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Porsche: Excellence Was Expected: The Comprehensive History of the Company, its Cars and its Racing Heritage - 2008 Update
New for the 2008 edition (first revision since 2003): Updated Competition Victories appendix
When the first edition of Excellence Was Expected was published in 1977, reviewers sang high praises for author Karl Ludvigsen and his monumental book. Now Ludvigsen surpasses these achievements with this fully updated edition of Excellence Was Expected. This new edition includes augmented and edited versions of the 32 chapters from the 1977 book, as well as an additional 29 chapters that cover Porsche's history through 2002. This three-volume, 1,566-page set contains the photos and artwork from the original version, enhanced by over 742 new black and white photos and 50 new color drawings of Porsche production and racing cars which were commissioned specifically for this updated edition. Author Ludvigsen has outdone himself in presenting the inner workings, masterpieces and failures of an independent automaker that has exerted a disproportionately powerful influence on the automotive industry. If the first edition of Excellence Was Expected was "the definitive archetypal marque history, " (Michael Scarlett, Autocar) this revision and update is much more so. Ludvigsen's masterwork is once again set to achieve new milestones, just as the company it chronicles continues to shape our very definition of the term "sports car."'
When the first edition of Excellence Was Expected was published in 1977, reviewers sang high praises for author Karl Ludvigsen and his monumental book. Now Ludvigsen surpasses these achievements with this fully updated edition of Excellence Was Expected. This new edition includes augmented and edited versions of the 32 chapters from the 1977 book, as well as an additional 29 chapters that cover Porsche's history through 2002. This three-volume, 1,566-page set contains the photos and artwork from the original version, enhanced by over 742 new black and white photos and 50 new color drawings of Porsche production and racing cars which were commissioned specifically for this updated edition. Author Ludvigsen has outdone himself in presenting the inner workings, masterpieces and failures of an independent automaker that has exerted a disproportionately powerful influence on the automotive industry. If the first edition of Excellence Was Expected was "the definitive archetypal marque history, " (Michael Scarlett, Autocar) this revision and update is much more so. Ludvigsen's masterwork is once again set to achieve new milestones, just as the company it chronicles continues to shape our very definition of the term "sports car."'
1688 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 2003
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
September 9, 2012
Anyone who strives for engineering excellence or is interested in the inspiration it takes to build something at the highest level of man's abilities would appreciate these books. They are big and content filled, so it maybe that a passion for Porsche is required, but I just loved the way that these car were designed and built by people who loved them versus the accountants and bureaucratic's that we all work with very day and despise.
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May 7, 2010I'm somewhat partial, having edited this book. Contains everything you could ever want to know about Porsche history.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews