Mercedes-benz Sport-light Coupé

While the name and cover image of this well-produced book might lead you to think it’s exclusively about SLS, SLCS and SLSS, it has a broader remit. The title’s final word is the primary thread weaving through the 200-plus pages, but even that falls short of capturing this work’s expansive scope. Either way, its The complete story subhead is bang on the money, with a serious level of detail. Covering Benz from the dawn of motoring and motorsport up to modern-day production cars, it’s a fulsome history and there’s an engineering depth to the rich text. Panels on key players, most notably of some often-overlooked personalities, reinforce the feeling that no stone has been left unturned, although arguably the extensive archive photos, sketches and diagrams steal the show. There’s a lot of what you expect and delightfully much you don’t or had forgotten – Pininfarina W109 coupé and F200 Imagination Coupé, anyone? – to increase its appeal. Marque expert Greene promises a second volume on saloon-based coupés. LP £25 Nik Greene, Crowood. ISBN 9781785008221