The next best thing to driving or shopping for a luxury car is to turn through the lush photographic pages of a glossy coffee table book on luxury cars (when it’s not playing eye candy, that is) and feast on some auto erotica.

Here’s a line-up of the top five books on luxury cars that any auto or style nut must have, in no particular order.

1. Exotic Cars (First Gear) by John Lamm


This is not a coffee table book since the 256 pages are compiled into a handy paperback that makes for a great travel book. But the collection of 200 superb images photographed by John Hamm put the book into must-own category.

Exotic Cars catalogues some of the world’s best supercars with superlative speed and power and superior performance and design from automakers like Porsche, Bugatti, Maserati, McLaren, Koenigsegg and Ferrari.

2. Drive Style by Horst A. Friedrichs


Leuthner has managed to gain access to the private collections of 11 auto collectors from across the world and presents a fascinating glimpse into the profiles of these enthusiasts and their rare, vintage and even extinct automobile panoply. The cars are drawn from across the world, from Japan to Georgia and places in between. Whether it is a collection of stellar sports cars, elegant town cars from the 1930s or postwar bubble cars, this book is a tribute to some of the ultimate collections that you can hope to browse.

4. 50 Cars to Drive by Dennis Adler

In this 256 page hardcover, car photographer Dennis Adler presents 50 cars that offer superlative driving experiences through stunning full-color photographs. Here you will find cars like the Maserati Birdcage, the 1957 Ferrari TestaRossa, Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR and other cars that car lovers hope to drive once before they die. Other highlights of this must-have book include visceral descriptions of what it is like to drive these magnificent vehicles. 

5. The Encyclopedia of Classic Cars edited by David Lillywhite

If you are looking for a catalogue of some of the world’s most coveted cars, then this is the book for you. It chronicles over thousand automobiles by manufacturer with black and white as well as color-photos, specs and technical features and the facts that the casual reader and car enthusiast will find equally interesting and useful. 

Author Bio:

Bradley Taylor has an overwhelming love for everything automotive, future tech, mobile applications and keeping up-to-date with companies like Mercedes Nissan and TopGear.com. His other passions include playing drums and he also maintains a passion for bowling.