This guide is for anyone choosing a car book as a gift or as a coffee table piece. It covers 27 books, grouped by buyer, marque and budget. Each entry lists the facts most roundups skip: page count, size, weight where the listing gives one, publisher list price and print status, plus the ISBN wherever a title exists in more than one edition. Three titles are out of print and are described in prose with no buy link. Specs and prices come from publisher and retailer listings and were last checked on 8 October 2026.
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At a glance: the best car coffee table books by use
- Best overallThe Atlas of Car DesignCar-design fans on a mid-range budgetFind on Amazon
- Best gift under $50A Man & His CarGift buyer for a car owner who likes personal stories and portraits of cars more than spec-sheet historyFind on Amazon
- Best Porsche bookThe Porsche BookPorsche fans who want the biggest all-eras overview in a large hardcoverFind on Amazon
- Best Ferrari bookFerrariFerrari fans buying one definitive, heavyweight giftFind on Amazon
- Best Lamborghini bookThe Lamborghini BookLamborghini fans wanting a large-format brand bookFind on Amazon
- Best splurgeUltimate Collector CarsCollectors and gift buyers who want the biggest, most expensive car anthologyFind on Amazon
- Best for Le Mans and racingLe Mans 100Endurance-racing fans, especially anyone who wants the full 100-year Le Mans recordFind on Amazon
- Best Formula 1 bookGrands PrixF1 fans who want a photo-led history of the sport from 1950 to the presentFind on Amazon
- Best American bookFord Mustang 60 YearsMustang owners and Ford fans who want the full six-decade story in one large bookFind on Amazon
How we chose these books
Five criteria decided which books made the list: subject depth, edition clarity, availability, size and weight on a table and price band. Subject depth means a book that covers a marque, discipline or era in full. Edition clarity means one ISBN that matches one set of specs. Availability means the book is in print, or is flagged as out of print.
Specs, ISBNs and prices come from publisher and retailer listings checked on 8 October 2026. We have not handled or measured these books. Prices are publisher list prices, not the price at any particular store. Some links on this page are affiliate links; how affiliate links work is explained on our disclosure page.
Best car coffee table book by budget
Under $50. Nine books list below $50: Art of the Corvette ($24.99), 50 Ultimate Sports Cars ($30), Porsche Racing Moments 45th Ed. ($30), Secrets of the Barn Find Hunter ($30), Jeep: Eight Decades from Willys to Wrangler ($32.99), The Porsche 911 Book ($35), Car: The Definitive Visual History of the Automobile ($40), A Man & His Car ($45) and Formula One: The Champions ($46).
$50 to $130. Ford Mustang 60 Years ($55), Shelby American 60 Years of High Performance ($60), The Atlas of Car Design in the classic format ($69.95), BMW Milestones and Mercedes-Benz Milestones ($70 each), Le Mans 100 ($75), Grands Prix: 75 Years of Formula One Racing ($75), The Porsche Book ($125) and The Ferrari Book from teNeues, 2025 ($125). Group B is also in this band, but the listings give no publisher list price for it.
$130 and up. The Lamborghini Book ($135), Taschen’s Ferrari ($150), The Ferrari Book: Passion for Design ($150), Ultimate Collector Cars ($250) and The Impossible Collection of Cars ($1,400).
Best overall and general car coffee table books
These six cover many marques rather than one. The Atlas of Car Design is the overall pick: 568 pages of design and history at $69.95. DK’s Car is the lowest-priced general reference at $40. A Man & His Car suits a gift buyer who wants owner stories. The two Taschen anthologies and the Assouline box set sit at the top of the price range.
The Atlas of Car Design exists under three ISBNs, all 568 pages. 9781837290659 is the classic-format printing at 290 x 205 mm and $69.95. The Onyx Edition (9781838665999) and the Rally Red Edition (9781838667726) are the larger 340 x 240 mm format, which Phaidon lists at $150. The card below is the classic format. Taschen’s 50 Ultimate Sports Cars 45th Ed. prints the same ISBN as its 40th Ed. (9783836591669), and no separate ISBN for the 45th has been found.
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Best overallIn print
The Atlas of Car Design The World's Most Iconic Cars
- Pages
- 568 pages
- Size
- 29 x 20.5 cm (290 x 205 mm)
- Price range
- $50 to $130
- List price (publisher, checked 2026-10-08)
- $69.95
Best for: Car-design fans on a mid-range budget
Survey of more than 650 car models from more than 190 manufacturers in more than 30 countries, organized geographically and then by decade. Uses period photography, studio shots and original car advertising.
Why it made the list: The same 568 pages as the large-format Onyx and Rally Red editions, at less than half the price.
Edition note: Classic-format printing, 29 x 20.5 cm, published in 2025. The Onyx and Rally Red editions (340 x 240 mm) carry the same 568 pages under different ISBNs, at USD 150.
In print
Car The Definitive Visual History of the Automobile
- Pages
- 368 pages
- Size
- 8-3/8 x 10-1/16 in (Penguin Random House listing)
- Price range
- Under $50
- List price (publisher, checked 2026-10-08)
- $40.00
Best for: Newer car fans and gift buyers who want one broad visual reference rather than a single-marque book
Illustrated reference organised by category (sports cars, convertibles, compacts and others), covering over 1,200 notable vehicles from the Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost to the Ferrari F40. This edition adds hybrid and electric cars.
Why it made the list: A broad, low-priced survey from a mainstream publisher, in the 2022 edition.
Edition note: 2022 edition, updated to include hybrid and electric cars. This is the US edition; the UK edition is titled The Car Book (ISBN 9780241446577).
Best gift under $50In print
A Man & His Car Iconic Cars and Stories from the Men Who Love Them
- Pages
- 240 pages
- Price range
- Under $50
- List price (publisher, checked 2026-10-08)
- $45.00
Best for: Gift buyer for a car owner who likes personal stories and portraits of cars more than spec-sheet history
Photographs of owners' cars paired with first-person stories from the people who love them. Hardcover, 240 pages.
Why it made the list: Named in Car and Driver's car-themed gift books list (December 2024). Its publisher cites a 2020 Robb Report pick for best coffee table book to gift.
In print
50 Ultimate Sports Cars 45th Ed.
- Pages
- 512 pages
- Size
- 15.6 x 21.7 cm
- Weight
- 1.15 kg
- Price range
- Under $50
- List price (publisher, checked 2026-10-08)
- $30.00
Best for: Buyers wanting a compact, cheap sports-car anthology
Anthology of 50 sports cars from the 1912 Stutz Model A Bear Cat and 1938 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B MM Spider to the 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR 'Uhlenhaut Coupe' and the 1962/64 Ferrari 250 GTO Series II. Each car gets photography on double-page spreads plus archive material.
Why it made the list: The lowest-priced Taschen car anthology in this guide: 512 pages for USD 30, in a small format.
Edition note: Taschen lists this edition as 'Sports Cars. 45th Ed.' (15.6 x 21.7 cm, 512 pages, 1.15 kg). The 2023 40th Ed. is listed under the same ISBN.
Best splurgeIn print
Ultimate Collector Cars
- Pages
- 904 pages
- Size
- 28.1 x 36 cm
- Weight
- 10.37 kg
- Price range
- $130 and up
- List price (publisher, checked 2026-10-08)
- $250.00
Best for: Collectors and gift buyers who want the biggest, most expensive car anthology
Two-volume anthology of 100 cars from the 1903 Mercedes-Simplex 40 hp to the 2020 McLaren Speedtail, each with descriptive text and specs including production numbers. Foreword by Rob Myers, founder of RM Sotheby's.
Why it made the list: Taschen states 10.37 kg and 904 pages across two volumes in a slipcase.
Edition note: Two volumes in a slipcase (904 pages, 28.1 x 36 cm). Taschen also sells Ultimate Collector titles on motorcycles and watches; those are different books.
In print
The Impossible Collection of Cars
- Pages
- 170 pages
- Size
- 15.31 x 18.5 x 2.75 in (clamshell box, per assouline.com)
- Weight
- 25.0 lb (11.34 kg, per assouline.com)
- Price range
- $130 and up
- List price (publisher, checked 2026-10-08)
- $1,400.00
Best for: Luxury gift buyers for whom price is secondary
Presents 100 cars of the twentieth century, from the 1909 Blitzen Benz to the 1996 McLaren F1, with 100 illustrations. Assouline states it is printed on cotton paper in a black rubber clamshell box.
Why it made the list: Assouline's cross-marque luxury title, sold in a clamshell box at a publisher list price of USD 1,400.
Edition note: Ultimate Collection volume in a black rubber clamshell box with metal plate; includes white gloves and a canvas tote per Assouline.
Best Porsche coffee table books
Porsche has three in-print books here, each with a different job: an all-eras overview, a 911-only volume and a race-photography book. The Porsche Book (teNeues, 2024) is the largest at 304 pages and 29 x 37 cm. The Porsche 911 Book runs from the 1963 debut to the present in 192 pages at $35. Porsche Racing Moments covers endurance racing from 1963 to 1988. To see which models fall in which decade before choosing, use our Porsche models by decade guide.
Two titles here share names with other books. The 2024 The Porsche Book (ISBN 9783961716111, 304 pages) is not the 2018 The Porsche Book: Extended Edition (ISBN 9783961711673, 368 pages, 29 x 37 cm, 4.1 kg), which is not in the current catalogue at Gestalten, where teneues.com now redirects. Porsche Racing Moments has two Taschen editions on sale. The XL edition (ISBN 9783754401330) has 356 pages, measures 36 x 30.3 cm, weighs 4.04 kg and lists at $125. The 45th Ed. small format (ISBN 9783754401347) has 512 pages, measures 15.6 x 21.7 cm, weighs 1.17 kg and lists at $30. A Collector’s Edition of 762 copies sold out at EUR 1,500.
Best Porsche bookIn print
The Porsche Book The Car Book Series
- Pages
- 304 pages
- Size
- 29 x 37 cm
- Price range
- $50 to $130
- List price (publisher, checked 2026-10-08)
- $125.00
Best for: Porsche fans who want the biggest all-eras overview in a large hardcover
Covers Porsche's history with design sketches, technical details on all models including the 911, and interviews with Porsche insiders; about 250 colour photographs. Written by Michael Köckritz in the style of his magazine ramp.
Why it made the list: The current large-format Porsche volume from teNeues.
Edition note: Car Book Series volume, released August 2024 (304 pages, 29 x 37 cm). Not the 2018 'The Porsche Book - Extended Edition' (368 pages, ISBN 9783961711673).
In print
The Porsche 911 Book New Revised Edition
- Pages
- 192 pages
- Size
- 19.5 x 24 cm
- Weight
- 0.9 kg
- Price range
- Under $50
- List price (publisher, checked 2026-10-08)
- $35.00
Best for: 911 fans and gift buyers who want a small, inexpensive hardcover
Story of the Porsche 911 from its 1963 debut to the present, with Staud's photographs of each model; 90 colour and 30 black-and-white photographs. Text in English, French and German.
Why it made the list: The lowest-priced Porsche 911 title from teNeues, in a small hardcover.
Edition note: New Revised Edition, released October 2020 (192 pages, 19.5 x 24 cm), the version teNeues currently sells.
In print
Rainer W. Schlegelmilch. Porsche Racing Moments. 45th Ed.
- Pages
- 512 pages
- Size
- 15.6 x 21.7 cm
- Weight
- 1.17 kg
- Price range
- Under $50
- List price (publisher, checked 2026-10-08)
- $30.00
Best for: Porsche fans who want the Racing Moments photographs at a budget price
Photographs from 1963 to 1988 following Porsche endurance racing from Le Mans to Monza, via the Targa Florio and Spa-Francorchamps, with Schlegelmilch's own commentary.
Why it made the list: The budget edition of Taschen's Porsche race-photography book: 512 pages, 1.17 kg, USD 30. The XL edition is a different, much larger book.
Edition note: 45th Ed. small format (15.6 x 21.7 cm, 512 pages, 1.17 kg), a different ISBN from the XL edition (9783754401330, 356 pages).
Best Ferrari coffee table books
Three in-print books carry nearly the same title, and they are different books. Taschen’s Ferrari is a history of the marque’s drivers and victories, with an appendix of every Ferrari win since 1947. The two teNeues books are photo-led marque overviews: the 2025 volume follows the company from 1947 to modern supercars, and the 2017 volume looks at design and the designers behind the models.
Which Ferrari Book is which
| Title | Publisher and year | ISBN | Pages | Size | Weight | List price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ferrari (Pino Allievi, editor) | Taschen, 2025 | 9783754401354 | 688 | 28 x 37.4 cm | 5.94 kg | $150 |
| The Ferrari Book (Car Book Series) | teNeues, 2025 | 9783961716760 | 304 | 29 x 37 cm | not listed | $125 |
| The Ferrari Book: Passion for Design | teNeues, 2017 | 9783961710201 | 416 | 29 x 37 cm | 4.3 kg | $150 |
The 2017 book has 416 pages against 304 for the 2025 book, and its text runs in German, English, French and Italian. Neither is Taschen’s Ferrari. Ferrari Milestones and The Art of Ferrari are separate titles again and are not covered here. A further teNeues Ferrari, by Günther Raupp and Thomas Imhof, is listed as a pre-order for October 2026.
Older roundups still point to a signed Collector’s Edition of Taschen’s Ferrari from 2018 that has sold out. It was an edition of 1,697 (ISBN 9783836565776) with 514 pages, a 38 kg weight and an aluminium case, and Taschen listed it at $17,500. The 250-copy Art Edition at $60,000 has also sold out. The book Taschen sells now is the unlimited edition at $150. Taschen states 514 pages for the 2018 book and 688 for the current one and does not explain the difference.
Best Ferrari bookIn print
Ferrari
- Pages
- 688 pages
- Size
- 28 x 37.4 cm
- Weight
- 5.94 kg
- Price range
- $130 and up
- List price (publisher, checked 2026-10-08)
- $150.00
Best for: Ferrari fans buying one definitive, heavyweight gift
History of Ferrari's drivers and victories, drawing on photographs and documents from the Ferrari Archives and private collectors. Includes a complete appendix of all Ferrari wins since 1947.
Why it made the list: Taschen's unlimited edition: 688 pages and 5.94 kg at USD 150, the largest and heaviest Ferrari book in this guide.
Edition note: Unlimited edition (688 pages, 28 x 37.4 cm, 5.94 kg). First published in 2018 as the signed Collector's Edition (ISBN 9783836565776, 514 pages, 32.4 x 43.2 cm, 38 kg, edition of 1,697) and Art Edition (ISBN 9783836565790, No. 1-250); both sold out.
In print
The Ferrari Book The Car Book Series
- Pages
- 304 pages
- Size
- 29 x 37 cm
- Price range
- $50 to $130
- List price (publisher, checked 2026-10-08)
- $125.00
Best for: Ferrari fans who want a current, large-format brand overview at mid price
Illustrated history of Ferrari from Enzo Ferrari's 1947 vision to modern supercars, with design sketches, technical details and about 250 colour photographs. Written by Michael Köckritz.
Why it made the list: The current teNeues Ferrari volume, released in 2025.
Edition note: 2025 Car Book Series volume (304 pages, 29 x 37 cm). Not the 2017 'The Ferrari Book: Passion for Design' (416 pages) and not Taschen's 'Ferrari'.
In print
The Ferrari Book Passion for Design
- Pages
- 416 pages
- Size
- 29 x 37 cm
- Weight
- 4.3 kg
- Price range
- $130 and up
- List price (publisher, checked 2026-10-08)
- $150.00
Best for: Ferrari fans who care about design history and want the thicker teNeues volume
Looks at Ferrari's beauty, power and design through its iconic models and the designers behind them, with stories from racing triumphs. 157 colour and 24 black-and-white photographs; text in German, English, French and Italian.
Why it made the list: The longer of the two teNeues Ferrari volumes: 416 pages and 4.3 kg.
Edition note: 2017 volume (416 pages, 29 x 37 cm, 4.3 kg). Not the 2025 'The Ferrari Book' (304 pages) and not Taschen's 'Ferrari'.
Best Lamborghini, BMW and Mercedes-Benz coffee table books
Each of these marques has one dedicated book in this guide. The Lamborghini Book is a 304-page, 29 x 37 cm volume released for the marque’s 60th anniversary, with an overview of all series models. BMW Milestones and Mercedes-Benz Milestones are smaller, at 224 pages and 23.5 x 30 cm, and each follows about 40 models. Both cost $70, which puts them well below the Lamborghini book at $135.
The Lamborghini Book also exists as a limited Director’s Cut sold by ramp.space, with extra design sketches. Its ISBN was not checked, so the card below is the trade edition.
Best Lamborghini bookIn print
The Lamborghini Book The Car Book Series
- Pages
- 304 pages
- Size
- 29 x 37 cm
- Price range
- $130 and up
- List price (publisher, checked 2026-10-08)
- $135.00
Best for: Lamborghini fans wanting a large-format brand book
Released for Lamborghini's 60th anniversary; presents legendary models including the Countach, Aventador and 350 GT with photography, background stories and an overview of all series models with technical specifications.
Why it made the list: The only dedicated Lamborghini title in this guide.
Edition note: July 2023 Car Book Series volume (304 pages, 29 x 37 cm). ramp.space also sells a limited 'Director's Cut' edition with extra design sketches, which this guide does not cover.
In print
BMW Milestones
- Pages
- 224 pages
- Size
- 23.5 x 30 cm
- Price range
- $50 to $130
- List price (publisher, checked 2026-10-08)
- $70.00
Best for: Marque fans who want a model-by-model overview at moderate price
Traces BMW's history through 40 models, from early combustion engines to current electric vehicles, shown chronologically with about 150 colour and black-and-white photographs.
Why it made the list: The only BMW-specific title in this guide.
Edition note: June 2024 Milestones series volume (224 pages, 23.5 x 30 cm).
In print
Mercedes-Benz Milestones
- Pages
- 224 pages
- Size
- 23.5 x 30 cm
- Price range
- $50 to $130
- List price (publisher, checked 2026-10-08)
- $70.00
Best for: Marque fans who want a model-by-model overview at moderate price
Covers around 40 Mercedes-Benz vehicles, from the A-Class to the S-Class, E-Class, G-Class and EQ electric series, including classics, AMG models and racing cars; about 150 colour and black-and-white photographs.
Why it made the list: The only Mercedes-Benz-specific title in this guide.
Edition note: June 2024 Milestones series volume (224 pages, 23.5 x 30 cm).
Best Formula 1, Le Mans and rally coffee table books
Grands Prix is the Formula 1 pick: a photo history from 1950 to the present drawn from the Motorsport Images archive, with 131 colour and 46 black-and-white illustrations. Formula One: The Champions is the lower-priced option and profiles all 34 World Champions since 1950. Le Mans 100 covers the 24 Hours year by year. Group B covers the 1983 to 1986 rally era, including the accidents that ended it.
Formula One: The Champions is the 75th Anniversary edition and replaces a 70-year edition (ISBN 9781781319468). Group B in the listings is the 3rd edition from December 2011. The Golden Age of Formula 1 is out of print; see the section on out-of-print titles below.
Best for Le Mans and racingIn print
Le Mans 100 A Century at the World's Greatest Endurance Race
- Pages
- 240 pages
- Size
- 9.25 x 10.87 in (Quarto)
- Weight
- 1.506 kg (Coles Books listing)
- Price range
- $50 to $130
- List price (publisher, checked 2026-10-08)
- $75.00
Best for: Endurance-racing fans, especially anyone who wants the full 100-year Le Mans record
Year-by-year history of the 24 Hours of Le Mans covering the LMP1 and LMP2 prototype classes, the GT classes and each year's top three overall finishers, including the late-1960s Ford versus Ferrari battles and the 1955 disaster.
Why it made the list: Covers all 100 years of the race, with each year's top three overall finishers. It appears in the Prettybook and Acceleramota roundups.
Edition note: Slip-cased hardcover.
Best Formula 1 bookIn print
Grands Prix 75 Years of Formula One Racing
- Pages
- 300 pages
- Size
- 11.22 x 12.8 in (ACC Art Books)
- Price range
- $50 to $130
- List price (publisher, checked 2026-10-08)
- $75.00
Best for: F1 fans who want a photo-led history of the sport from 1950 to the present
Photographic history of Formula One from 1950 to the present drawn from the Motorsport Images archive, with 131 colour and 46 black-and-white illustrations, champion and icon profiles from Farina to Verstappen, and chapters on circuits, rivalries and cars.
Why it made the list: A photo-led Formula 1 history from the Motorsport Images archive, in print as an ACC Art Books hardback. Robb Report ran a feature on it in 2024.
Edition note: Hardback, first edition, with an introduction by Sir Jackie Stewart.
In print
Formula One: The Champions 75 years of legendary F1 drivers
- Pages
- 240 pages
- Size
- 9.76 x 12.01 in (Quarto)
- Price range
- Under $50
- List price (publisher, checked 2026-10-08)
- $46.00
Best for: F1 fans who want driver biographies and archive photography at a lower price than the large photo books
Profiles each of the 34 Formula One World Champions since 1950, illustrated with Cahier Archive photographs, with past interviews including James Hunt and Ayrton Senna.
Why it made the list: An in-print Formula 1 title under USD 50, built around the 34 champions.
Edition note: 75th Anniversary edition, revised and updated, hardcover with jacket (September 2025), with a foreword by Damon Hill. It replaces the 70-year edition (ISBN 9781781319468).
In print
Group B The Rise and Fall of Rallying's Wildest Cars
- Pages
- 256 pages
- Size
- 24.5 x 30 cm (two retailer listings)
- Price range
- $50 to $130
Best for: Rally fans and anyone who wants the Group B era (1983-1986) in one photo-heavy volume
Covers the cars built under the Group B rally regulations, including the Quattros, Lancias, Peugeots and sports cars from Porsche and Mazda, and the accidents that led to the class being banned. 465 colour and 20 black-and-white pictures from Reinhard Klein's archive; text by John Davenport.
Why it made the list: The Group B photo book in this guide, with 465 colour pictures from Reinhard Klein's archive.
Edition note: 3rd edition, December 2011.
Best American car coffee table books
The American picks run from a $24.99 Corvette photo book to a $60 Shelby history. Ford Mustang 60 Years is the pick for most readers: a Ford-licensed history in 60 stories across six decades. Shelby American covers the Cobra, the GT350 and GT500, and the Ford GT40 program that won Le Mans from 1966 to 1969. Jeep and the barn-find book are smaller formats. The Mustang is a pony car, and our muscle car vs pony car guide explains how that differs from a muscle car.
Three of these have older editions or companion titles that readers will meet elsewhere. Mustang: Fifty Years (2013) is a separate book from Ford Mustang 60 Years. Jeep: Eight Decades is the 2020 update of the 2014 Jeep: The History of America’s Greatest Vehicle. Art of the Corvette is the 2019 edition, not the 2014 Motorbooks hardcover (ISBN 9780760346402).
In print
Art of the Corvette Photographic Legacy of America's Original Sports Car
- Pages
- 224 pages
- Size
- 9.75 x 12.00 in (Quarto)
- Price range
- Under $50
- List price (publisher, checked 2026-10-08)
- $24.99
Best for: Corvette fans and anyone wanting a large-format American car photo book under $30
Profiles about two dozen Corvettes across all seven generations, from the 1953 Blue Flame Six to the 2014 Corvette Stingray, with over 200 photographs made with a light-painting portrait technique. Includes the 1963 Z06 Sting Ray and a 1967 L88 convertible.
Why it made the list: A large-format Corvette photo book at USD 24.99.
Edition note: Paper-over-board edition published in 2019. An earlier 2014 hardcover carries a different ISBN (9780760346402).
Best American bookIn print
Ford Mustang 60 Years
- Pages
- 256 pages
- Size
- 12.00 x 9.75 in (Quarto)
- Price range
- $50 to $130
- List price (publisher, checked 2026-10-08)
- $55.00
Best for: Mustang owners and Ford fans who want the full six-decade story in one large book
Ford-licensed history of the Mustang in 60 stories across six decades and seven generations, covering the car's origins, the Carroll Shelby GT350, film appearances, race and pace cars, and the Dark Horse and GTD. Illustrated with commissioned photography and Ford archive images.
Why it made the list: Ford-licensed and current, with six decades of Mustang history in one large book.
Edition note: Ford-licensed edition produced in cooperation with Ford Motor Company. The same author's 2013 Mustang: Fifty Years is a separate title.
In print
Shelby American 60 Years of High Performance The Stories Behind the Cobra, Daytona, Mustang GT350 and GT500, Ford GT40 and More
- Pages
- 224 pages
- Size
- 9.75 x 12.00 in (Quarto)
- Price range
- $50 to $130
- List price (publisher, checked 2026-10-08)
- $60.00
Best for: Shelby, Cobra and Ford-versus-Ferrari fans
Traces Shelby American from 1962 to 1970: the AC Cobra, the Ford GT40 program that won Le Mans from 1966 to 1969, and the Mustang GT350 and GT500, plus the later Dodge work (Charger, GLH and GLH-S, Viper). Profiles Peter Brock, Phil Remington, Chuck Cantwell, Ken Miles and Dan Gurney; illustrated with period and modern photography.
Why it made the list: Covers the Cobra, the Ford GT40 program and the Mustang GT350 and GT500. It is the in-print stand-in for Preston Lerner's out-of-print Ford GT.
Edition note: Hardcover with dust jacket; officially licensed.
In print
Jeep Eight Decades from Willys to Wrangler
- Pages
- 192 pages
- Size
- 8.25 x 9.67 in (Quarto)
- Price range
- Under $50
- List price (publisher, checked 2026-10-08)
- $32.99
Best for: Jeep owners and off-road fans who want an illustrated brand history
Illustrated history of Jeep vehicles from their wartime role to the present, covering corporate changes and key models including the Wrangler, with more than 200 color and black-and-white photos and period ads. Updated with recent models, prototypes and the return to pickups.
Why it made the list: The 2020 edition, updated for Jeep's 80th anniversary. A paperback, not a large-format hardcover.
Edition note: Trade paperback, updated for Jeep's 80th anniversary. The earlier Jeep: The History of America's Greatest Vehicle (ISBN 9780760345856, 2014) is a different edition.
In print
Secrets of the Barn Find Hunter The Art of Finding Lost Collector Cars
- Pages
- 208 pages
- Size
- 7.00 x 9.00 in (Quarto)
- Price range
- Under $50
- List price (publisher, checked 2026-10-08)
- $30.00
Best for: Barn-find and project-car dreamers; smaller-format gift under $50
Tom Cotter's guide to finding lost collector cars. 208 pages.
Why it made the list: A text-led book in a smaller format at USD 30, not a large photo book.
Edition note: Paper over board.
Out of print and hard to find
Three books are out of print or no longer available from the publisher. None has a card or a buy link here. A library or a used bookseller is the route for each.
Porsche Milestones (teNeues, 2017, Wilfried Müller; 224 pages, 25 x 32 cm, 1.9 kg) shows as out of stock on a December 2025 teNeues page and is absent from the current Gestalten catalogue. It is a different series from the 2024 BMW and Mercedes-Benz Milestones books. The Porsche Book (2024) is the in-print overview of Porsche models. Porsche Unseen: Design Studies (Delius Klasing, 2020, Stefan Bogner and Jan Karl Baedeker; 328 pages, English and German) collects Porsche design studies from 2005 to 2019 that were not published before. No in-print book in this guide covers that subject.
The Golden Age of Formula 1 (teNeues, Rainer W. Schlegelmilch) is 1960s black-and-white racing photography, with Jim Clark, Jacky Ickx and Jack Brabham among the drivers. The 2017 small format (ISBN 9783832769239, 216 pages) and the 2010 large format (ISBN 9783832794361, 280 x 340 mm) were both sold out at the retailers checked. Schlegelmilch also made the Porsche Racing Moments photographs, and Grands Prix covers Formula 1 from 1950 onward.
Older roundups still list several other titles that are not in print:
- Ford GT (Lerner) is out of print. Shelby American 60 Years of High Performance covers the Ford GT40 program and is in print.
- Speed, Style, and Beauty (MFA Boston; cars from the Ralph Lauren Collection, photographs by Michael Furman) is out of print according to Artbook/D.A.P.
- Holy Halls (Delius Klasing) is listed as sold out and not reprinted by German and Australian booksellers.
- Porsche: Excellence Was Expected (Karl Ludvigsen, Bentley Publishers) is described by resellers as a four-volume reference set, not a single coffee table book.
- ICONIC: Art, Design, Advertising, and the Automobile (Assouline) is sold out at the publisher.
Car coffee table books compared
The table lists every book above, including the out-of-print ones. It scrolls sideways on a phone, the price range is a list-price band, and a dash means the listings gave no figure.
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| Book | Author | Published | Pages | Size | Status | Price range | Best for | Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Atlas of Car Design | Jason Barlow, with Guy Bird and an introduction by Brett Berk | Phaidon, 2025 | 568 | 29 x 20.5 cm (290 x 205 mm) | In print | $50 to $130 | Car-design fans on a mid-range budget | Find on Amazon |
| Car | DK | DK, 2022 | 368 | 8-3/8 x 10-1/16 in (Penguin Random House listing) | In print | Under $50 | Newer car fans and gift buyers who want one broad visual reference rather than a single-marque book | Find on Amazon |
| A Man & His Car | Matt Hranek | Artisan, 2020 | 240 | – | In print | Under $50 | Gift buyer for a car owner who likes personal stories and portraits of cars more than spec-sheet history | Find on Amazon |
| 50 Ultimate Sports Cars | Charlotte & Peter Fiell | TASCHEN, 2023 | 512 | 15.6 x 21.7 cm | In print | Under $50 | Buyers wanting a compact, cheap sports-car anthology | Find on Amazon |
| The Porsche Book | Michael Köckritz | teNeues, 2024 | 304 | 29 x 37 cm | In print | $50 to $130 | Porsche fans who want the biggest all-eras overview in a large hardcover | Find on Amazon |
| The Porsche 911 Book | René Staud | teNeues, 2020 | 192 | 19.5 x 24 cm | In print | Under $50 | 911 fans and gift buyers who want a small, inexpensive hardcover | Find on Amazon |
| Rainer W. Schlegelmilch. Porsche Racing Moments. 45th Ed. | Rainer W. Schlegelmilch | TASCHEN, 2026 | 512 | 15.6 x 21.7 cm | In print | Under $50 | Porsche fans who want the Racing Moments photographs at a budget price | Find on Amazon |
| Ferrari | Pino Allievi (editor) | TASCHEN, 2025 | 688 | 28 x 37.4 cm | In print | $130 and up | Ferrari fans buying one definitive, heavyweight gift | Find on Amazon |
| The Ferrari Book | Michael Köckritz | teNeues (Die Gestalten Verlag), 2025 | 304 | 29 x 37 cm | In print | $50 to $130 | Ferrari fans who want a current, large-format brand overview at mid price | Find on Amazon |
| The Ferrari Book | Jürgen Lewandowski, Michael Köckritz, Michel Zumbrunn, Charles Blunier | teNeues, 2017 | 416 | 29 x 37 cm | In print | $130 and up | Ferrari fans who care about design history and want the thicker teNeues volume | Find on Amazon |
| The Lamborghini Book | Michael Köckritz | teNeues, 2023 | 304 | 29 x 37 cm | In print | $130 and up | Lamborghini fans wanting a large-format brand book | Find on Amazon |
| BMW Milestones | Michael Köckritz | teNeues, 2024 | 224 | 23.5 x 30 cm | In print | $50 to $130 | Marque fans who want a model-by-model overview at moderate price | Find on Amazon |
| Mercedes-Benz Milestones | Michael Köckritz | teNeues, 2024 | 224 | 23.5 x 30 cm | In print | $50 to $130 | Marque fans who want a model-by-model overview at moderate price | Find on Amazon |
| Ultimate Collector Cars | Charlotte & Peter Fiell | TASCHEN, 2021 | 904 | 28.1 x 36 cm | In print | $130 and up | Collectors and gift buyers who want the biggest, most expensive car anthology | Find on Amazon |
| The Impossible Collection of Cars | Dan Neil | Assouline, 2011 | 170 | 15.31 x 18.5 x 2.75 in (clamshell box, per assouline.com) | In print | $130 and up | Luxury gift buyers for whom price is secondary | Find on Amazon |
| Le Mans 100 | Glen Smale | Motorbooks (Quarto Group), 2023 | 240 | 9.25 x 10.87 in (Quarto) | In print | $50 to $130 | Endurance-racing fans, especially anyone who wants the full 100-year Le Mans record | Find on Amazon |
| Grands Prix | Motorsport Images and Anthony Rowlinson | ACC Art Books, 2024 | 300 | 11.22 x 12.8 in (ACC Art Books) | In print | $50 to $130 | F1 fans who want a photo-led history of the sport from 1950 to the present | Find on Amazon |
| Formula One: The Champions | Maurice Hamilton | Ivy Press (Quarto Group), 2025 | 240 | 9.76 x 12.01 in (Quarto) | In print | Under $50 | F1 fans who want driver biographies and archive photography at a lower price than the large photo books | Find on Amazon |
| Group B | Reinhard Klein and John Davenport | McKlein Publishing, 2011 | 256 | 24.5 x 30 cm (two retailer listings) | In print | $50 to $130 | Rally fans and anyone who wants the Group B era (1983-1986) in one photo-heavy volume | Find on Amazon |
| Secrets of the Barn Find Hunter | Tom Cotter | Motorbooks (Quarto Group), 2022 | 208 | 7.00 x 9.00 in (Quarto) | In print | Under $50 | Barn-find and project-car dreamers; smaller-format gift under $50 | Find on Amazon |
| Art of the Corvette | Randy Leffingwell | Crestline Books (Quarto Group), 2019 | 224 | 9.75 x 12.00 in (Quarto) | In print | Under $50 | Corvette fans and anyone wanting a large-format American car photo book under $30 | Find on Amazon |
| Ford Mustang 60 Years | Donald Farr | Motorbooks (Quarto Group), 2024 | 256 | 12.00 x 9.75 in (Quarto) | In print | $50 to $130 | Mustang owners and Ford fans who want the full six-decade story in one large book | Find on Amazon |
| Shelby American 60 Years of High Performance | Colin Comer and Richard J. Kopec | Motorbooks (Quarto Group), 2023 | 224 | 9.75 x 12.00 in (Quarto) | In print | $50 to $130 | Shelby, Cobra and Ford-versus-Ferrari fans | Find on Amazon |
| Jeep | Patrick R. Foster | Motorbooks (Quarto Group), 2020 | 192 | 8.25 x 9.67 in (Quarto) | In print | Under $50 | Jeep owners and off-road fans who want an illustrated brand history | Find on Amazon |
| Porsche Milestones | Wilfried Müller | teNeues, 2017 | 224 | 25 x 32 cm | Out of print | $50 to $130 | Collectors hunting a used copy | Out of print |
| Porsche Unseen | Stefan Bogner and Jan Karl Baedeker | Delius Klasing, 2020 | 328 | – | Out of print | $50 to $130 | Porsche design enthusiasts; used-copy buyers | Out of print |
| The Golden Age of Formula 1 | Rainer W. Schlegelmilch | teNeues, 2017 | 216 | – | Out of print | $50 to $130 | F1 fans who want 1960s black-and-white racing photography | Out of print |
Size, weight and where to put it
Only 8 of the 24 books in the cards list a weight, so size is the better guide. The heaviest are Ultimate Collector Cars at 10.37 kg (two slipcased volumes, 28.1 x 36 cm, 904 pages) and The Impossible Collection of Cars at 25.0 lb or 11.34 kg (clamshell box, 15.31 x 18.5 x 2.75 in). Taschen’s Ferrari weighs 5.94 kg at 28 x 37.4 cm. The Ferrari Book: Passion for Design weighs 4.3 kg, and Porsche Racing Moments XL weighs 4.04 kg.
The light end runs from 0.9 kg for The Porsche 911 Book to 1.506 kg for Le Mans 100, with 50 Ultimate Sports Cars at 1.15 kg and Porsche Racing Moments 45th Ed. at 1.17 kg. The teNeues Car Book Series volumes (Porsche, Ferrari 2025 and Lamborghini) are all 29 x 37 cm and 304 pages, with no weight in the listings. The Milestones books are 23.5 x 30 cm.
Check the load rating of the table against the heaviest book you plan to stack, and measure the shelf against the listed dimensions before ordering a 29 x 37 cm or larger volume. The Assouline box is listed with a thickness as well, 2.75 in.
How to choose a car coffee table book
Match the brand first. A Porsche owner gets a Porsche book, and a Le Mans fan gets Le Mans 100. If the recipient has no single marque, use the general surveys at the top of the list: The Atlas of Car Design for design, DK’s Car for a broad visual reference, A Man & His Car for personal stories.
Then match the era. 50 Ultimate Sports Cars describes cars from a 1912 Stutz to the 1962/64 Ferrari 250 GTO, so it pairs with our guide to the best sports cars of the 1960s. Group B covers rally from 1983 to 1986, which overlaps with the cars in our best 1980s European sports cars ranking.
Then check the edition by ISBN. Several titles in this guide share a name with a different book: the Ferrari Books, the Porsche Books, the Atlas of Car Design printings and Porsche Racing Moments. The ISBN tells them apart, and the page count is the quickest cross-check.
Last, set the budget. The ranges above run from $24.99 to $1,400 in publisher list prices. Under $50 there are nine books, and the $50 to $130 band holds the large single-marque overviews at $125.
Car coffee table books FAQ
What are the best car coffee table books?
The Atlas of Car Design (Phaidon, 568 pages, $69.95 list) is the overall pick for design and history across many marques. By marque, The Porsche Book (teNeues, 2024) covers Porsche, Taschen's Ferrari covers Ferrari and The Lamborghini Book covers Lamborghini. Grands Prix is the Formula 1 pick, Le Mans 100 covers Le Mans, and Ford Mustang 60 Years is the American pick.
What is the best car book as a gift, and what is the best under $50?
A Man & His Car (Artisan, 240 pages, $45) is the gift pick under $50 for a car owner who likes personal stories. Car from DK (368 pages, $40) is a broad visual reference. Single-marque options under $50 are The Porsche 911 Book ($35), Jeep: Eight Decades ($32.99) and Art of the Corvette ($24.99). All are publisher list prices checked on 8 October 2026.
Which Ferrari, Porsche or Lamborghini coffee table book should I buy?
For Ferrari, Taschen's Ferrari (688 pages, $150) is a history of the drivers and victories, and teNeues' The Ferrari Book (2025, 304 pages, $125) is a marque overview. For Porsche, The Porsche Book (2024, 304 pages, $125) covers all eras and The Porsche 911 Book ($35) covers the 911. The Lamborghini Book (2023, 304 pages, $135) is the one Lamborghini title in this guide.
What is the difference between the 2017 and 2025 Ferrari Book?
Both are teNeues volumes at 29 x 37 cm. The 2025 The Ferrari Book (ISBN 9783961716760) has 304 pages and lists at $125. The 2017 The Ferrari Book: Passion for Design (ISBN 9783961710201) has 416 pages, weighs 4.3 kg, lists at $150 and focuses on design and the designers behind the models. Taschen's Ferrari is a third, separate book.
Are expensive car books worth it, and do they hold their value?
No price-history or resale data was collected for this guide, so it makes no claim about resale value. The data shows list prices only. Taschen's 2018 signed Ferrari Collector's Edition (1,697 copies) listed at $17,500 and the 250-copy Art Edition at $60,000, and both are sold out. The unlimited edition sold now lists at $150.
How big and heavy are car coffee table books?
The large teNeues and Taschen volumes run about 28 to 29 cm by 36 to 37 cm. Taschen's Ferrari weighs 5.94 kg, Ultimate Collector Cars 10.37 kg in two slipcased volumes, and The Impossible Collection of Cars 25.0 lb (11.34 kg) in a clamshell box. Compact books weigh about 1 kg: The Porsche 911 Book is 0.9 kg and 50 Ultimate Sports Cars is 1.15 kg.
What is the best coffee table book for Formula 1 or Le Mans?
Grands Prix: 75 Years of Formula One Racing (ACC Art Books, 300 pages, $75) is a photo history of Formula 1 from 1950 to the present. Formula One: The Champions (240 pages, $46) profiles all 34 World Champions since 1950. Le Mans 100 (240 pages, $75) covers the 24 Hours year by year. The Golden Age of Formula 1 is out of print.
What is the best coffee table book for American muscle cars, Mustang, Corvette or Jeep?
Ford Mustang 60 Years (256 pages, $55) is the Mustang pick. Shelby American 60 Years of High Performance (224 pages, $60) covers the Cobra, the GT350 and GT500 and the Ford GT40. Art of the Corvette (224 pages, $24.99) covers Corvettes across all seven generations. Jeep: Eight Decades from Willys to Wrangler (192 pages, $32.99) covers Jeep.
Which car coffee table books are out of print?
Porsche Milestones (teNeues, 2017), Porsche Unseen: Design Studies (Delius Klasing, 2020) and The Golden Age of Formula 1 (teNeues) are out of print or unavailable from the publisher. Taschen's 2018 Ferrari Collector's and Art Editions have sold out. Older roundups also list Holy Halls, Lerner's Ford GT and Speed, Style, and Beauty. These have no buy link here; try a library or a used bookseller.
Where is the best place to buy car coffee table books?
Buy by ISBN from any seller that lists it. The prices on this page are publisher list prices checked on 8 October 2026, and a retailer's current price may differ. The buy links on this page go to Amazon and are affiliate links (see our affiliate disclosure). Out-of-print titles have no link, so try a library or a used bookseller.
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Marco Delantero
More from Marco DelanteroHow we reviewed this article
This article was researched against manufacturer records and editorially reviewed before publishing. We accept no payment for coverage. Some guides contain affiliate links; see our affiliate disclosure.
