Two Summers offers a fresh, revealing and highly personal look at the culture of Grand Prix racing as it was during the 1954 and 1955 championships, with individual portraits of the twelve races in which the Mercedes-Benz W 196 R participated. This book explores the Mercedes-Benz W 196 R's historic roots, development, and its place in Grand Prix racing, detailing its triumphs, struggles and disappointments, as well as the spirited challenges from Maserati, Ferrari, Gordini and Lancia.With carefully crafted observations and conclusions, given added drama by richly detailed illustrations, this book captures the energy and dynamic nature of these racing seasons, and shows that Juan Fangio was indeed the ultimate master of the art and science of racing a Grand Prix automobile; the W 196 R the instrument with which he honed his skills. This book captures the decisive moments when victory - hanging in the balance - tilted in Fangio's favor, due to his iron discipline, and steady hand on the wheel.The W 196 R's racing days may be long gone, but the car remains a shining star of Mercedes-Benz' participation in motor sport heritage events worldwide.It is this timeless appeal of the W 196 R that gives Two Summers its vitality, charm and enduring attraction.
Industry Reviews
There is much to enjoy in the text, but the beauty of this book is in the glorious pictures Motor Sport There can [...] be no doubt about the quality of this highly enjoyable book, with compelling words that will keep the reader entertained from cover to cover and an excellent choice of photographs from the best sources for images of Mercedes-Benz history. Readers of The Bulletin are going to have real difficulty deciding where to spend their Christmas present book tokens this year but 'Two Summers' will surely be near the top of the pile! VSCC Bulletin no collector can afford to miss it ... a volume to be treasured. Motor Cycling Club (MCC) Fast-paced prose builds the excitement as the Germans battle the Italians. Auto Express The core of the book is devoted to individual portraits of the twelve races that comprised the 1954-55 seasons in which the Mercedes W196 R participated. With its carefully crafted observations and conclusions, and added drama of richly detailed illustrations, this book captures the energy and dynamic nature of these racing seasons Mercedes Owner where this book really scores is in its superb photographs. Speedscene compelling, lively evidence of the W 196 R's dominance and, specifically, that Argentine five-time F1 world champion Juan Manuel Fangio deserves an exalted place in the pantheon of drivers. SpeedReaders. What really makes the book are the photographs and event posters from the Daimler Archive. This is a good book for historians and fans alike, both of the Mercedes-Benz brand and Grand Prix racing of the fifties. - Chequered Falg Services. a delightful book that tells the tale of the Mercedes Grand Prix team when they were at the height of their resurgence in the 1950s - Automoblog.net
