After all, it can't entirely be a fluke that the last book about a specific model of car that I reviewed also harked back to that period. In that case, it was Ed McDonough's work on the Ferrari 156 'Sharknose'. Presumably, the fixation upon early 1960s F1 cars may have a little to do with the generation of the authors (and I'm saying that without having any idea how old Tipler or McDonough actually are, so I could well be setting myself up for a big fall!). Nevertheless, these cars were a product of an era of innovation and creativity unimpeded by the restrictive technical regulations of today.

The Lotus 25 and 33 had a lot going for them. For one thing, they were beautiful machines, and it was no surprise to find in Tipler's book that one or two have found their way into modern galleries on the basis of their aesthetic appeal. But beyond that, they were very successful, delivering two World Championships to Lotus at the hands of Jim Clark, and boasted technical features such as the monocoque tub that set a new standard in Grand Prix car construction that still provides the basis of today's machines.

Tipler is a fairly prolific author of motoring books, and this title rides on the coat-tails of one or two other books that he has already produced about Lotus. While the magical flair that makes similar books by authors like Mike Lawrence so special may be missing, the quality of the content of this book offers little cause for complaint.

After exploring the atmosphere surrounding both the racing world and the Lotus company during the period in which the 25 was conceived, Tipler embarks upon a carefully-researched journey through the entire history of the cars. Of particular interest were the chapters exploring the concept behind the cars, their design, and their construction. Augmented by some interesting shots of the car under construction, Tipler tackles his subject with aplomb, providing plenty of detail regarding not only how the cars were put together, but the reasoning behind various elements of the design.

The author also managed to track down several figures who played key roles in the creation of the Lotus 25, such as chief draughtsman Alan Styman, which help provide an additional view of the type of company culture that gave birth to such a landmark Grand Prix car.

As interesting as the background to the Lotus 25 & 33 is, the one thing it had in common with virtually all race cars is that its reputation was defined by what it did on the track. Thus, Tipler also provides an extensive re-cap of the competition careers of the two models, this time with the help of anecdotes from team driver Trevor Taylor.

Another particularly welcome element of the book was the investigation into what eventually became of all the 25s and 33s that were built. This is a side of the story that is sometimes overlooked in books such as these, but it is something into which Tipler appears to have invested quite a bit of time and energy. He starts with a brief reflection on the issue of authenticity and credibility as it applies to the research of old racing cars - a problem which I'm sure that Tipler is more than familiar with, given that his biography tells us that he was a conservator of medieval wall paintings prior to becoming a motoring writer.

For the most part, he seems to have closed the file on most of them, and I'm guessing that it is this part of the book that might particularly appeal to the gaggle of Lotus enthusiasts out there.