Book Reviews

It is by now well known that Porsche won the prestigious Le Mans 24-Hour race in 2016, the company’s 18th such victory in this classic French endurance race. To put this achievement in perspective, Audi have won the title thirteen times and Ferrari nine times. Just as they did in...

Blue cover – Limited Edition Much has been written about the Porsche 911, in fact there are few manufacturers in the world, that could boast as having as many books written about one of their models. But as can be expected, many of these books cover selected top models, and...

The 914 is the Porsche that most sports car enthusiasts turn up their noses at. Let’s face it, the 914 isn’t the most beautiful Porsche in the world, with its flat surfaces and angular styling. It looks unpretentious, unattractive, and was generally unloved by many. But is that a fair...

Fitz – My Life at the Wheel: by John Fitzpatrick © Autosports Marketing Associates, Ltd. John Fitzpatrick needs little by way of an introduction. He learned his trade the hard way, by racing his own private road car, a Mini, in local races. But we are getting ahead of the...

Most people, even those only vaguely interested in motor sport, will have heard about the Porsche 917. The first of Porsche’s race cars to truly dominate the world of sports car racing, the 917 project was in 1969 almost a step too far for the small Stuttgart manufacturer as it...

The Porsche Book, The Complete History of Types and Models by Jürgen Barth and Gustav Büsing The clue is in the sub-title, The Complete History of Types and Models, as this three-set volume will provide the reader with a convenient, in-depth coverage of all road-going and racing models. While that...

Every now and then a truly good book comes along, one that is not only excellent in its content, but is also significant due to the rarity of the subject it covers. Roy Smith’s book on the Porsche 924 Carrera is one of those books because it covers a worthy,...

The author starts his book, The Monza 1000km: 1965-2008, by calling the first chapter, the years between 1965-1971, the ‘Golden Years’ and he is not the only one to do so. While the cars were rather ‘explosive’ in their performance, drivers and team personalities could also be rather explosive in...

The very existence of the Porsche sports car must rank as one of the more unlikely histories in the automotive world. Yet such was the pioneering spirit of Professor Ferdinand Porsche and his son, Ferry, that the irrepressible 356 eventually saw the light of day, produced behind the doors of...

Porsche Sounds is another fine publication to have been produced by the Porsche Historical Archives in Stuttgart. But why, you may ask, do we need another book on Porsche’s long and well covered history, and what makes this book any different from the many others out there? Valid questions indeed....

Author Brian Long needs little introduction to the serious motorsport enthusiast, and in particular, Porsche racing. This title covers Porsche’s motor racing achievements between 1953 and 1975, and is the first of two volumes (the second volume covers 1976 to 2005). Offering a brief historical look into the company’s origins,...

Porsche’s domination of sportscar racing in the 1960s and 1970s by the 917 is well known, but the manufacturer’s rise to the top would not have been possible had it not been for the existence of several highly successful race cars that were created before it. Bill Oursler, who needs...

If there was one Porsche racing car that set the Stuttgart company on the road to motor sport stardom, then it must surely be the 1970 Le Mans winning Porsche 917. For many years it had been the sole aim of Porsche’s Director of Research & Development, Dr. Ferdinand Piëch,...

Every once in a while a man or woman comes along who wants to shake the tree, turn convention on its side, or just to improve the way we do things. Having written several books on the Porsche marque, when the opportunity arose to review Karl Ludvigsen’s book, Ferdinand Porsche:...

For starters, when you pick up your copy of Kussmaul Chronicles, you can jettison any preconceived ideas of reading a ‘normal’ book on the story of an engineer and his years spent at Porsche. That way, with a clear mind, you will be better prepared for the unexpected when you...