Phantom House, Wellington, 2005. In tidy condition.
Test Pilot is the autobiography of Paul Owen, an award-winning motoring journalist and motorsport author who is truly living the petrol-head's dream. In his role as chief editor for New Zealand Autocar Magazine, Paul regularly jets to some distant and exotic location to report on the launch of - or to road test - yet another new motorcar or motorcycle, be it driving a Lamborghini Gallardo in the Italian countryside or road testing the latest Suzuki GSXR 1000 around Philip Island in Australia. Closer to home, Paul expresses some strong opinions on New Zealand drivers, speed cameras and speed limits, the roads, the authorities that control them and the rules they make. He tells of the place the motor vehicle has in his heart and what he has learned in the school of hard knocks of an impetuous motoring youth. This is an insider's report on the glitz and glam of the international motorshows; a look at the global automotive industry and the sophisticated PR machine that surrounds it. Paul Owen is an award-winning motoring journalist, Chief Editor for New Zealand Autocar Magazine and the co-author of three books about motorsport icons: You Don't Know the Half of It - the life of Superbike ace Aaron Slight; Bourne to Rally - the story of the late great rally king Possum Bourne, and Murph's Law - the story of V8 Supercar hero Greg Murphy. Test Pilot is an action-packed saga of a professional car and bike reviewer's life on four or two wheels. It's a tough job, but someone has to do it...