Description
"It has been my privilege and pleasure to follow—in real time—the evolution of Porsche cars from the beginnings of 1948 to the present day," says author Karl Ludvigsen. "One of Porsche's most fascinating characteristics," he continues, "is its powerful genetic makeup. Over these years the pure Porsche, in the person of the 356 as it morphed into the 911, has staunchly represented the most robust bloodline in the motor industry."
With Porsche—Origin of the Species, Ludvigsen welcomed the opportunity to delve deeply into one of the periods that is least understood: Porsche's chaotic move to Austria in 1944, its revival there as an engineering and manufacturing company in 1945 and its subsequent decision to make a first batch of 50 "Porsche" cars of a new design. Richly illustrated and printed in full-color, this detailed examination of the Porsche 356's origins fits neatly in sequence after the story told by Ludvigsen's book Ferdinand Porsche—Genesis of Genius and expands upon what is only briefly discussed in his books Battle for the Beetle and Porsche: Excellence Was Expected—all three award-winners published by Bentley Publishers. Porsche—Origin of the Species is a revelatory work that sheds new light on the creation of one of the world's greatest car marques.
Clearly sorted for the first time are the VW-based cars that Porsche designed during the 1930s and the radical ten-cylinder coupe planned to be the first "Porsche." Also revealed for the first time is the Type 352 that the Swiss hoped to build in that neutral nation. And Ludvigsen shows how the Cisitalia relationship gives birth to the Type 370, a sensational racing coupe that is one of the missing links in the creation of the 356. Each page of this surprising book reveals intimate details of the 356 creators. Ferry Porsche, Karl Rabe and Erwin Komenda have starring roles as do Louise and Anton Piech. Demonstrating the relevance of Ludvigsen's story to today's automotive industry, leading stylists, designers and executives give their perspectives on the Type 356 and its significance.
At the heart of Porsche—Origin of the Species is the story of one of the most treasured survivors of the era: 356/2-040 owned by actor-comedian and Porsche enthusiast par excellence, Jerry Seinfeld. As the origins of 040 are unraveled, Ludvigsen takes us on the aluminum coupe's journey from factory test car to tow-car and daily driver for legendary Austrian racer Otto Mathe. We also get an
inside look at the meticulous preservation process the car underwent at Paul Russell and Company and at Edelweiss Porschaus. The amazing originality and texture of Seinfeld's Gmund coupe guides Ludvigsen as he maps Porsche's DNA to reveal how the 356 emerged from the engineering firm's efforts to reinvent itself after the war. The story also looks at the remarkable legacy of the 1948 Porsche 356 coupe design as the Porsche company and its cars have evolved into the twenty-first century.
About The Author
KARL LUDVIGSEN has been active for over 50 years as an author and historian. As author, co-author or editor he has more than four-dozen books and countless articles to his credit. Needless to say, they are all about cars and the motor industry, Karl's life-long passion. Four of his books have received the Nicholas-Joseph Cugnot Award from the Society of Automotive Historians, which in 2002 gave him its highest accolade, Friend of Automotive History. Ludvigsen's career has included the editorship of Car and Driver, a dozen years in the auto industry with General Motors, Fiat and Ford and 15 years as the head of a leading London-based motor-industry management consultancy. Born in Kalamazoo, Michigan in 1934, Ludvigsen has lived in England since 1980. Although long active as a journalist, since 2011 Karl has concentrated on his work as an author, researcher and historian.
Book Details:
Publisher Code: RB-GPGC
ISBN 13: 9780837613314
Author: Karl Ludvigsen
Published: 2012
Pages: 343
Dimension: 270x275mm
Hard Bound, colour and b/w illustrations
