Product Details
Porsche 911: Perfection by Design

Porsche 911: Perfection by Design
By Randy Leffingwell

Price:

This item is not available for purchase from this store.
Click here to go to Amazon to see other purchasing options.


31 new or used available from $6.34

Average customer review:

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.

Award-winning author Randy Leffingwell interviewed dozens of current and former engineers, designers, and executives from Porsche and its competitors. The result is a rich anecdotal history as told by true, hands-on, decision-making insiders. The author describes it as "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." The fascinating history is complemented by stunning photography shot by Leffingwell and others.

Product Details

  • Amazon Sales Rank: #257419 in Books
  • Published on: 2005-11-03
  • Original language: English
  • Number of items: 1
  • Binding: Hardcover
  • 352 pages

Features

Editorial Reviews

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

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

An excellent read with beautiful photographs...5
A great review of the development of the 911 from the "901" through the 997. The book traces the history of the 911 through its generations. This is a must-have book if you own a Porsche or dream of owning one. The quality of the photos is excellent and the writing is thoughtful. Some good historical background make this an enjoyable book to read. Street cars and race cars are covered. Putting together a concise, and yet, fresh history of the Porsche 911 is a hard feat... Mr. Leffingwell did it! I highly recommend it.

5 stars but...5
..only if you are interested in a pictorial evolution of the 911. The pictures inside are awesome and they are not to be found on the internet. The supplementary text is comprehensive and very informative and the book is readable throughout.
However, you get the feeling that the book is somewhat hastily written after the 964 generation and the inclusion of some Ruf and Gemballa derivatives spoils the story in my humble opinion as they are not original 911s.
Moreover some models are missing and they are mentioned in their racing guises (like the 911 GT2 (993)). No real technical data is supplied but giving it 4 stars would be injustice.

Porsche Perfection5
This is it! The most comprehensive Porsche 911 publication to date. The photographs are amazing and the background information is very accurate.
Fantastic job Mr. Leffingwell!