Car Lovers

I remember the car more than I remember the year. It was probably 1971, it was definitely a torana. Not just any torana, but a near-fluoro yellow GtR two-door covered in air-scoops. Louvres, bulges and wings. It growled, it roared, it spat smoke, it flung mud from all four corners. It flew. . . . . Since the first Holden, the FX, rolled off the plant at Fishermens Bend in Melbourne 60 years ago, millions of Australians have been obsessed with cars. In CAR LOVERS, John Dale has invited 12 of Australia's leading writers to celebrate our fascination with metal, speed and power, to explore the links between cars and sex, cars and identity and cars and memory, and show how cars have shaped and influenced our lives. A yellow torana with a legendary driver that teaches a ten-year old about the thrill of victory and the sad inevitability of loss and ageing. . . A green Hyundai that transports a married woman to her lover. . . the Renault that is a Greek immigrant family's frontline vehicle in the war between Old and New Australians. . . the crank-started old-fashioned cars that give a young boy his first intimation of sexual love. . . CAR LOVERS is not just about the wheels - it's about love, loss, families and friends. It's about growing up in Australia. Frank, funny, moving and candid, this collection of stories is a must-read for anyone who loves cars - or has loved in cars.