For those of you unable to make the journey to the High Museum of Art in Atlanta for the Allure of The Automobile (between March 21 and June 20, 2010) it’s possible the show’s official catalog might be the next best thing.
Most hi-profile art exhibits print a catalog of the show’s featured pieces for visitors, and admirers alike, to read and learn more as they peruse the exhibition. The Allure of the Automobile at the High Museum of Art is no different. What is different, however, is the quality and substance of the catalog. Published by Rizzoli (the same publisher who gave us Porsche: The Fine Art of the Sports Car) with principal photography by Peter Harholdt this hard bound masterpiece is a work of art in itself. With nearly 60 full page, full color photos and countless other smaller inserts, the Allure of the Automobile provides background and coverage of an exhibit that examines the golden age of automobile design.
Celebrating eighteen of the world’s finest cars from 1930 to the early 1960′s, the collection includes an exacting Replica of the VW Type 60K10/Porsche Type 64 (body shell) – considered the ancestor of all subsequent Porsche sports models” – and the 1953 Porsche 550 Prototype that launched Porsche’s successful endeavors into the world of motorsport and race car manufacturing.
With close to 100 pages dedicated to background, history and photography of the cars on display, the Allure of the Automobile is a book for anyone that admirers their Porsche not only as a great sports car, but as a work of art. If you can’t make it to Atlanta to see the exhibit in person, the catalog is available to pre-order via Amazon (it goes on sale April 13) at a very reasonable price of $26.
Behind the Scenes Video of Porsche and the Allure of the Automobile
Video Showcasing 150 Porsches Helping to Open the Allure of the Automobile Show
To learn more about the High Museum of Art and the exhibition, please visit www.High.org
While the memory of many successful racing cars fades with time, that of the 917 has endured, passing not just into Porsche history but motorsport folklore itself. Amazing when you consider it raced for just five short seasons 40 years ago. The word “legend” is overused generally and in racing circles particularly, but if any car can be said to be worthy of it, the 917 surely is. — Derek Bell
25% Discount on Porsche 917 x 17 for PorschePurist Readers. Just Enter Discount Code PP at Checkout.
Like the race car it chronicles, Jeff Zwart’s exquisitely rendered images of 17 of the most beautiful and historic 917s are destined to become the next piece of Porsche publishing “legend”. The pages of Porsche 917 x 17 are flooded so heavily with metallic ink that if it weren’t for the heavy matte art paper and spot varnish you would expect the color to just pour from the pages.
If Zwart’s name isn’t familiar to you, it should be. A renowned automotive photographer and Porsche race car driver, Zwart has directed Porsche films and documentaries including the recent Panamera commercial as well as last year’s Bloodlines.
A must have for any Porsche enthusiasts library, Porsche 917 x 17 is available from David Bull Publishing. Between today and December 11th, David is offering a 25% discount for PorschePurist.com readers at checkout. Simply enter “PP” in the discount code field and your savings are applied automatically.
The Porsche Book
If you’re considering purchasing a Porsche anthology, be sure to check out Jürgen Barth’s Complete History of Types and Models. Published originally in 1977, this is the first English language version in more than 25 years. Consisting of three volumes, these epic tomes cover more than 1500 pages and 60 + years of Porsche history.
Presented in a slipcase that graphically depicts the cockpit of a 356 there are more than 2000 photographs across the three volumes (some of the historic images are appearing in print for the first time). There are also scores of other illustrations (including design sketches and technical drawings), as well as comprehensive tables featuring chassis numbers, engine numbers, specifications, and performance figures.
Similar to the offer above, David Bull Publishing is offering 25% off the cover price to PorschePurist.com readers. Simply enter “PP” into the discount code field, click apply and you’ll save yourself $75.00 (and more) on your purchase. Don’t forget, the discount code will only work between now and December 11th and can be applied to your entire purchase (multiple books). Do yourself a favor and click through to David’s site to explore all the other Porsche books he has available. Please feel free to share this post and discount code with others you think may be interested.
Lastly, and most importantly, a special thanks to Peter Bourassa of MMR (Motorsports Marketing Resources) for his work and efforts in pulling this offer together.
I have often wondered to myself why it is that we are so attracted to the humble little Porsche 356. What is really the big deal? If we are totally rational about it, the 356 appears to be nothing more than a VW Beetle in a party frock. It sounds a bit like a Beetle. Inside, it seems like the same spartan dash. It’s not really that fast, and it even smells like a Beetle. And all of that for $50,000? You’ve got to be kidding.
But luckily, human beings are not always rational. We are whimsical. We have a sense of nostalgia and sentimentality. We recognize that some mechanical things have a certain magic about them. They have a soul that’s bigger than just the hunk of metal and parts they represent.
In The Book of the Porsche 356, Brian Long has opened the door to the glorious history of the beginning of Porsche. This hardcover version of his original 1996 book is not simply a reprint, but has been extensively revised and substantially expanded. The numerous historical photographs transport us back to the original factory in Gmund, to the dusty racetracks and rallies, and brings us the hardy faces of the engineers and the people who made Porsche the icon that it is today. It reminds us of a gentler and more civilized era. An era where battles were fought at Le Mans amongst 1.3 liter cars. An era where a single sales agent in New York could request a new model that would suit his particular customers.
Author Brian Long is certainly not new to this, having more than 40 similarly well-researched automotive books under his belt. And it shows. The book is filled with just enough interesting technical details of every 356 variant produced, yet balanced with telling the engaging commercial story of the early years of Porsche.
I’ve always maintained the more history you know of something, the easier it is to like or love. So ultimately, Brian Long succeeds with his book. He has rekindled my love for the humble 356 Porsche. But more importantly, he has reminded me of the love and enthusiasm I have for this magnificent company.
Today’s Post was written by Etienne Botes. Etienne is an ex-South African living in Switzerland who manages his own currency fund. He has been passionate about cars and classic cars since childhood, and is especially drawn to unique and quirky classics. Etienne has been a life-long Porsche fan and has owned a 944 and a 1989 911. He recently sold his Lotus Esprit Turbo SE in favor of acquiring a 356 sometime in the future.
I spent part of the day today looking through my library and realized that my Porsche section has grown quite nicely over the last couple of years. As a result, I have reviewed a number of Porsche related books here on PorschePurist.com. I thought I would use today’s post to provide you with a list of my more favorite reviews and links on how to purchase them. This way, if you’re interested in a book for your own library you can get an objective opinion before making your own purchase. After looking through my library I realized I have a number of books still left to review, so stay tuned for some upcoming reviews on both new and old Porsche related books.
For most Porscheophiles, there is but one master reference guide; a Porsche bible if you will. What great work do I speak of? None other than Karl Ludvidgsen’s Excellence Was Expected. In fact, if you think your Porsche library is complete but it is missing this key reference, you my friend are most definitely mistaken.
Since 1977 Karl Ludvigsen’s Porsche: Excellence Was Expected has been regarded as the definitive work on Porsche history. In this masterwork Ludvigsen presents the inner workings, masterpieces and failures of an independent automaker that has exerted a disproportionately powerful influence on the automotive industry. Remarkable both for its breadth of coverage and its technical depth, Excellence Was Expected covers every Porsche road and racing car from the company’s beginnings through the development of the 2009 Panamera.
With this new edition, Excellence Was Expected remains “the definitive archetypal marque history” (Autocar) that it was in its first edition. And Karl Ludvigsen continues to set the bar high for automotive historians, just as the company he chronicles continues to shape our very definition of the term “sports car.”
Bentley, the publisher of Excellence Was Expected, created a video that discusses and displays the updates. However, rather than relying directly on the editor I decided to reach out to Karl myself and get a description of the updates directly from him.
Here’s what Mr. Ludvidgsen had to say:
It was a big decision to undertake a full update of the 2003 edition so soon, but when Bentley was planning a reprint we decided we owed it to our readers to carry on just as we’d been doing in the previous chapters. It was a lot of work but we managed it!
With the third volume being overhauled I went back to previous chapters and made updates and additions wherever required. The second Boxster chapter was updated completely as was the chapter on the 996 and Chapter 59 on the special 911s, the Turbo and the GT models.
I was able to break out a complete chapter on the Cayenne as number 60 with a lot of new material on its creation, manufacture and the market’s reaction to it. I even have the Hybrid version included!
In the previous book I only mentioned the Carrera GT but this gets its own chapter, 61, in the new book, complete with photos and technical details that I’m sure few people have seen elsewhere.
Then with Chapter 62, dedicated to the RS Spyder, we suddenly break out in all-singing, all-dancing color. From there onward everything is color where we have it, lending a great quality to the rest of Volume 3. Here’s the whole RS Spyder story in the detail that our readers crave.
Chapter 63 is dedicated to Porsche’s brilliant new star, the Cayman. We even have a picture of the rare racing version built by Alzen Motorsport. In 64 we introduce the 997 version of the 911 in all its road going varieties, followed in Chapter 65 by the Turbo and GT racing and road versions. They’re just great in color with lots of technical specs and illustrations.
In Chapter 66 I introduce the Panamera and provide my insights into the stock-market machinations and the involvement with Volkswagen. We conclude with our tabulations of Porsche racing successes, up to date through 2007. That’s it, John, executed with the care and precision that people expect from Bentley.
I went on to ask Karl what type of Porsches we could find in his garage?
My garage is Porsche-free at the moment though I wouldn’t mind adding a Cayman! Instead it houses a 1937 Cord 812 and a Riley RMS sports as shown in the attached. My first and last Porsche was a 1951 1300 which I owned in 1955 when I was a student at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn.
Given the amount of work that Karl has published on Porsche, his depth and breath of knowledge, I was quite amazed to learn that he hasn’t owned an example of our coveted marque since the early 50′s. Personally, I won’t hold it against him. Hopefully, with the royalties from Excellence was Expected and other works he can add that Cayman sometime soon!!
I’ve just about finished my copy of Genesis of Genius and will be publishing a review on that shortly. Hopefully, I’m not giving too much away by saying that as expensive as it is, it is worth the price of admission.
If ever a book was published to be viewed versus read, then Porsche The Fine Art of the Sports Car is the one. Photographer Lucinda Lewis is joined by author William G. Scheller, in this update to the original 1990 version, that showcases some 370 photographs over 384 pages. Porsche The Fine Art of the Sports Car, is one of the best pictorial documentaries on Porsche available today.
It doesn’t take a Porchefile to see why Ms. Lewis is considered one of America’s top automotive photographers. Through her lens and careful eye even the most mundane technical details pop from the page capturing the curves and sculpture that those in the know recognize as the hallmarks of Porsche design and engineering. Destined to become a coffee-table classic for the Porsche owner and enthusiast, each one of the many photographs is suitable for framing and prominent display.
Organized in chronological order, the book provides a brief background and cross section on the history of Porsche and each model presented. While well written and informative, this book is no means a comprehensive reference on all things Porsche. Instead, Ms. Lewis has presented us with what can best be described as a visual feast for the eyes.
Similar in presentation and style to other books in the Ludvigsen Library Series, Porsche Spyders 1956 – 1964 provides a brief yet compelling overview of the cars that came to be known as “Giant Killers”.
Ludvigsen’s clear and concise writing style provides the reader with an introduction documenting the storied racing history of theses sports-racers built on the foundation of the Porsche Type 550.
“a completely new frame underneath the 550A of 1956, which externally looked little different from its well loved 550 predecessor. All it had in common with the previous ladder-type frame were transverse tubes containing its torsion-bar springs.”
Predating the “White Racers” from Zuffenhausen, Porsche’s silver Spyders (of the mid 50′s to early 60′s) delivered what many considered to be the marques “greatest victory” since the company began manufacturing cars; the overall win at the 1956 Targa Florio by Umberto Maglioli at the wheel of a Spyder 550A. Not known to rest on their laurels, Porsche placed 2nd in ’58 and took overall wins again in ’59, ’60 and ’63. In those few years where a Spyder wasn’t to be found in the lead, Porsche Spyders would never be found trailing further behind then third place. An impressive record in one of the sports most demanding races ever and only a small part of the “remarkable overall finishes and wins that gained them the “Giantkiller” nickname.
Each page of this wonderful history is filled with deliciously detailed black and white photographs that, at times, complete the story more so than the accompanying narrative.
About the Author Karl Ludvigsen
In 2003, Karl Ludvigsen was awarded the Friend of Automotive History Award, the highest honor bestowed by the Society of Automotive Historians. He is also a three-time winner of their Cugnot award for best book of the year. Ludvigsen has served as technical editor of Auto Age and Sports Cars Illustrated magazines, as east coast editor of Motor Trend and as editor of Car and Driver. He has also worked on the inside of the motor industry at senior levels with General Motors, Fiat and Ford.
His Porsche history, Porsche: Excellence Was Expected, is considered by many to be a model of the researching and writing of the history of an auto company.
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, Brian Long has opened the door to the glorious history of the beginning of Porsche. This hardcover version of his original 1996 book is not simply a reprint, but has been extensively revised and substantially expanded. The numerous historical photographs transport us back to the original factory in Gmund, to the dusty racetracks and rallies, and brings us the hardy faces of the engineers and the people who made Porsche the icon that it is today. It reminds us of a gentler and more civilized era. An era where battles were fought at Le Mans amongst 1.3 liter cars. An era where a single sales agent in New York could request a new model that would suit his particular customers. 
is certainly not new to this, having more than 40 similarly well-researched automotive books under his belt. And it shows. The book is filled with just enough interesting technical details of every 356 variant produced, yet balanced with telling the engaging commercial story of the early years of Porsche.
. In fact, if you think your Porsche library is complete but it is missing this key reference, you my friend are most definitely mistaken.
Hopefully, with the royalties from Excellence was Expected and other works he can add that Cayman sometime soon!!
In 2003, Karl Ludvigsen was awarded the Friend of Automotive History Award, the highest honor bestowed by the Society of Automotive Historians. He is also a three-time winner of their Cugnot award for best book of the year. Ludvigsen has served as technical editor of Auto Age and Sports Cars Illustrated magazines, as east coast editor of Motor Trend and as editor of Car and Driver. He has also worked on the inside of the motor industry at senior levels with General Motors, Fiat and Ford.
, is considered by many to be a model of the researching and writing of the history of an auto company.
