Porsche: The Road from Zuffenhausen
by Dennis Adler
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Book Summary Information
Author: Dennis AdlerEdition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2003-11-04
ISBN: 0375502165
Number of pages: 348
Publisher: Random House
Book Reviews of Porsche: The Road from Zuffenhausen
Book Review: Magnificent but imperfect
Summary: 5 Stars
Porsche: The Road from Zuffenhausen is pretty enough to sit on a coffee table, but substantial enough to do justice to the history of Porsche. Far and away the most impressive sections are those describing the origins of the company, Ferdinand Porsche's early experience in the fledgling German car industry, and the evolution of the 356. The emergence of Porsche after World War II is inspiring, and you cannot read those chapters without feeling closer to the marque. Likewise, the birth of the 911 gets extensive coverage here, as it should.
As Dennis Adler is a photographer, the quality of the photos throughout (whether taken by him, or selected by him from the archives) is top notch. The 550, in particular, is nicely portrayed, and the contemporary photos from races and factory marketing materials throughout the book are enough to fill an afternoon.
While the author is an impressive historian, his knowledge of the specific models -- or maybe just editorial inaccuracies -- make for some rare disappointments. For example, the Roadster model of 1960-1962 is described as the Convertible D in a photo spread. While the differences are trivial to the casual reader, Porschephiles make a huge distinction between the 356A and 356B series cars.
The other weakness comes with the descriptive material for the more modern models -- the 996 and 986. Whether Adler works for Porsche I don't know, but his text here becomes almost worshipful, when in fact these models are now widely regarded with disfavor both on aesthetic and build quality criteria. And they have held value poorly as a result. As a self-described journalist, Adler owed us a bit more here than warmed over advertising hype over what was in the showroom as his book went to press.
With regard to WWII, while it is fair to give Ferdinand Porsche the benefit of the doubt with regard to his Nazi associations, Adler is perhaps a bit too sympathetic. It would be beyond the scope of the book to get into the moral aspects of collaboration. But we have a pretty good idea as to where the labor came from to construct factories under Hitler's government -- factories that earned Porsche his keep during the war years.
Overall, though, a fascinating and well-researched book. It is an accessible history of one of the world's legendary sports car marques, without the tedium of listing bolt sizes and wheel offsets. As a special treat, the last chapter features Porsche advertising posters and brochures, a rich hobby on their own. Its inclusion elevates the book and adds to the readers' appreciation of the Porsche story. The layout is also beautifully done, with page footers cribbing from the famous Porsche 'flash' script on the dash of the classic Speedster-Convertible D-Roadster series of 1954-1962. It's a pleasureable book to hold and leaf through, which counts for something in the age of the Internet.
Summary of Porsche: The Road from Zuffenhausen
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.
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