Porsche: The Rally Story [Hardcover]

Laurence Meredith (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 15, 2008

Porsche rally history is a subject that any rally fan will find compelling. Written by lifelong Porsche enthusiast, Laurence Meredith, who is an acknowledged authority on the activities of the Zuffenhausen company, the book is a comprehensive study of Porsche. From the company's earliest days in the 1930s, the book gives a brief history of the glorious Auto-Union Grand Prix cars designed by Prof. Porsche before detailing the miseries and triumphs of the company in the aftermath of war.  Throughout the late 1940s and early 1950s, Porsche struggled to survive, but unshakeable faith in the design of the 356 led to success in both circuit racing and rallying. With the advent of the 911 in 1964, Porsche had produced a car with the potential to win sporting events at all levels. The 911's sporting record speaks for itself, and demonstrates that the car is the finest and most versatile of all sports cars. Meredith's book is written with affection, appreciation and authority - and criticism where it is due - and will make an invaluable addition to any rallying or Porsche enthusiast's library.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"One of the great strengths of this book is that it is filled with over 400 excellent and rare photographs, chronicling the various Porsche rally cars and campaigns over the years." – Vintage Racecar

The Motor Cycling Club, February 2008
UK club newsletter
 
When Veloce presented me with this for review I was a little taken aback as I didn’t think it would be of pressing interest to many MCC members. Its large format seemed to qualify it for the coffee table of some nouveau rich gentleman to accompany the status symbol 911 in the drive. But I was wrong, as I read into it I found a mine of information written by a great enthusiast of the marque – almost too much so when defending 356 handling – and it’s more of a Porsche history than merely about rallying.

We should of course remember that in the early days of Porsche there wasn’t much to distinguish many international rallies from the great races of the time and it’s those early chapters which give lots of inside information about how it all came about that I found the most interesting. Although in a sense a specialist book which will certainly interest Porsche and rally enthusiasts this has a much more general appeal.

It’s an easy read and full of facts which will ensure it’s often taken from the bookcase to prove a point in discussion.

autoarabia.org, 2008
"The Ultimate Middle East Car magazine"
Egypt

Porsche's rally story is a subject that any rally and motorsport fan will find compelling. Written by lifelong Porsche enthusiast and world authority, Laurence Meredith, an acknowledged authority on the activities of the Zuffenhausen company, this is a comprehensive study of Porsche’s occasional foray into the world of international rallying.

Illustrated with 400 photographs this book is not only a must for any Porsche or motorsport fanatic, but should also be available at the Porsche dealers for those who will buy a Porsche as well as for those who are just fans of the magnificent Porsche brand and its history.

Laurence Meredith has written some 38 books, 36 of them about cars and motor racing; motorsport has been a lifelong obsession that continues to this day. Laurence has a particular interest in German cars, and is a leading authority on Porsche, Volkswagen, Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz.

He has spent his entire life – from the age of two – at motor racing circuits throughout the world, and cites his hobby and job as one and the same thing. Laurence owns several German cars, including a Porsche, classic VW Beetle, and a Formula SuperVee Modus M2. He has competed in modern classic rallies, citing his class win in the Longleat Stages of 1990 as the most rewarding. Laurence lives in rural Herefordshire.

The book contains some exciting, action-packed photographs from Porsche’s archive which will fascinate Porsche-drivers as well as Porsche-lovers. It also shows technical discussion of the cars in detail and is fully indexed.

The book is an international story that will appeal to motorsport enthusiasts in general and Porsche enthusiasts in specific all around the world, and especially in the Middle East region and Egypt where 'Porsche' means the embodiment of sports cars and motorsport heritage.

This hardback, 256-page book contains some 400 pictures, ranging from the 60K10 (1939) to the Porsche Cayenne Transsyberia Edition (2007).
    
'Porsche – The Rally Story' is published by UK-based Veloce Publishing house and costs £45.00 (UK) or $89.95 (US). Although this is not the cheapest Porsche book, it is surely worth the money.

 

GT Porsche, March 2008
UK magazine
 
Rally fans and Porsche motorsport fanatics alike will find great delight in this comprehensive study of Porsche's involvement in the world of international rallying. written by lifelong Porsche enthusiast and recognized authority on the activities of Zuffenhausen company, Laurence Meredith, this reader-friendly hardback documents with magnificent detail and comprehensive scope.   Illustrated with some 400 photographs Meredith describes through nine chapters not only Porsche's involvement in rallying, but also gives credit to the smaller names and personalities that made each project possible, as well as providing technical discussions of the cars in significant detail.

Old Stager, June 2008
UK magazine
 
Author Laurence Meredith has already covered Porsche's racing background in one of his many German marques (he has written a pictorial review of the Bugatti marque, but that too is now German owned).  Having enjoyed a virtual lifetime at racing circuits around the world, Meredith knows a thing or two about the racing world and also has a keen interest in rallying; he has competed in historic rallies (winning his class on the 1990 Longleat Stages).  His interest in German marques shines through in his analysis of Porsche's rallying heritage – a heritage that came about despite the factory's lack of 'official' involvement in the early days and the general motoring world's distaste for the basic engineering of the little German coupes. Maybe the author harps on too much about the unfair criticism from some quarters regarding the 'wrong layout' of the 356, but it well explains just how different these cars were in their period. This tack also helps to bolster the view of Porsche enthusiasts who have always insisted that those who decry the handling characteristics of 911's simply can't drive properly. I'm biased here, being in full agreement with the author - personally knowing a couple ex-911 owners who traded them in rapidly because they were 'rubbish to drive'... one settling for an Audi Quattro and the other for a Porsche Cayenne 4x4...  The book is packed with period photos, although not necessarily in chronological order. In all there are over 400 and 1 particularly enjoyed the copious number of early 911 shots.  I may be in the minority in actually liking the 914 when it was launched, but I well remember my excitement at the prospect of these mid-engined machines competing on the Monte Carlo Rally in 1971 was tempered by reading in Autosport that Waldegard wasn't impressed. This is all covered in detail and makes fascinating reading - again amply illustrated with period photographs.  The section on Böhringer and Wutterich's amazing performance on the 1965 Monte with the 904 similarly is covered in detail not usually seen photographs.  One criticism is a several of the picture captions are a little vague and many actually referring to the incorrect year (which at least can clearly be ascertained from the rally plates), but generally the wealth of photos is a real plus.

New Zealand Classic Car, September 2008
NZ magazine
 
As much a history of Porsche as a history of Porsche's rallying exploits, this new book from noted German car expert, Meredith, covers everything from the early Gmund cars through to the later 914/6, 904 and 911 rally cars – although the larger part of the book covers the 356.  The book is well written and fast paced, and it is obvious the author is a Porsche fanatic – probably a little too obvious when he attempts to defend the handling of those rear-engined Porsches and, in some cases, he even manages to contradict himself several times over in the space of a single chapter.  However, none of this detracts from the book– which is an absolute mine of Porsche rallying lore. The photographs alone make this a worthwhile purchase – who couldn't resist the sight of a Porsche 356 attacking the Stelvin Pass during the Monte? If you want to know more, log onto YouTube (www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9MIw5XBqtw) and you'll find a video of the author discussing this book.

Official publication of the Shenandoah Region of the Porsche Club of America September 2008
 

Porsches are competitive in a plethora of motor sports. Most enthusiasts do not realize how long and how successful the marque has been at rallying. This volume is a very thorough documentation of Porsches rally history. It is rich with rare photos and information.  Laurence Meredith is a lifelong motorsports enthusiast. He has written well over thirty books on cars and motor racing. He has spent most of his life at race tracks whether as participant or spectator. His devout enthusiasm shows from the first page to the last of this wonderful book. And it should. Meredith was actually present in 1968 to watch first hand Porsches foray into international rallying begin. Vic Elford was at the wheel of the orange works 911S as it screamed sideways past Meredith and the small group of onlookers at the RAC Rally in Wales. He follows the Porsche rally story right up to Cayenne and 996 participation but the majority of the book and certainly the authors heart focuses on Porsches glory years in the sport.  Rallying drives engineers crazy. Unlike other forms of motorsport, rallying encompasses so many variables that no one manufacturer seems able to get a lock on championships for long. Porsche became interested in the sport early on and lent cars and mechanics to privateers as early as the days of the 356. The advent of the 911 gave them an instrument they could really develop for rallying. With hugely talented drivers like Elford rallying 911s would become a marketing tool. From this point Porsches became high profile and achieved great technological feats culminating in many opinions with the Paris-Dakar Rally overall win in 1984 by Rene Metge in a 959. Photos from this era fill the book.

But Meredith is obviously a historian. He begins at the beginning of Porsches production of automobiles just after World War Two and gives us a loving history of the cars and the men behind the cars as they were developed. This hardbound volume has more than 250 pages with over 400 photos both color and black and white that show off the privateer and factory rally machines. Though not highly technical, the book has plenty in the way of specs and mechanical information to satisfy most of us motorheads.   The author's soft spot for the 550’s and 904’s, Porsches more focused street/competition machines is evident in that he devotes 22 pages to these two models. These were Porsches wildly successful sports racers and were dominant at nearly all the track events they entered, some notable examples being the Le Mans 24 and the Carrera PanAmericana. Rally teams began to realize the benefits that light weight sports cars may have in their sport and so cars like these two began to show up in rally competition. The 904 with its mid-engine set up and lightweight fiberglass monocoque type bodywork was super rigid and well balanced allowing superior handling in the elements found in most winter rallying. The 904 was campaigned for two seasons with four, six and eight cylinder engines and according to Meredith could have been further developed as a successful rally and road race machine had not Ferdinand Piech insisted on making his mark within
the Porsche racing department by pushing the development of more pure competition models such as the 906, 908 etcetera. I have to admit that the era from 1953 to 1965 is also my favorite. Porsches most beautiful finely crafted, technically advanced and versatile cars came from this period. These machines finessed their way into the record books with jewel like power plants capable of amazing horsepower for their size. Meredith has obviously been a rally driver as well and his belief that rallying was and is the last form of motorsport that the ‘common man’ can get involved in with the expectation of rising to the top of the game cannot be missed. His passion for the cars and rallies of the 1950’s through the ‘70’s when they were most accessible to everyman fills the bulk of the book. More than once there are references to how over litigated things are these days how bureaucrats have ruined the sport with their ‘misguided’ sense of the public good. So the author is a bit of a dinosaur…he lived through a time when competition was more pure and certainly less regulated and for producing this delightful book I think we can indulge him.

Book Description

Porsche rally history is a subject that any rally fan will find compelling. The book is a comprehensive study of Porsche. From the company's earliest days in the 1930s, the book gives a brief history of the glorious Auto-Union Grand Prix cars before detailing the miseries and triumphs of the company in the aftermath of war. Throughout the late 1940s and early 1950s, Porsche struggled to survive, but unshakeable faith in the design of the 356 led to success in both circuit racing and rallying. With the advent of the 911 in 1964, Porsche had produced a car with the potential to win sporting events at all levels. The 911's sporting record demonstrates that the car is the finest and most versatile of all sports cars.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Veloce (February 15, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1845841093
• ISBN-13: 978-1845841096
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 10.1 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,788,453 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3.0 out of 5 stars Comprehensive to a point but often maddenlingly inaccurate, July 4, 2011

By 

Phil Saunders - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Porsche: The Rally Story (Hardcover)

Laurence Meredith's Porsche: The Rally Story is a fascinating overview of Porsche's rally history. The author is authoritative on the subject, at least where it concerns the '50s, '60s and '70s. He goes into great depth and detail about Porsche's successes and failures contesting rallies during this period and a lot of the politics involved at the time. He weaves an interesting story of the ups and downs of Stuttgart's efforts against the establishment that looked down on the rear-engined German cars. While at times colored by a true fan's bias, it is nothing if not entertaining and informative. He even goes into the results of races that Porsche did not compete in, simply for the context of competition. This is true thoroughness, and while it can feel a little repetitive at times, you are convinced that the author lived the seasons he talks about so lovingly. The treasure of historic photographs is worth the price of the book alone.

Where the text breaks down is in the chapter on the Group B and Rally Raid period of the '80s, where the author is clearly less informed. Very little of the detail Mr. Meredith brought to the earlier days of rallying is present in his overview of the Rothmans 911SCRS campaign, being a quick gloss-over of Henri Toivenen's few outright victories despite the Porsches being quite the force to be reckoned with in the European Championship at the time. Nothing is said of the development of the cars (having been prepared by English company Prodrive, their first such effort before going on to dominate the sport with the legendary WRC-winning Subarus of the 90's) and I learned more about Porsche's efforts during this period from Peter Collins' exceptional book on the Lancia 037! A gross oversight that could have been overcome with just a little research. Otherwise this book should have focused on the era the author was clearly passionate about and not promote itself as a comprehensive history.

The section on the Paris-Dakar rally and rally raids is also fraught with minor factual errors. (The author refers to the 1984 Dakar-winning car as 'simplified' 959, rather than as the four-wheel-drive 911 or type 953. And he refers to the '86 winning 959 as the 961, which was Porsche's designation for the Group B Le Mans version, though on an earlier page he contradictorily makes this distinction clear.)

The only fault that truly mars this book however is the utterly incompetent captioning and placement of the photographs. Photo editing and captioning was clearly not performed by the author, who could not have so frequently mis-identified the rallies and cars portrayed, and the captions are generally so generic and inane as to undermine the effectiveness of the photos in telling the author's story. Photos are frequently placed on pages where they have nothing to do with the text or in completely inappropriate chapters, and are absent when they would most effectively illustrate the subject. Six full pages of the chapter on the 1980s is illustrated with pictures of the 1978 Safari Rally contender (not identified or mentioned in the text here), while a rare and fascinating photo of one of the Rothmans four-wheel-drive type 953s being prepared for the '84 Paris-Dakar (obvious from the whale-tail spoiler and the 4wd drive-train sitting in front) is inexplicably used to illustrate rally prep for the 1970 season. These sorts of errors and missed opportunities abound, making the text and image combination utterly confusing when it could have been enriching. I can only speculate that the publication was either rushed or the publisher simply didn't care enough to put someone with the least knowledge of the subject matter (or simple observation skills) on the job.

All that said, this is still worth the buy and a must for any rally or Porsche motorsport library, though at the steep list price you are bound to feel horrendously cheated.