The Nicolas-Joseph Cugnot Award for books in English will be awarded for books published in the previous calendar year that best advance the understanding of the history of the automobile in the English language.
Consideration will be given to traditional automotive histories that focus on vehicles, manufacturers, individuals and events, as well as social histories of the automobile that examine the effect of the automobile on society, culture, and everyday life.
The Award Panel may also select additional books for secondary recognition with an Award of Distinction. Please note that a separate Cugnot Award is given for books in languages other than English.
Requirements
All nominations and enquiries should be sent by email to sahawards@autohistory.org. Your email will then be forwarded to the Cugnot committee chair.
Nominations should include the name of the award, book being nominated, the name and contact information of individual making the nomination, and one or two lines outlining the reason for making the nomination.
Once a nomination has been accepted, the book in question should be forwarded to the Cugnot committee as directed by the committee chair.
All books submitted for the Cugnot Award become the property of the SAH and are deposited in the Society of Automotive Historians Special Reference Collection at the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum in Auburn, Indiana.
Please note that nominees and nominators do not have to be SAH members and please remember that the Cugnot Award is for books published in the previous calendar year.
All nominations for the Cugnot Award must be received by April 15 of this year. Be sure to apply by the deadline.
Previous Award Winners
2025
Andrew Denning for Automotive Empire: How Cars and Roads Fueled European Colonialism in Africa, published by Cornell University Press
2024
Jon Pressnell. Kim: A Biography of M.G. Founder Cecil Kimber. Dalton-Watson Fine Books, 2023
2023
Detroit Steel Artists: How Edsel Ford, Ray Dietrich, Tom Hibbard, and Ralph Roberts Turned Motor City into a Styling Mecca Before Harley Earl by Matthew Kilkenny. Published in 2022 with the assistance of Beaver’s Pond Press
2022
Delage: Records & Grand Prix, by Daniel Cabart and Sébastien Faurés Fustel de Coulanges. Published in 2021 by OREP Editions.
Award of Distinction: Joseph Figoni Le Grand Couturier de la Carrosserie Automobile Alfa Romeo, Volume One, by Peter M. Larsen & Ben Erickson. Published by Moteurs!
Award of Distinction: Tom Tjaarda: Master of Proportions, by Gautam Sen. Published by Dalton Watson Fine Books.
2021
The Cellini of Chrome: The Story of George W. Walker, Ford Motor Company’s First Vice President of Design, by Henry Dominguez, published by Racemaker Press LLC.
Award of Distinction: Driving While Black, African American Travel and the Road to Civil Rights, by Gretchen Sorin, published by the W. W. Norton.
2020
Ballot, by Daniel Cabart and Gautam Sen, published by Dalton Watson Fine Books.
Award of Distinction: The Doble Steam Car, by Jim Crank, published by the Doble Steam Press.
2019
Reid Railton: Man of Speed, by Karl Ludvigsen, published by Evro Publishing.
Award of Distinction: Damsels in Design: Women Pioneers in the Auto Industry 1939-1959, by Constance A. Smith, published by Schiffer Publishing.
2018
Blood Sweat and Fear: Violence at Work in the North American Auto Industry, 1960-1980, by Jeremy Milloy, PhD. published by University of British Columbia Press.
Award of Distinction: Shelby Mustang GT350, by Chuck Cantwell with Greg Kolasa, published by David Bull Publishing.
2017
Wolseley – A Very British Car, by Anders Ditlev Clausager, published by Herridge and Sons.
2016
Squire, the Man, the Cars, the Heritage, by Jonathon Wood, published by Bridgnorth.
Mercer Magic: Roeblings, Kusers, the Mercer Automobile Company and America’s First Sports Car, by Clifford W. Zink, published by Roebling Museum.
Award of Distinction: Power Without Glory: Racing the Big-Twin Cooper, by Terry Wright, published by Loose Fillings.
2015
J. Saoutchik, Carrossier, by Peter Larsen and Ben Erickson, published by Dalton Watson Fine Books.
Lancia and De Virgilio, by Geoffrey Goldberg, published by David Bull Publishing.
Award of Distinction: Ikarus: Busse fur die Welt, by Christian Suhr, published by Verlagkraftakt.
2014
Cunningham: The Passion, the Cars, by Richard Harman, published by Dalton Watson Fine Books
Award of Distinction: Every Cloud has a Silver Lining, by Davide Bassoli, published by Nubes Argentea.
Award of Distinction: Arsenal of Democracy: The American Automobile In World War II, by Charles K. Hyde, published by Wayne State University Press.
2013
Talbot-Lago Grand Sport: The Car from Paris, by Peter M. Larsen with Ben Erickson, published by Dalton Watson Fine Books.
Award of Distinction: Rippon Bros: A Coachbuilder of Renown, by Jonathan Wood, published by James Hinchcliffe and Annabel Sleigh.
2012
Sports Car Racing in the South: Texas to Florida 1957-58, by Willem Oosthoek, published by Dalton Watson Fine Books.
2011
Carribean Capers: The Cuban Grand Prix Road Races of 1957, 1958, and 1960, by Joel E. Finn.
Award of Distinction: Voiture Minimum: Le Corbusier and the Automobile, by Antonio Amado, published by MIT Press.
2010
Storied Independent Automakers: Nash, Hudson and American Motors, by Charles K. Hyde, published by Wayne State University Press.
Award of Distinction: Maxwell Motor and the Making of the Chrysler Corporation, by Anthony J.Yanik, published by Wayne State University Press.
2009
Ferdinand Porsche, Genesis of Genius: Road, Racing and Aviation Innovation, 1900 to 1933, by Karl Ludvigsen, published by Bentley Publishers
2008
Trust and Power: Consumers, the Modern Corporation and the Making of the United States Automobile Market, by Sally H. Clarke, published by Cambridge University Press.
2007
Billy, Alfred and General Motors: The Story of Two Unique Men, A Legendary Company and a Remarkable Time in American History, by William Pelfrey.
Award of Distinction: Karl Maybach: His Engines and Automobiles, by Harry Niemann.
Award of Distinction: Béla Barényi: Pioneer of Passive Safety at Mercedes-Benz, by Harry Niemann.
2006
Pioneers, Engineers and Scoundrels: The Dawn of the Automobile in America, by Beverly Rae Kimes, published by SAE International.
2005
The Stanley Steamer: America’s Legendary Steam Car, by Kit Foster, published by the Stanley Museum, Inc.
The Electric Vehicle: Technology and Expectations in the Automobile Age, by Gijs Mom, published by Johns Hopkins University Press.
Award of Distinction: The Story of Reo Joe: Work, Kin and Community in Autotown, USA, by Lisa M. Fine, published by Temple University Press.
2004
Three Men in a Hupp, by James A. Ward, published by Stanford University Press.
The Fairmount Park Motor Races, 1908-1911, by Michael J. Seneca, published by McFarland and Company, Inc.
2003
Sloan Rules: Alfred P. Sloan and the Triumph of General Motors, by David Farber, published by University of Chicago Press.
Award of Distinction: Zora-Arkus-Duntov: The Legend Behind the Corvette, by Jerry Burton, published by Bentley Publishers.
2002
The Classic Era, by Beverly Rae Kimes, published by the Classic Car Club of America.
Awards of Distinction: The Automobile in American History and Culture: A Reference Guide, by Michael L. Berger, published by Greenwood Press, Inc.
2001
Battle for the Beetle, by Karl Ludvigsen, published by Bentley Publishers.
Award of Distinction: The Beaulieu Encyclopaedia of the Automobile, Nick Georgano, editor-in-chief, published by The Stationery Office, Ltd.
Award of Distinction: The Legendary 2.3: Alfa Romeo 8C 2300, by Simon Moore, published by Parkside Publications.
2000
The Franklin Automobile Company, by Sinclair Powell, published by the Society of Automotive Engineers.
Award of Distinction: Edsel Ford and E.T. Gregorie, by Henry Dominguez, published by the Society of Automotive Engineers.
1999
The Graham Legacy: Graham-Paige to 1932, by Michael Keller, published by Turner Publishing with M.T. Publishing Co.
Award of Distinction: The Pacesetter: The Untold Story of Carl G. Fisher, by Jerry M. Fisher, published by Lost Coast Press.
1998
The Motoring Century: The Story of the Royal Automobile Club, by Piers Brendon, published by Bloomsbury Publishing.
Award of Distinction: The Story of Hampton Cars, by Trevor G. Picken, published by Hampton Cars.
1997
The Splendid Stutz, edited by Raymond A. Katzell, published by The Stutz Club, Inc.
Award of Distinction: A Century of Automotive Style, by Michael Lamm and Dave Holls, published by Lamm-Morada Publishing.
1996
Mercedes-Benz Quicksilver Century, by Karl Ludvigsen, published by Transport Bookman Publications, Ltd.
Award of Distinction: Cord 810/812: The Timeless Classic, by Josh B. Malks, published by Krause Publications.
1995
Awards of Distinction: Taking Charge: The Electric Automobile in America, by Michael Brian Schiffer, published by the Smithsonian Institution Press.
Awards of Distinction: Automobile Quarterly Vol. 32 No. 4, an issue devoted entirely to Chrysler Corporation.
1994
Carriages Without Horses: J. Frank Duryea and the Birth of the American Automobile Industry, by Richard Scharchburg, pulished by the Society of Automotive Engineers.
Award of Distinction: Jaguar in America, by John Dugdale, published by BritBooks.
1993
The American Automobile – A Centenary 1893-1993, by Nick Georgano, published by Prion/Smithmark.
Bugatti, the Man and the Marque, by Jonathan Wood, published by Crowood Press.
Automobile Quarterly Vol. 30 No. 4, an issue devoted entirely to Duesenberg.
Awards of Distinction: Skoda Laurin & Klement, by Ivan Margolius and Charles Misl, published by Osprey Publishing.
Awards of Distinction: The American Gas Station, by Michael Karl Witzel, published by Motorbooks International.
1992
Pontiac! They Built Excitement, by Thomas E. Bonsall, published by Stony Run Press.
Award of Distinction: Chevrolet 1955: Creating the Original by Michael Lamm, published by Lamm-Morada Publishing.
1991
The Motorcar in Art: Selections from the Raymond E. Holland Automotive Art Collection, by John J. Zolomij, published by Automobile Quarterly.
The Cobra-Ferrari Wars, by Michael L. Schoen, published by CFW.
Award of Distinction: The Cameron Story, by William T. Cameron, published by the International Society for Vehicle Preservation.
Awards of Distinction: The Classic Kissel, by Val V. Quandt, published by Palmer Publications.
Awards of Distinction: Ford, the Complete History, by the Editors of Consumer Guide, published by Publications International Ltd.
Awards of Distinction: Tatra: The Legacy of Hans Ledwinka, by Ivan Margolius and John J. Henry, published by SAF, Ltd.
1990
Austin Seven Sourcebook, by Brian Purves, published by G.T. Foulis/Haynes.
Awards of Distinction: The Story of the Red Triangle, by Kenneth Day, published by G.T. Foulis/Haynes.
Awards of Distinction: Soaring Spirit: Thirty-Five Years of the Ford Thunderbird, by John Katz, published by Automobile Quarterly.
Awards of Distinction: The Automobile Industry 1920-1980, edited by George S. May, published by Facts on File.
Awards of Distinction: Tangled Web: The Legacy of Auto Pioneer John F. Dodge, by Jean M. Pitrone, publsihed by Avenue Publishing Company.
Awards of Distinction: Jaguar E-Type: The Definitive History, by Philip Porter, published by G.T. Foulis/Haynes.
1989
Wheels of Misfortune: The Rise and Fall of the British Motor Industry, by Jonathan Wood, [ublished by Sidgwick and Jackson.
Awards of Distinction: The Behring Collection, by Rob Haeseler, published by Behring Educational Institute Press
Awards of Distinction: Klassiche Wagen, 1919-1939, by Ferdinand Hediger, Hans-Heinrich von Fersen and Michael Sedgwick, published by Hallwag AG.
Awards of Distinction: Make ’em Shout Hooray!, by Richard H. Stout, published by Vantage Press.
Awards of Distinction: Sporting Rileys: The Forgotten Champions, by David Styles, published by Dalton Watson Fine Books.
1988
Volvo: Sixty Years of Truckmaking, by Christer Olsson, published by Forlagshuset Norden AB.
Jaguar: Sports Racing and Works Competition Cars from 1954, by Andrew J.A. Whyte, published by G.T. Foulis/Haynes.
Award of Distinction: Rolls-Royce: The Classic Elegance, by Lawrence Dalton, published by Dalton Watson Fine Books.
1987
The Star and the Laurel: The History of Daimler, Mercedes, and Benz, by Beverly Rae Kimes, published by Mercedes Benz of North America.
The Immortal 2.9: Alfa Romeo 8C 1900 A and B, by Simon Moore, published by Parkside Publications.
Awards of Distinction: There is No Mistaking a Pierce-Arrow, by Brooks Brierley, paublished by Garrett & Stringer.
Awards of Distinction: Bentley: The Vintage Years, by Michael Hay, published by Dalton Watson Fine Books.
Awards of Distinction: Dynamic Beherrschen, by Erik Eckermann, published by ATE/Teves.
Awards of Distinction: Golden Wheels: The Story of Automobiles Made in Cleveland and Northeastern Ohio, (corrected edition) by Richard Wager, published by John T. Zubal, Inc.
1986
The Standard Catalog of American Cars 1805-1942, by Beverly Rae Kimes and Henry Austin Clark, Jr., published by Krause Publications.
The Marmon Heritage, by George and Stacey Hanley, published by Doyle Hyk Publishing.
Awards of Distinction: John Montagu of Beaulieu, by Paul Tritton, published by Golden Eagle/George Hart.
Awards of Distinction: Pontiac: The Complete Story, by Tom Bonsall, published by Bookman Publishinga.
Awards of Distinction: Jaguar: A Tradition of Sports Cars, by Bernard Viart and Michel Cognet, published by Editions Practique Automobile.
Awards of Distinction: Mercedes-Benz:The Supercharged 8-Vol. I, by Jan Melin, published by Nordbok International.
1985
No Nicolas-Joseph Cugnot Award.
Award of Distinction: Pierce-Arrow: The Golden Age, by Marc Ralston, privately published.
Award of Distinction: Automania: Man and the Motor Car, by Julian Pettifer and Nigel Turner, published by William Collins Sons & Co.
1984
My Two Lives, by Rene Dreyfus and Beverly Rae Kimes, published by Aztex Corporation.
Award of Distinction: Ford 1903-1984, by David L. Lewis and Lorin Sorenson, published by Publications International.
Award of Distinction: US Military Wheeled Vehicles, by Fred Crismon, published by Crestline Publishing.
1983
Duesenberg: The Pursuit of Perfection, by Fred Roe, published by Dalton Watson Fine Books.
As Old as the Industry: Riley, by David Styles, privately published.
1982
The Lincoln Motorcar: Sixty Years of Excellence, by Tom Bonsall, published by Bookman Publishing.
Award of Distinction: The Miller Dynasty, by Mark Dees, published by Barnes Publishing West.
Award of Distinction: Bugatti, by Borgeson, by Griffith Borgeson, published by Osprey Publishing Ltd.
1981
Jaguar Saloon Cars, by Paul Skilleter, published by Haynes Publishing.1980
The Complete Encyclopedia of Commercial Vehicles, edited by G.N. Georgano, published by Krause Publications.
1979
Packard: A History of the Motor Car and the Company, edited by Beverly Rae Kimes, published by Automobile Quarterly Books.
1978
Isotta-Fraschini, by Tito Anselmi, published by Segrate.
1977
The Public Image of Henry Ford, by David L. Lewis, publsihed by Wayne State University Press.
1976
Kaiser-Frazer: The Last Onslaught on Detroit, by Richard M. Langworth, published by Automobile Quarterly Books.
1975
American Automobile Racing, by Albert Bochroch, published by Viking Press.
1974
Mack, by John B. Montville, published by Aztex Corporation.
1973
Mercedes Benz Racing Cars, by Karl Ludvigsen, published by Bono/Parkhurst Books.
1972
A History of Sports Cars, by G.N. Georgano, publsihed by E.P. Dutton.