Seller Image Napier - The First To Wear The Green

Some motoring marques become famous because they sold millions of cars. Napier took a rather different approach, becoming legendary through engineering brilliance, racing success and an unwavering refusal to think small. Before Rolls-Royce had fully established its reputation and long before Ferrari became synonymous with speed, Napier was already pushing the boundaries of automotive performance, innovation and prestige. Napier – The First to Wear the Green tells the fascinating story of one of Britain’s most remarkable—and unjustly overlooked—motor manufacturers.

David Venables explores the extraordinary rise of Napier from its Victorian origins through its pioneering years at the forefront of British motoring. The company quickly earned a reputation for building cars of exceptional quality and engineering sophistication, becoming one of the dominant forces in the formative years of the motor car. Along the way, Napier accumulated speed records, competition victories and a reputation for innovation that influenced the development of the automobile far beyond its relatively short lifespan as a car manufacturer.

The title refers to Napier’s historic adoption of British racing green, a colour that would go on to become one of the most enduring symbols in motor racing. Long before it adorned Bentleys, Jaguars and countless Formula One machines, Napier proudly wore the famous shade while competing on the international stage, helping to establish a tradition that remains instantly recognisable more than a century later.

Lavishly illustrated throughout, the book is packed with period photographs, factory images, advertisements and beautifully preserved surviving vehicles. Venables brings to life not only the remarkable machines themselves but also the colourful personalities who designed, built and raced them. It’s a vivid reminder of an era when pioneering motorists cheerfully accepted that reliability was an aspiration rather than a guarantee, and every ambitious journey required equal measures of courage, mechanical sympathy and optimism.

The narrative balances technical detail with engaging storytelling, making it accessible to both seasoned automotive historians and readers discovering Napier for the first time. Whether discussing pioneering engineering, endurance racing or the evolution of luxury motoring, Venables captures the excitement of an age when the rules were still being written and every innovation had the potential to change the future of the motor car.

Beautifully produced by Haynes Publishing, this volume is a fitting tribute to a manufacturer whose influence has often been overshadowed by later automotive giants. It serves not only as a history of Napier itself but also as a fascinating window into the adventurous spirit of early motoring, when every improvement represented another step into unexplored territory.

This copy is in As New condition, with immaculate pages, crisp covers and a fresh appearance throughout. It has clearly been exceptionally well cared for and would make a superb addition to the collection of any enthusiast of vintage motoring, British engineering or automotive history.

Offered, as always, by Crappy Old Books, where the name continues to promise dog-eared paperbacks rescued from forgotten attics while somehow producing treasures like this instead. We can’t offer you a pioneering Edwardian racing car painted in glorious British Racing Green, nor the accompanying mechanic, goggles and heroic moustache, but this handsome volume is considerably easier to accommodate—and unlike an original Napier, it’s unlikely to require a team of specialists every time you fancy taking it out for a spin.

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