A Darracq called Genevieve: The Story of Veteran Motoring’s Most Famous Car

The Bafta award-winning Genevieve, a British film of the coronation year 1953 with an Oscar nominated music score by harmonica player Larry Adler, became the catalyst for unprecedented interest in veteran motoring worldwide. Genevieve’s participation in the annual London to Brighton run for veteran cars, alongside her rival, a throaty, bright yellow Dutch Spyker, has become a legendary tale. But what of this 1904 French Darracqs life before and after it’s film career? Rodney Laredo’s in-depth biography of Genevieve is the first of its kind. It charts both the public and private life of this famous identity within the old car industry. For more than forty years the author has collected an extensive pictorial and documented archive of material, through his own personal association with Genevieve and her respective owners and restorers in England, New Zealand, Australia, and Holland. Much of the material is new, and made available here for the first time. Intriguing recollections - from those who starred in the film Genevieve, who were involved in its production, and who became friends of the author over a long period - are likewise included.