It’s that time of year again. The tortuous process of finding or suggesting a Christmas. Fortunately for the motoring enthusiast there are a lots of ideas to suit every pocket. We will be looking at a few ideas in the run up to Christmas but it might be worth starting with The Royal Automobile Club finalists for its 2025 Motoring Book of the Year Awards. They are widely regarded as the most prestigious accolades in motoring and motor racing literature and so a guarantee of quality publishing.
Now in their twelfth year, the Awards celebrate excellence across the spectrum of motoring publishing – from autobiographies and marque histories to technical works and even a children’s book. Books published between 1 July 2024 and 30 June 2025 were eligible, with categories covering both motoring and motor sport subjects in affordable and premium editions.
In strictly alphabetical order, the Royal Automobile Club Motoring Book of the Year 2025 finalists are:
Books About Motor Cars & Motoring (under £50)
- DeLorean: The Rise, Fall and Second Acts of the DeLorean Motor Company – Matt Stone (Motorbooks, £30)
- Ford Mustang 60 Years – Donald Farr (Motorbooks, £40)
- Meyers Manx 1964–2024 – Basem Wasef (Hothouse Media, £49.50)
- Super3 Design by Adventure – Andy Plumb (Lead-in Design Ltd, £49.99)
Books About Motor Cars & Motoring (no price limit)
- Joseph Figoni: Le Grand Couturier de la Carrosserie Automobile Vol. II–IV: Bugatti – Peter M. Larsen & Ben Erickson (Moteurs!, £650)
- Power Unleashed: Trailblazers who Energised Engines with Supercharging and Turbocharging – Karl Ludvigsen (Evro Publishing, £395)
- Spy Octane: The Vehicles of James Bond (Vol. 1) – Matt Field & Ajay Chowdhury (Porter Press International, £99)
- The Magic of a Shadow – Davide Bassoli (Nubes Argentea, £215)
Motor Sporting Subject (under £50)
- A.J. Foyt – Vol. 1: Survivor, Champion, Legend – Art Garner (Octane Press, £37)
- Forever Young: Six Lost Talents of Motor Racing – Ian Wagstaff, Andrew Marriott, Jon Saltinstall & Darren Banks (BHP Publishing, £40)
- Racing Legends: Lando Norris – Maurice Hamilton (Macmillan Children’s Books, £6.99)
- The Grand Prix Year: An Insider’s Guide to Formula 1 Racing – Phillip Horton (Bloomsbury, £20)
Motor Sporting Subject (no price limit)
- On the Prowl: The Definitive History of the Walkinshaw Jaguar Sports Car Team – Neil Smith (David Bull Publishing, £100)
- My Travels On Racer Road: Can-Am and Formula 1 in their golden age – Pete Lyons (Evro Publishing, £70)
- Texas Legend: Jim Hall and his Chaparrals – George Levy (Evro Publishing, £60)
- Ultimate Ford GT40: The Definitive History Vol. 1 – Ronnie Spain (Porter Press International, £325)
Best Debut Author (Graham Robson Trophy)
- De Tomaso: Racing Blue Blood – Alejo Pérez Monsalvo & Marcel Schaub (McKlein Media, £295)
- Driving the Dragon: The Rise of the Chinese Car Industry – Mark Andrews (Veloce/David & Charles, £19.99)
- Le Mans 2000-09: The Official History of the World’s Greatest Motor Race – John Brooks (Evro Publishing, £70)
- On the Prowl: The Definitive History of the Walkinshaw Jaguar Sports Car Team – Neil Smith (David Bull Publishing, £100)
- www.royalautomobileclub.co.uk/motoring