• High Performance

  • When Britain Ruled the Roads
  • By: Peter Grimsdale
  • Narrated by: Peter Grimsdale
  • Length: 9 hrs and 26 mins
  • 5.0 out of 5 stars (1 rating)

Prime logo Prime member exclusive:
pick 2 free titles with trial.
Pick 1 title (2 titles for Prime members) from our collection of bestsellers and new releases.
Access a growing selection of included Audible Originals, audiobooks and podcasts.
Your Premium Plus plan will continue for $14.95 a month after 30-day trial. Cancel anytime.
High Performance  By  cover art

High Performance

By: Peter Grimsdale
Narrated by: Peter Grimsdale
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $15.70

Buy for $15.70

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

In January 1964 a team of tiny red and white Mini Coopers stunned the world by winning the legendary Monte Carlo Rally. It was a stellar year for British cars that culminated in Goldfinger breaking box office records and making James Bond’s Aston Martin DB5 the world’s most famous sports car.

By the '60s, on road, track and silver screen the Brits were the ones to beat, winning championships and capturing hearts. Stirling Moss, Jim Clark and Paddy Hopkirk were household names who drove the sexiest and most innovative cars. Designers like John Cooper, and Colin Chapman of Lotus, dismissed as mere ‘garagisti’ by Enzo Ferrari, blew the doors off Formula One and grabbed all the prizes, while Alex Issigonis won a knighthood for his revolutionary Mini. The E Type Jaguar was feted as the world’s sexiest car and Land Rover the most durable.

But before the Second World War only one British car had triumphed in a Grand Prix; Britain’s car builders were fiercely risk-averse. So what changed? To find out, Peter Grimsdale has gone in search of a generation of rebel creative spirits who emerged from railway arches and Nissen huts to tear up the rulebook with their revolutionary machines. Like the serial fugitives from the POW camps, they thrived on adversity, improvisation and sheer obstinate determination. Blazing the trail for them was William Lyons, whose heart-stoppingly glamorous and uncompromising Jaguars propelled a bruised and bankrupt nation out of the shadows of war, winning the fans in Hollywood and beating ‘those bloody red cars’ at Le Mans.

High Performance celebrates Britain’s automotive golden age and the mavericks who sketched them on the back of envelopes and garage floors, who fettled, bolted and welded them together and hammered the competition in the showroom, on the road and on the track - fuelled by contempt for convention.

©2019 Peter Grimsdale (P)2019 Simon & Schuster UK

Critic reviews

"A band of stubborn pioneers rose from the embers of Britain’s cities after World War Two and created the finest automobiles the world had ever seen...High Performance tells the exhilarating tale of their journey down the fast lane." (Ben Collins, best-selling author of The Man in the White Suit and How to Drive)

More from the same

What listeners love about High Performance

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    1
  • 4 Stars
    0
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0
Performance
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    1
  • 4 Stars
    0
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0
Story
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    1
  • 4 Stars
    0
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

No Reviews are Available
Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for r j roberts
  • r j roberts
  • 07-06-23

Outstanding and educational

A great story well told about British motoring history and shows that we were pretty good !

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Andy D.
  • Andy D.
  • 04-12-23

If you love British Cars, you will love this!

A great subject and well put together on those cars’ (and inventors’) names we loved as young boys.

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Mr R.
  • Mr R.
  • 12-20-22

Tremendous!

A vibrant, energetic and highly entertaining telling of a great story whose excitement never dims. Well read with lots of enthusiasm. Really enjoyed this book

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Anonymous User
  • Anonymous User
  • 11-19-22

Fantastic!

I was sorry to finish this book.
A brilliantly detailed review of an amazing period in British motor racing and industry history.
It made me wish I could travel back in time to those days.

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Amazon Customer
  • Amazon Customer
  • 05-12-22

Brilliant

Peter Grimsdale captures the exciting era when Britain built lots of cars, some awful, some adequate, some good and some brilliant. His knowledge is broad and deep and his reading style is entertaining and enthusiastic.

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Tom Scott
  • Tom Scott
  • 01-08-22

very interesting read

some very interesting and funny anecdotes alongside a comprehensive history. i found it to be detailed and entertaining.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for stuart clayton
  • stuart clayton
  • 05-30-22

Great book

A lovely written and narrated book about motor racing and the motor industry.
will be purchasing the authers other book racing in the dark.