Product Details
Porsche 911: Perfection by Design

Porsche 911: Perfection by Design
By Randy Leffingwell

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Product Description

For over 40 years, Porsche’s legendary 911 has ruled the realm of sports cars. The Porsche 911 is the benchmark. The 911 recently celebrated its 40th anniversary, making it one of the longest-running models currently in production from any manufacturer. A leader on the race track as well as the street, it posted an outright, overall victory at the 24 Hours of Daytona in 2003, beating Corvettes, Ferraris, and even purpose-built Daytona Prototype race cars. This, despite the fact the 911’s rear-engine configuration was long ago rejected by rivals. Why does it hold such a coveted spot at the pinnacle of the sports car world? In Porsche 911: Perfection by Design, best-selling author/photographer and noted Porsche historian Randy Leffingwell adeptly answers this question, tracing the amazing story of its development and rise to international success, from the 1963 Type 901 through 2005 models. In tandem, he weaves the racing 911’s rich history, where it reigned victorious at Le Mans, Daytona and many more of the world’s most prestigious races. With more than 350 pages and 300 vivid color and black and white photographs, this amazing hard-cover book showcases why the 911 continues to impress enthusiasts and engineers alike. Leffingwell interviewed dozens of former and current Porsche engineers, designers and executives – including Ferdinand “Butzi” Porsche, the father of the 911 – as well as Porsche competitors (who used the 911 as a benchmark for their own designs) to create a true, hands-on anecdotal history of the 911. Straight from the key players and decision-makers, he explains: “This book is an inside story of how the 911 came to be what it was, what it is now and how it moved through 40-plus years of evolution, growth and improvement.” A jaw-dropping and unprecedented collection of 911s between two covers (Leffingwell and David Newhardt’s stunning, full-page, color photography features more than 80 Porsche 911s) complements the text, enticing readers to an up-close-and-personal view of these exotic, wish-list cars.
    

Product Details

  • Amazon Sales Rank: #233046 in Books
  • Published on: 2005-11-03
  • Original language: English
  • Number of items: 1
  • Binding: Hardcover
  • 352 pages

Editorial Reviews

BookPage, December 2005
"Everyone will revel in the views of the various carnations of this incredibly stylish car through the decades..."

Review
Hemmings Sports & Exotic Car, April 2006 “Porsche 911 lovers are in no way lacking for printed reading material. A glance at the average bookseller’s shelf may turn up more Porsche books than any other marque. It takes a great deal to set a new 911 book apart from the crowd, but a near coffee-table-sized format, stylish design and beautiful magazine-style photography do the trick. Lucky for author Randy Leffingwell, his eye-catching Porsche 911: Perfection by Design has all the above.”         

Reader’s Digest holiday gift guide, December 2005 “Want a Porsche? Who doesn’t? But since most of us can’t afford one, here’s the next best thing: a coffee-table book all about them. Porsche 911 chronicles the sports car’s birth and rise to the top, and has 300-plus drool-inducing photos.”    

Excellence, June 2006 (No. 1 Porsche-specific magazine in the U.S.) “Books on Porsche come and go – but standouts are rare. Porsche 911: Perfection by Design is one … What really sets this book apart is the way it endeavors to answer a basic question: ‘Why has the rear-engined 911 been so successful in a world that’s relegated its basic layout to automotive history?’ The in-depth research and telling interviews used to answer that question make this book a bargain at $50.   “The story is matched with superb photos. As is often the case with images captured by Leffingwell’s lens, many are the kind you’ll pore over before turning the page.   “Porsche 911: Perfection by Design is worthy of a place on the shelf alongside Ludvigsen, Aichle, Frere and Sloniger. Think of it as a book that fills in the whys behind the whats of Porsche history – without relying on tired photos or rehashed history. It will make a fine addition to any Porsche library.”

From the Back Cover
Since the first 911 rolled out from Porsche’s Zuffenhausen assembly plant in 1964, it has defined the term sports car. Porsche’s rear-engined wonder has provided driving enthusiasts with the most exhilarating means available to unwind a twisting road. It has also dominated every form of automobile racing, achieving spectacular victories at such fabled tracks as Le Mans and Daytona, as well as winning grueling off-road events like the Paris-Dakar Rally.
 
The 911’s prowess was no accident, though. It is as close to automotive perfection as possible for one simple reason: Porsche designed the car to be as perfect as humanly possible. By setting such lofty goals for the car, Porsche has also set the stage for an amazing story, one of challenges and triumphs, all captured by noted Porsche expert Randy Leffingwell in Porsche 911: Perfection by Design.
 
“It takes a great deal to set a new 911 book apart from the crowd, but a near coffee-table-sized format, stylish design, and beautiful magazine-style photography do the trick. Porsche 911: Perfection by Design has all the above.”—Hemmings Sports & Exotic Car, April 2006
 
“This weighty tome presents the history of the 911 to date in a fact-filled, yet highly readable format. If you’ve ever wanted to know the full story of the 911, this is your book.”—Evo (UK), December 2005
 
“Books on Porsche come and go – but standouts are rare. Porsche 911: Perfection by Design is one. The in-depth research and telling interviews make this book a bargain.”—Excellence, June 2006
 
“Want a Porsche? Who doesn’t? But since most of us can’t afford one, here’s the next best thing. Porsche 911 chronicles the sports car’s birth and rise to the top, and has 300-plus drool-inducing photos.”—Reader’s Digest holiday gift guide, December 2005

Customer Reviews

Review of the Porsche 9114
This book was certainly an interesting read. It provided some good insight into the history of the Porsche 911 and the innovations that were made. I was somewhat disappointed however in that I was hoping the book would tell me what was good or bad about a particular model; it didn't. I also would have liked photos of the models being discussed incorporated with the text. Overall, I enjoyed the book and better understand the decisions made by Porsche as the company matured.

Excellent book5
I bought this book for my husband he he loves it. He is planning to buy one for a friend also.

Absolutly Brilliant Book, Worth Every Penny5
This book has stunning photography and amazing writing. It provides a comprehensive, but not exhaustive history on Porsche's development. The book flows from topic to topic beautifully, making for a engaging read. This has been the best Porsche book I have read, and it was worth every penny. I would reccomend it to anyone who wants to learn more about Porsche, about its development as a company, about its amazing racing heritage, and about the making of the most captivating road car in the world. The Porsche 911.