Book reviews, May 1982, May 1982

“Ferrari Berlinetta” by Peter Groh, Eberhard Mussig and Conrad Winter. 208 pp. 15 1/4″ x 12″. (Albion Scott Ltd., 45-51, York Road, Breraford, Middlesex, TW8 OQP. £59.50) There has been a surfeit of Ferrari literature recently but this enormous book on Berlinettas sets a different pattern, consisting simply of pictures of these cars, the 250 Mille Miglia, 2500T SWB, the GTO Series I and II, the GT Lasso and the 275 and 365 GTB4s. The plates are mostly in full colour, 30 x 40 cm. in size, taken in England, Germany, Italy (of course!) and Switzerland, with a 20 x 25 cm. precision camera. There are nearly 100 of these 11.8″ x 153/4″ pictures and Pininfarina has written an Introduction to this mass of Ferrari material, weighing approx. 71b. That is about it — except that there is a very brief story about each photograph, in four languages.

The concept is the last word in lavish production, the pictures and text being on heavy, glossy art-paper — there are large blank areas, s6 that the thought occurs that tithe threat of a petrol shortage is over, there might be a paper-famine, if many more of these luxury books were to be published! Berlinetta owners are intended to be titillated and mostly they should be, for the majority of the pictures are good, with engine studies and the cars’ interiors included.

Unfortunately it has not altogether come off, a calamity at the price. In some photographs the black foreground has merged too much into the picture, so that you get a Ferrari apparently with no driVer’s seat, another in which the tyre seems ri have departed from a front wheel, and in too many plates the background is so vast that it diminishes the impact of the cars. Technical sPecifications listed at the end of the book are confined to engine-type and dimensions, valve-gear, carburation, power-output, and aPProximate maximum speed in k.p.h. But for those with supportive coffee tables or very big bookcases. . . Postage is £1.75 extra in the UK, £2.50 extra if the tome is sent by surface-mail Overseas. Those buying the book from Albion Scott Ltd., whose new “ansafonc” number is 01-847 0511, are offered a 1982 Ferrari calendar containing twelve large prints from “Ferrari Berlinetta” at a £9.50 reduction, that is for £10, Post-free, the complete deal totalling £69.50. W.B.