including a wealth of previously unpublished photographs. David Whyley spent many years researching the book, meeting those involved in the creation of the J40 pedal car and uncovering new information, to tell the story of how this little pedal car shaped the Austin business and brought joy to thousands around the world.
Buy your copy, via Austin Pedal Cars, here. The book is also available in a limited run Collector's Edition and an exquisite one of ten, hand-bound Heritage Edition.
