Autosport - September 17, 1998

For several years, the three letters "BMW" have been recognised as the embodiment of Teutonic perfection.

Yet, surprisingly, the Bavarian manufacturer has often been overshadowed in the media by its more high-profile compatriots, Porsche and Mercedes.

Now there is a book which does the marque true justice: "Unbeatable BMW" by Jeremy Walton. It's a comprehensive survey of BMW's activities since 1917, when the company was best known as a manufacturer of aircraft engines. Read on, and you'll discover when and how car manufacturing and the motorsport arm developed.

All of BMW's racing heritage is neatly and chronologically explained, from the early successes with development models all the way to the legendary victories taken by such illustrious cars as the M3, 2002 and CSL "batmobile". There is even a "quickfacts" section at the beginning of every chapter to help you to navigate your way through the book, allowing information to be quickly and easily accessed.

The term "definitive work" is often bandied about. Make no mistake, anything about BMW not mentioned here isn't worth knowing.

The book is endorsed by those at the very top: witness the forewords by BMW motorsport boss Karl-Heinz Kalbfell, and three-time Formula 1 World Champion Nelson Piquet.

To get hold of a copy call the publisher, Robert Bentley, in the USA. The number is 001 617 547 4170. The cost is US$84.95, plus post and packaging. It's well worth every cent, however.