The book from teNeues about the large coupés and convertibles from Mercedes-Benz is a big chunk. It is 304 pages long, but also has a large format. René Staud provided the photos, Jürgen Lewandowski characterizes the individual models with short texts, which are printed in three languages: German/English/Japanese.
The image dominates
It is primarily an illustrated book, René Staud probably didn't want it any other way. And like the cover, it is dark in color. Almost all of the pictures are studio photos with sparingly used light sources that show the elegant cars in all their beauty. The text is only intended to briefly supplement what the eye has already identified.
It is not the 300 SL, the 190 SL or the Pagoda that are covered, but the large cabriolets of the post-war period, starting with the 220 Cabriolet A, the 300 S and its derivatives through to the modern derivatives of the E-Class and S-Class.
Right up to modern times
The book "The Grand Cabrios & Coupés" is not a classic car book; almost half of the pages are devoted to designs from the last 20 years or so. It is a Mercedes factory showcase of the last 60 years as far as large convertibles and coupés are concerned.
If you want to dig deep and know everything about a particular model series, you're in the wrong place with this illustrated book. This "coffee table book" is aimed at viewers who want to enjoy an overview and comparison of the elegance of the various designs.
Familiar and less familiar
In addition to many well-known cars, Staud/Lewandoski's book also includes some cars that are probably less familiar to many readers. One of these is the Mercedes-Benz 600 Coupé, the shortened version of the large 600 saloon of the 1960s, which was only built once because customers showed no interest in it.
Or the F 200 Imagination concept car, which was presented in Paris in October 1996 and showed many innovations that have been incorporated into the Mercedes series over the years or that we are still waiting for today, such as the sidesticks that were installed instead of a steering wheel.
Mercedes fans will certainly enjoy the thick book by teNeues, as will picture enthusiasts. However, readers interested in history and fans of extensive technical descriptions or pages of vehicle specifications will put the book down unsatisfied; for them, the 98 euros asked for would be a bad investment.
Bibliographical details
- Title: The Grand Convertibles & Coupés
- Authors: René Staud and Jürgen Lewandowski
- Language: German/English/Japanese
- Publisher: teNeues
- Edition: 1st edition, October 2015
- Format: Hardcover
- Scope: 304 pages, around 350 illustrations (mostly in color)
- Size: 38.1 x 30.3 x 3.6 cm
- ISBN: 978-3832732936
- Price: Euro 98.00
- Buy/order: Online at amazon.d e , at the publisher teNeues or in bookstores
