Porsche High-Performance Driving Handbook: Porsche Rear-Engine 911, 930, 959, 356, 914, Front-Engine 924, 944, 928, 968, and 917! [Paperback]

Vic Elford (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 11, 1994

Forget the weight bias! Elford explains techniques that have never been explained before in any other driving book. Packed with photos, diagrams, and personal advice and recommendations, this driving guide gives you the special skills required to master your rear-engined Porsche. Covers cornering, smoothness, balance, acceleration, gear changing, braking and competition driving. Learn from a master - and enjoy the drive!

Editorial Reviews

Review

“This is a must read for any Porsche owner interested in either motor racing history and/or the finer points of high performance driving.” – Jon Jones, Cimarron Trail PCA Newsletter

   

“There is a wealth of information between these covers both historic and technical and I’s bet the novice as well as the seasoned veteran would thoroughly enjoy Elford’s slant on it all. It gets four stars from me.” – Mark Stubbs, Shenandoah PCA Newsletter

Larry Printz of The Virginian Pilot (circ.: 175,005) loved the book saying, “This book is a must for those who drive Porsches.”

Sports Car Market (circ.: 31,500) said “Elford’s book is different because so much of the book is made of stories from his past, which are used to illustrate concepts. The stories are reason to read; that you might be smoother and faster in a car by the end of the book is just a bonus.”

The Porsche enthusiast website 993c4s.com (views per month: 30,000) said “The Porsche High Performance Driving Handbook is the perfect companion gift for the new Porsche owner. The book’s conversational style makes it seem as if one is sitting with the racing legend, taking in technique secrets and enjoying unbelievable stories of his days on the track (and off). Do you know anyone who is interested in becoming a better driver? This is the book to get for them.”

Porsche Club of America chapters reviewed the booksaying:

“This is a must read for any Porsche owner interested in either motor racing history and/or the finer points of high performance driving.” – Jon Jones, Cimarron Trail PCA Newsletter

 “There is a wealth of information between these covers both historic and technical and I’d bet the novice as well as the seasoned veteran would thoroughly enjoy Elford’s slant on it all. It gets four stars from me.” – Mark Stubbs, Shenandoah PCA Newsletter

 “This is a great book for any Porsche driver not just those adrenaline crazed few that want to go fast around a track. After reading this, I have got to get me some of that.” – Richard Davis, War Whoop (Official publication of the War Bonnet Region of the PCA)

 Bear Facts, the official newsletter of the PCA Polar Chapter and Tobacco Roads (official publication of PCA North Carolina, Palmetto Pipes the official newsletter of the PCA Palmetto Chapter and the Silver Sage Region PCA Newsletter also reviewed the book.

“Written by the first driver to win the Monte Carlo Rally in a Porsche, this book is a must for those who drive Porsches, whether on the track or on the street.” –Larry Printz, The Arizona Republic

“His book covers driving techniques that he learned from rallies and road racing. Techniques are well-illustrated with easily understood descriptions.” – Bob Schmitt, Porscheklatsch

 “This book belongs on every Porsche driver’s book shelf if you want to become a better driver. I periodically pull down my copy and re-read it just to reacquaint myself with techniques I may have forgotten or still have trouble with.” - David Witteried, Winding Roads

 

 

 “Understanding Vic’s instructions and explanations of driving skills and car technologies and set-up requires no additional books or guides. Vic is clear, concise and his explanations seem so intuitive that you can go out immediately and practice what he has just taught. If you love your Porsche and would like to be able to experience the capability of the breed to its fullest, I highly recommend this book.” – Tom Holmes, Der Auspuff

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Review

"There is a wealth of information between these covers both historic and technical and I's bet the novice as well as the seasoned veteran would thoroughly enjoy Elford's slant on it all. It gets four stars from me."

"Elford's book is different because so much of the book is made of stories from his past, which are used to illustrate concepts. The stories are reason to read; that you might be smoother and faster in a car by the end of the book is just a bonus." --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: MBI Publishing Company; 1st edition (April 11, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0879388498
• ISBN-13: 978-0879388492
• Product Dimensions: 10.5 x 8.3 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,127,514 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #91 in Books > Professional & Technical > Automotive > Driver's Education

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

41 of 44 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Too many anectdoes; not enough meat!, June 15, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Porsche High-Performance Driving Handbook: Porsche Rear-Engine 911, 930, 959, 356, 914, Front-Engine 924, 944, 928, 968, and 917! (Paperback)

To me, this book seems inadequate. The book describes Vic's career, and that's fine: he's an accomplished driver. The pictures are neat, and the older exotics he drove are interesting. It's a neat history describing Porsche's racing heritage.

But it offers so little advice on driving, the book feels like a waste for someone who wants to learn performance driving.

It's not a driving manual: there's little theory, and sometimes the anectdotes lead nowhere: they don't provide a lesson!

And it's not a Porsche manual, in that the author offers very little advice on setting up the kinds of Porsches that entry-level drivers race today.

I think you're better off with Bob Bondurant's book, or one of the similar titles.

30 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Driving Book with LOTS of interesting stories, May 10, 2001

By 

Zachary Cude (Tx United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Porsche High-Performance Driving Handbook: Porsche Rear-Engine 911, 930, 959, 356, 914, Front-Engine 924, 944, 928, 968, and 917! (Paperback)

Okay so I don't have a Porsche. I'm comfortable with that fact, and I'm not made at people who have one unlike other reviewers of this book. And what's up with going on and on slamming the rich people? If you a true racing fan and more specifically a rally fan you'll love this book. Like the title says, which other reviewers seem to forget, it is a HIGH-PERFORMANCE driving book that just happens to be done in Porsches. The author explains in easy to understand terms the principles of race and rally car vehicle dynamics and techniques to maximize these principles. He will present a topic maybe say maximum braking on various types of conditions, explain the techniques and the theory, and then tell some great story about his rally or race days which shows you a real-world application of what he was talking about. I bought this book a long time ago, lost it, and now have bought it again. It is one of my favorites both for its great stories, pictures (Vic got a 917 so sideways at Le Mans in the rain its a wonder he didn't crash it), and the basic principles that it conveys simply and effectively. This is a great beginners book on how to drive fast, and a great rally fans book with its stories. If you understand what this book is saying, and I guaruntee you will drive better and faster.

Just remember the other guys are just jealous.

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Excellent Beginning to Serious Driving, September 20, 2000

By 

Benjamin J Wood (Coppell, TX United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Porsche High-Performance Driving Handbook: Porsche Rear-Engine 911, 930, 959, 356, 914, Front-Engine 924, 944, 928, 968, and 917! (Paperback)

Vic's book is an excellent starting point for any Porsche driver of any model. Nicely balanced between technical concepts and real-life examples, it stays interesting throughout. His emphasis on smoothness throughout the book echoes what you'll hear again and again at any instructed PCA Driving Event. It is a great preparation to becoming seriously involved in driving events and is equally valuable for having fun and being safe on the street. By no means is it the most complete or exhaustive book on the topic; rather, it is a marvelous and exciting introduction.