Porsche 911: Perfection by Design (Paperback)

by Randy Leffingwell (Author)
Key Phrases: series production cars, racing engineers, brake horsepower, United States, Ferry Porsche, Helmuth Bott (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
"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."

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.”

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Motorbooks (September 15, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0760329753
• ISBN-13: 978-0760329757
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 7.9 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #76,338 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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  #8 in	Books > Nonfiction > Automotive > Luxury
  #22 in	Books > Nonfiction > Automotive > Pictorial
  #23 in	Books > Nonfiction > Automotive > History

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent read with beautiful photographs..., December 30, 2005

By	M. Mark Yenikomshian - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Porsche 911: Perfection by Design (Hardcover)

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.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars 5 stars but..., February 17, 2006

By	X. Levadiotis "Excell" (Xanthi, Greece) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Porsche 911: Perfection by Design (Hardcover)

..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.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Porsche Perfection, February 15, 2006

By	J. Barr (Santa Barbara, CA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Porsche 911: Perfection by Design (Hardcover)

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!