I don’t know which books are in your automotive literature collection, but I do know that there are more you may want to add. “Car Guys vs. Bean Counters: The Battle for the Soul of American Business” by Bob Lutz and “Bruno Sacco: Leading Mercedes-Benz Design, 1975-1999″ by Nicholas Greene are on my list. If you’re a fan of GM cars, Harley Earl’s designs, or the Oldsmobile Toronado, “Designing Dreams: Essays on the inside story of GM, Harley Earl and America’s Golden Automotive Age” might be the next addition to your library.
In this 197-page read, author Dick Ruzzin, former Director of Design for Chevrolet Cars in the United States, shares over one hundred sketches and GM archival images, as well as essays about the creative process and ideas behind certain cars. One of those essays focuses on the Oldsmobile Toronado, a car which Ruzzin had a hand (and pen) in designing.
No discussion of 20th-century GM styling would be complete without covering Harley Earl. The Automotive Hall of Fame inductee and former head of GM design is credited with introducing the use of clay modeling, the Buick Y-Job (which GM calls “the industry’s first concept car”), and “Project Opel,” which eventually became the first Chevrolet Corvette. According to Veloce, the publisher, Ruzzin’s book “reflects on the profound influence of Harley Earl, the pioneer car designer who elevated automobiles into works of art. Earl’s creativity and design philosophies reshaped the industry, leaving a legacy that continues to inspire.”
“Designing Dreams” is available to pre-order now before its release on July 29, 2025. Barnes and Noble and Amazon have digital versions priced at $18.99; the hardcover goes for $29.99. Those of you overseas can find it on Veloce’s website for £24.99.
