The Spirit of Mercedes

Name: The Spirit of Mercedes
Price: 39.99 AUD
Availability: PreOrder
ISBN: 9781837330249

50 Reasons Why We Love Them

Vaughan Grylls

$39.99

Hardback

Forthcoming
Pre-Order now

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English

Batsford
11 June 2026

Automotive technology & trades; Antiques & collectables; Motor cars: general interest

Series: The Spirit of Classic Cars

A dynamic exploration of Mercedes, one of the world's foremost car brands, with lively photography and witty observations about why we love them.

Karl Benz, who founded Mercedes Benz, invented the first car. So, since 1879, Mercedes Benz has been at the forefront of innovation. With their superior quality, sleek look and iconic three-pointed star logo (with the points representing land, sea and air), it's a car brand with true global power and recognition. It has produced some of the fastest cars in the world, such as the 2022 Mercedes-AMG One Hybrid model, which can reach speeds of 219 mph.

This fun and fascinating book, written by car-enthusiast and Mercedes owner Vaughan Grylls, is a tour de force through the history of Mercedes as told by its cars. From the world's first car, the Benz Patent Motor Car, to the most expensive car ever sold, the 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupe, the story of Mercedes is a long and fascinating one, and is described in this book alongside a stunning range of photography.

The ideal gift for every car enthusiast, whether they're a Mercedes aficionado or just an admirer, this beautifully illustrated book perfectly conveys the joys of this classic brand.

By: Vaughan Grylls
Imprint: Batsford
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 220mm, Width: 210mm,
ISBN: 9781837330249
ISBN 10: 1837330247
Series: The Spirit of Classic Cars
Pages: 160
Publication Date: 11 June 2026
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Forthcoming

Introduction 1 - 1901 Mercedes 35 PS 2 - 1910 Mercedes 37/90 HP 3 - 1914 Mercedes Grand Prix Race Car 4 - 1914–18 and 1921 Benz 10/30 PS 5 - 1926 Mercedes-Benz 24/100/140 PS Typ K 6 - 1928 Mercedes-Benz SSK (Super Sport Kurz) 7 - 1930 Mercedes-Benz Nürburg 460 8 - 1934 Mercedes-Benz 500K Special Roadster 9 - 1936 Mercedes-Benz 170H 10 - 1936 Mercedes-Benz Typ 260 D 11 - 1938 Mercedes 540K Autobahn Kurier 12 - 1939 Mercedes-Benz 770K Großer Offener Tourenwagen 13 - 1949 Mercedes-Benz 170 S Cabriolet B 14 - 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing 15 - 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 Sc Coupé 16 - 1969 Mercedes-Benz 280 SL ‘Pagoda’ 17 - 1975 Mercedes-Benz 450 SEL 6.9 Litre 18 - 1985 Mercedes-Benz 560 SEC 19 - 1991 Mercedes-Benz 500 SL (R129) 20 - 2002 Maybach 21 - 2013 Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG (W222) 22 - 2021 Mercedes-Benz EQS 580 4MATIC 23 - 2024 Mercedes-AMG GT63 S E Performance 24 - 2025 Mercedes-Benz Vision One-Eleven 25 - The Mercedes Image 26 - That Logo 27 - Some Mercedes Designers 28 - MPV Mercedes 29 - Off-road Mercedes 30 - Wacky Mercedes 31 - Racing Mercedes 32 - Military Mercedes 33 - Police Mercedes 34 - Mercedes From The Front 35 - Mercedes From The Rear 36 - Mercedes From the Side 37 - Mercedes From the Top 38 - Inside a Mercedes 39 - Mercedes Cockpits 40 - Mercedes Seats 41 - Mercedes Road Wheels 42 - A Few Mercedes Inventions 43 - Mercedes Engines 44 - Crash Mercedes 45 - Mercedes Ads 46 - Mercedes in China 47 - Mercedes Around the World 48 - Mercedes HQ 49 - Mercedes and Maybach Museums 50 - Final Thoughts

Vaughan Grylls is a photographer, author and artist. His photography has been shown in the Photographers' Gallery, Whitechapel Art Gallery and the Arnolfini. He is represented in several public collections, including the National Museum of Photography, Film and Television, the Contemporary Art Society, Pfizer, Unilever and the Arts Council of Wales. From 1996 to 2005 Grylls was Chief Executive of the Kent Institute of Art and Design. In 2005 he founded the University for the Creative Arts at Canterbury, Epsom, Farnham and Rochester, and serves as Emeritus Professor. He is the author and photographer of Oxford Then and Now, Cambridge Then and Now, Hong Kong Then and Now and Singapore Then and Now.