Karl Ludvigsen’s epic three-volume Power Unleashed: Trailblazers who Energised Engines with Supercharging and Turbocharging has been named as the RAC’s 2025 Motoring Book of the Year.
The 665,000-word trilogy charts the rise of forced induction in the automotive and aviation industries and how it revolutionised performance.
The Royal Automobile Club noted the book’s clarity and authority as Chairman Duncan Wiltshire (left) presented the award to 91-year old Ludvigsen (right).
Karl Ludvigsen said: ‘It’s deeply gratifying to see Power Unleashed recognised in this way. Forced induction has fascinated me since I was a student engineer in the 1950s, and this project represents a lifelong journey of discovery. I hope readers will share my admiration for the brilliant minds who turned air and pressure into power. I would like to extend my thanks to Evro Publishing for their belief in this project and their superb work in making it a reality.’
Jeremy Vaughan, Head of Motoring at the Royal Automobile Club, added: ‘Power Unleashed is a towering achievement and a truly definitive work. It is beautifully produced, deeply researched, and stands as a landmark publication that will serve as an important reference for engineers, historians, and enthusiasts alike.
‘Here at the Club, we’re proud to recognise such excellence in motoring literature, and we’re grateful to our expert panel of independent judges for their passion, knowledge and dedication. The Book Awards represents our part in encouraging the best new work.’
The full list of winners at the RAC 2025 Book of the Year Awards is:
The Motoring Book of the Year:
Power Unleashed: Trailblazers who Energised Engines with Supercharging and Turbocharging
By Karl Ludvigsen
Evro Publishing, £395
Books about motor cars and motoring, costing no more than £50:
Meyers Manx 1964-2024
By Basem Wasef
Hothouse Media, £49.50
Books about motor cars and motoring, with no price limit:
Joseph Figoni: Le Grand Couturier de la Carrosserie Automobile Vol. II–IV: Bugatti
By Peter M. Larsen & Ben Erickson
Moteurs!, £650
Books on a motorsport subject, costing no more than £50:
A.J. Foyt – Vol. 1: Survivor, Champion, Legend
By Art Garner
Octane Press, £37
Books on a motorsport subject with no price limit:
My Travels On Racer Road: Can-Am and Formula 1 in their Golden Age
By Pete Lyons
Evro Publishing, £70
Graham Robson Award for Best Debut Author:
De Tomaso: Racing Blue Blood
By Alejo Pérez Monsalvo & Marcel Schaub
McKlein Media, £295
Lifetime Achievement Award:
Gordon Cruickshank
