Into the Red : 22 Classic Cars That Shaped a Century of Motor Sport

by Nick Mason

Nick Mason has had a lifelong passion for motor racing. The sports and racing cars he's chosen to own form a unique stable, not just because of their diversity, but because every car is meant to be driven, and driven hard. These are not museum pieces sitting tamely in glass cases. With test driver Mark Hales, Nick Mason has pushed twenty-two of his cars to the limit and created Into The Red, a book which captures the power, the exhilaration and the feel of the actual cars driven by the worlds greatest racing drivers, including Enzo Ferrari, Stirling Moss, Jacky Ickx and Mario Andretti. Some are incredibly the powerhouse Porsche 935, the limited edition McLaren F1. Some extremely the legendary V16 BRM is one of only three known to exist. Some highly the Ferrari 250GTO had a value of GBP10 million at its peak. And others are all-time classics, including the Bugatti T35B, the Maserati 250F, and the Ferrari T3 that brought Gilles Villeneuve victory in the 1978 Montreal Grand Prix. But although their past is what makes the cars so special, each car has been put through the same demanding test sequence at Silverstone, using the latest equipment, no quarter given. The results are often surprising. Mark Hales details the distinctive sensations, sounds and vibrations of each car's handling ability, down to the feel of the gears and the response of the brakes. Nick Mason gives his personal view of the history and heritage of each model, with the inside track on the ups and downs of collecting classic cars.

Genres: Nonfiction

Hardcover

First published January 1, 1998

About the author

Drummer in Pink Floyd

Reviews

[Joseph Rogers · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a reader many of motoring books, it is with pleasure that I say that this is one of the best I have ever read. In 'Into The Red', Nick Mason and Mark Hales provide the perfect balance of enthused opinion and technical know-how. The sheer passion that Mason puts across makes you realise that this isn't a purposeful display of affluence, but instead a caring insight into owning this fantastic collection of automobiles. The stories behind each are wonderfully detailed, occasionally humorous and almost completely devoid of nerdy nasal droning. I found my copy damaged and therefore reduced on the high street without the accompanying CD but still display it proudly on the living room bookshelf. Those expecting a book with numerous Pink Floyd references will be disappointed (I, for one, am not a fan) but still this book should be snatched up by any motoring enthusiast, Pink Floyd orientated or not.

[Richard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Racing driver Mark Hales drives some of Nick Mason's cars round Silverstone and Mason tells the story behind each of them. There's a CD included in the book so you can hear the cars. Mason's enthusiasm for them is infectious and you feel you could get involved in them too until you realise that the McLaren F1 GTR on the cover for example is currently worth in excess of a million quid. Still you can look at the excellent photography, listen to the CD and have a daydream.