Kit Car Porsche Spyder

This beautifully illustrated photographic history chronicles Porsche's half-century in motorsport, covering the evolution of the marque's race cars, the developing technologies, drivers, and the common thread that links the 550 Spyder of the carefree 1950s to 911 GT cars of today. Each car featured is examined in the context of its race record and specifications. Interviews with drivers and engineers are accompanied by an in-depth examination of such feats as Porsche's unmatched 16 wins at Le Mans and a gallery of contemporary photography, technical drawings, and specially commissioned paintings that depict 50 years of Porsches at the world's greatest circuits.

A lavishly illustrated history of the most recognized sports-car maker in the world--Porsche--a story that began more than a century ago. Porsche: The Road from Zuffenhausen is the first book in more than twenty-five years to chronicle in such meticulous detail the early years of the renowned automobile company. Perfect for the more than 500,000 Porsche owners and the millions of Porsche enthusiasts, Porsche is a lively narrative of the cars and the people who created them. In the opening chapters, the reader will find the true heart of Porsche and its dedication to design and engineering, and then move on to the pre-World War II development of the first Porsche prototypes, as well as the development of the Volkswagen by Professor Ferdinand Porsche in the late 1930s. The story of the company's early postwar years in Austria is a tale of commitment to an idea, an idea that resulted in the first 356 model and in a very short time established Porsche as one of Germany's leading car makers. Here is the entire history not only of the 356 but also of the development of competition versions, and of the evolution of the 550 RSK and the legendary 904 Carrera GTS. The story of the 911 occupies half the book, as this model has survived for nearly four decades--the longest production of any single postwar automobile design. The narrative is brilliantly complemented by wonderful historical documents and photographs from the factory archives, provided through the cooperation of Porsche AG and the Porsche family, as well as original color photography by the author.