British author Bill Munro has crafted the definitive history of Ferguson Formula, the pioneers of four-wheel drive in passenger cars.
Today, four-wheel drive in passenger cars (or all-wheel drive, as you wish) is fait accompli. You can find it as standard or optional equipment on many of the cars on the market. But not too many years ago, that was far from the case. The available systems were considered too expensive, too complicated, too heavy, too burdensome to be practical for everyday road cars.
Naturally, before any automotive development can become commonplace, pioneers are required to step up and identify the problems, explore all the pitfalls, and propose potential solutions. Chief among the pioneers in four-wheel drive was Ferguson Formula of Coventry, England. Founded in 1950, Ferguson embarked on countless automotive adventures and achievements in the 4WD field, and the company has a fascinating and complicated history as a result. Along the way, the Ferguson system was employed on everything from British family saloons to turbine Indy cars.
British auto historian Bill Munro is the author of a number of remarkable books on classic London taxis, tanks and armored vehicles, and other rich fields of investigation. His latest work, Traction for Sale: The Story of Ferguson Formula Four-Wheel Drive, is the product of more than 20 years of historical research, based on original Ferguson company materials and a draft manuscript written by Pat Turner, wife of Ferguson engineer Will Turner, which quickly grew tenfold in length.
Unlike many books in the car buff’s sections these days, Traction for Sale is far more than an hour’s light reading. You’ll need to dig in and spend some serious time with this one, and you will enjoy the experience. In fact, we’re still working on our copy, and we’re constantly finding new insights and revelations. You may have noticed that Mac’s Motor City Garage generally doesn’t review books for our Bookshelf department unless we find them important and truly useful, and Traction for Sale certainly fits the bill. We give our highest recommendation. Here’s a book for serious students of the automobile.
Traction for Sale: The Story of Ferguson Formula Four-wheel Drive by Bill Munro and Pat Turner; Earlswood Press; 350 pages, 8 x 0.9 x 10.9 inches; hardcover. £40.50 at Earlswood Press. Availability at Autobooks-Aerobooks, Amazon, and elsewhere currently limited due to the COVID-19 emergency; inquire before ordering.
