My 1001 Cars

My 1001 Cars by Book

This autobiography of one of the most visionary and eccentric car manufacturers of the early Twentieth Century was originally published in French in 1962 and is actually the second volume. The first covered Voisin’s childhood and pioneering early career in the aviation industry and though that was translated back in the sixties, this second edition hadn’t been until now. Voisin was in his eighties when he dictated the book and the narrative can be a little rambling and isn’t necessarily chronological. This makes it all the more interesting as anecdote and fact collide and we’re never quite sure in what direction we will go next. In his introduction, translator Reg Winstone says that Voisin may not be considered among the great car manufacturers but he made some great cars and Voisin himself is the first to admit that he was a far from successful businessman, being far more interested in the next innovation. From planes, through pre-fabricated houses, the flamboyant machines of the Art Deco period for which the name is best known and on to some extremely futuristic cars, over 150 period photos help illustrate the story and the narrative takes us up into the sixties, when Voisin was still designing with his usual flair. Our brief dip into these pages has left us wanting to read much more.