Passion for Speed
By Nick Mason and Mark Hales
It would almost be sufficient to print the list of cars from Nick Mason’s collection profiled in this book and leave this review at that, but such a shortcut would be too easy. Each of the two dozen cars is detailed in both illuminative photos and words from both Mason and Hales, the former describing his ownership experience, while the latter provides impressions from behind the wheel during lapping sessions at England’s Silverstone Circuit.
Mason, percussionist for the iconic musical group Pink Floyd, notes that his cars are but one of the ways he’s enjoyed the fruits of his labors, and that each selection is driven by nothing as much as his passion for the vehicle in question. His oldest is a 1901 Panhard B1, a legacy of childhood attendance at the annual London-to-Brighton run for “veteran” cars, an event that this car has allowed him to join many times since. The newest is a 2003 Ferrari Enzo, an acquisition that resulted from calculated efforts to curry favor with those who determine into whose hands the Ferrari supercars are delivered. All of the other cars enjoy similar stories, some more exceptional than others, but each interesting in its own way. There’s also a CD of engine sounds!
Available for US$39.95 at enthusiast bookstores, or direct from publisher Sterling Publishing at www.sterlingpublishing.com
