Classic & Sports Car, June 2021
'The 128-pagers concluding studio set by John Volley is excellent, and possibly the highlight.' JP
Octane, February 2021
'It is all predictably well put together by Ian Wagstaff, and also tells the broader story of the T33s, which, of course, is vital for any motorsport aficionado for whom 002 may not be the chassis at the very top of their reading list.'
BRDC Bulletin, Winter 2018
'This is the 12th of Porter Press International's lavishly published books in the Great Cars series and is certainly one of the best among a high quality series.
'The story is brilliantly complemented by the very large number of period images, many of them previously unpublished and all of the benefiting from the large page size and high quality paper which is the hallmark of Porter publications. Mick Walsh's informative and erudite captions also enhance the please which this book provides.
'As a celebration of one of the greatest sports cars of all time, which could also win Grand Prix races, this could not be bettered, If you also like Alfa Romeos, you will delight in this book. If you want some of the best available pictorial coverage of pre-war racing in both Italy and the British Isles this is a book to enjoy. It is highly recommended.'
Classic & Sports Car | Book of the month, May 1, 2018
'The first book from C&SC's longest-serving and best-loved staffer has been a long time coming, but the result is worth the wait. As those who know him might expect, the subject is his beloved Alfa Romeo, specifically the magnificent Monza.
'Book 12 in the Porter Press Great Cars series isn't a niche production: yes, Walsh studies the life of FYE 7 in forensic detail - from its debut win at Brooklands to its later career as historic racer and stunning road car - but it's also in depth history of the model. From famed designer Jano to the race that gave the car its name and key drivers, it's dripping with knowledge, delivered with Mick's trademark enthusiasm. He's just as passionate about sourcing the best period imagery, and the richly reproduced shots are a joy to pore over.'
MotorSport, May 1, 2018
'...author Mick Walsh arguably knows more about 8C Monzas than anyone since creator Vittorio Jano. The content reflects as much.
'Fit and finish are as sumptuous as always and much of the archive photography is superb - particularly shots from the 1933 Mannin Moar race on the Isle of Man. And while it might be true that £60 is a lot of money to spend on a book, this represents one hell of a lot of book for the money.'
Auto Italia, May 1, 2018
'You might not think that you could get 320 pages out of a single car but 2211130 has a rich competition record that you never feel it's being drawn out. Far from it: as the publisher comments, some of its owners and drivers over the years boast life stories that seem like they're taken from a movie script.
'The book is very well crafted, both as a story and how it looks
'The quality is unimpeachable; this is a gorgeous item.'
Brooklands Bulletin, May 2018
'You might think a book about just one car might be hard to fill, but when it covers a car that has had continuous, sometimes extremely active, use for over 80 years you start to understand how this can be a large format, hardback with well over 300 pages.'
Hortons Books, May 2018
'Walsh studies the life of FYE 7 in forensic detail - from its debut win at Brooklands to its later career as historic racer and stunning road car - but it's also an in-depth history of the model.'
Classic Motor Monthly, April 1, 2018
'This book tells the remarkable history of an Alfa Romeo Monza and its characterful drivers and owners, some with life stories worthy of a movie script. Built in 1933, '2211130' was raced that year by the Hon Brian Lewis and won the arduous Mannin Moar race on the Isle of Man. The car continued to be raced until the war by John Cobb (1934), Luis Fontes (1935), Anthony Powys-Lybbe (1936-37) and Fay Taylour (1938) at venues as diverse as Vila Real (Portugal) and Phoenix Park (Ireland). Post-war it passed through several significant collectors to arrive at its status today as one of the more important surviving Monzas, and a car with so much charisma and historic interest that it is a most worthy addition to the acclaimed 'Great Cars' series from Porter Press.'
The Automobile, April 1, 2018
'We then reach the heart of the book, with 150 pages of race-by-race reviews of all the events in which the car ran before the war, driven by Lewis, John Cobb, Charlie Dodson, Luis Fontes, Antony Powys-Lybbe, Fay Taylour and Robert Arbuthnot - all of whom feature in several pages of individual biographical sketches give new insights into the protagonists.
'To illustrate this book, Mick Walsh has trawled through many archives and found quite a lot of previously unpublished period photographs. He has also tracked down surviving family members to locate some really interesting, including 1950s colour. Photographic reproduction is good, as in the case with all books in this series.
'Mick Walsh is almost as enthusiastic as I am about the eight-cylinder Alfa Romeos of the 1930s, and that comes through in this book. Unlike many prewar racers, this Monza has a continuous history so is an ideal candidate for the Great Cars series. A must have for anyone interested in SC Alfas.'
Octane, April 1, 2018
'Walsh writes with great passion for the subject, and probably unrivalled knowledge of Monzas because there is unlikely to be anyone on the planet who has driven more pre-war Alfas. The result is an enthralling tale in which it is clear that no stone has been left unturned. With the archive photos complemented by modern photoshoots at Brooklands and in the studio, Bob Freeman's artwork, and plenty of period artworks and drawings we would be extremely surprised if there is a notable fact, quote or photo from this car's 85-year history that is not included here.'
The Bulletin, Spring 2018
'There is an embarrassment of riches for this issue of the Bulletin, with so many high quality books being publishing at around the same time but we have now become accustomed to the very high standards achieved by Porter Press's Great Cars series and this, the twelfth in the collection, is clearly no exception. With, perhaps, the exception of ERA R4D, the sixth volume, this is the most pertinent for Club members, 2211130 having raced for many years in the hands of the Hon. Patrick Lindsay, a true hero of the VSCC who owned the car for 28 years before it was inherited by his son, James Lindsay, and kept in the family for another 12 years.
'All in all, this is a superb book, beautifully produced and, at £60 great value for money, it will appeal on many levels, pre-war racing history and lovers of quality books. Another one for the motoring bookshelf and strongly recommended.'
New Zealand Classic Car | themotorhood.com, Spring, 2018
'As you would expect from this well established series of books, the 8C's development, its competition history, and the key personnel are given thorough coverage before the book focuses on the specific example, chassis number 2211130.
'This wonderful book continues to follow the car's career to the present day. It raced on for a while post-war and later became a historic racing favourite in the hands of drivers such as Patrick Lindsay and Alain de Cadenet, who I recall driving a Connaught at the first Wellington street race meeting. Now in the enthusiastic hands of British owner Roderick Jack, 2211130 looks resplendent in green and is exactly the type of car that deserves to have such a book written about it!'
