The car came of age during the 1930s. It ceased to be a successor to the horse-drawn cart and no longer was it a rich man's toy. This book charts the development made in the decade prior to the Second World War, during which the means of construction, materials, engineering and the companies themselves became established. Variety was the essence of the period and the public could take its pick from hundreds of models. It is a story of engineering improvement, the rationalisation of sales and service in vehicles and components, and of change even to the roads themselves.

An informative look back at Great Depression-era automobiles, from the common and revolutionary Ford V8 to the exclusive and powerful Duesenberg SJ Examines all the marques of the era, including many small independents that succumbed to a shrinking market Timelines highlight important technical and business developments Period advertising and archival photos.