Description
Author: Johnny Tipler, ISBN: 9781847976994, 272 Pages, Published in 2014, Hardback
Porsche Carrera follows the development and design of the Carrera car dynasty. From the origins of the Carrera line in the 550 and 356 models, through highly tuned race cars and the largely hand-crafted, air-cooled cars of the 19705 and 198os, the book features:
- Detailed profiles of all Carrera models, including roadgoing and race models, prototypes, special builds and rare cars
- In-depth explorations of the engineering and tuning of the cars
- Buyer's guides for different models
- Foreword by Jurgen Barth
- A series of interviews with racing drivers such as Sir Stirling Moss, Derek Bell, John Surtees and Gijs van Lennep, and key Carrera figures such as designer Richard Soderberg and Klaus Bischof, head of the Porsche Rolling Museum
- Over 400 photos, many specially commissioned
Though Professor Ferdinand Porsche had been a leading vehicle designer for much of the early twentieth century, founding his technical design company in 1930, cars bearing his name only began to be produced in 1948. Within three years they were participating in motor racing and, as more highly specialized versions of Porsche road cars evolved, a suitably evocative name was needed. A class win in the 1953 Carrera Panamericana provided exactly the right moniker: 'Carrera', meaning 'Race'. Chief engineer Ernst Fuhrmann endowed his new four-cam flat-four competition engine with the Carrera name, and from 1954 it was applied to a succession of Porsche racing and sports cars powered by the Fuhrmann engine.
Porsche Carrera follows the development and design of the Carrera car dynasty, from the origins of the Carrera line in the 550 and 356 models through the race cars of the 1960s and the highly tuned version of the top-line 911 in the 1970s (the 2.7 RS, launched in 1972), which created a succession of racing derivatives. From 1975, the Carrera name was carried over into stock Porsche 911 road cars and, with the exception of Turbo models, the Carrera badge has endured on 911 engine lids to the present day.
With a Foreword by lifelong Porsche racer, technician, race shop manager and PR man Jurgen Barth, the book features in-depth explorations of the engineering of these remarkable cars, stories of restorations including rare models, and buyer's guides. A special feature of this book is a series of interviews with Carrera luminaries, such as Richard Soderberg, designer of the 959, Klaus Bischof, works race mechanic and now head of the Porsche Rolling Museum, and famous racing drivers who pushed the boundaries of their Carreras, such as Herbert Linge, Hans Hermann, Sir Stirling Moss, Derek Bell, John Fitzpatrick and Gijs van Lennep.
This book's subject matter draws to a close in 1998 with the switch from air-cooled to water-cooled engines, and the implementation of a volume production-based philosophy. It is the original Carrera models and their equally exalted successors, plus the largely handcrafted, air-cooled road cars of the197os,198os and early 199os that constitute the bulk of this book and which are deserving of the revered Carrera epithet.
About The Author:
Johnny Tipler is a freelance motoring journalist, car historian and author. He has written over thirty-five books on a variety of automotive topics, ranging from racing cars and driver biographies to motorcycles and commercial vehicles. A regular contributor to 977 & Porsche World, Classic Porsche, Total 911 and Porsche Post magazines, Johnny writes on new car launches, important historic vehicles, specialist tuners, drivers and restorers, as well as covering international classic events like the Spa Six Hours, Goodwood Revival, Classic Le Mans, the Nurburgring Old Timer and Monte Carlo Historic Rally. Johnny raced a Porsche 974 GT/4 in La Carrera Panamericana in 2077 and has a close affinity with the event that launched Porsche's Carrera models.
