Round anniversaries should be celebrated. This year, Porsche is celebrating the fact that it has been building sports cars since 1948, and as a small gift, there is a thick anniversary book. Sure, other car manufacturers are older, but there is so much history in the Porsche story that you can actually find a reason to celebrate every day.
300 pages of Porsche
You have to take it in both hands to hold it securely. Over 300 pages of Porsche carry weight. But the book is neither a chronology nor a list of the best Porsche models. Fortunately. Instead, the authors "celebrate not only the brand with the black, red and gold emblem, but above all the attitude to life that it generates. From the drummer in a punk band to a professor of design to a glamor journalist - they all drive Porsches out of passion," reads the eloquent press release.
In other words, they are pursuing a fascination that unites many fans of the brand around the world. And it should be anticipated. They succeed.
A book like a magazine
The book cannot deny its authorship. With Christina Rahmes, long-time editor-in-chief of the Porsche customer magazine Christophorus, as editor and Dr. Josef Arwek, Head of Porsche Public Relations, as well as Edwin Baaske, editor-in-chief of Porsche Klassik Magazin from Delius Klasing Verlag, proven magazine makers have been at work here, giving the book a very special character with a wealth of thematic approaches to the brand.
The book approaches the fascination of the brand and the myth of Porsche through seven self-contained sections such as "Lifestyle", "Community", "Models", "People" and "Motorsport". A team of authors made up of sophisticated Porsche experts such as Magnus Walker and Klaus-Achim Peitzmeier also contribute to this. And, of course, the eye is not neglected when simply leafing through the pages. Both the deep access to the Porsche archive's treasure trove of images and countless top photographers make the whole thing not only worth reading, but also worth seeing.
Yesterday, today, tomorrow - on the trail of the myth
You might ask yourself what actually makes a myth? Why are fans addicted to a brand? Where does the fascination lie? There is something fascinating about it: you know about the myth, but you can't put it into a few words. People try to describe it and it is not uncommon for word pictures to be used and images to be provided with detailed legends to make them understandable. The creators of the book use precisely these means.
Countless pictures in the individual chapters with detailed legends and text contributions focus on the myth of the brand and trace the essence of Porsche. It is more than interesting to see and read about the ways in which one can approach the history of a company. Of course, this also presupposes that you take care of your history in a way that few car manufacturers apart from Porsche do, in order to be able to enjoy so much closeness when reading and watching.
The authors draw on a wealth of information, use pictures, make use of legends, talk to contemporaries and do not stop at looking to the future. It all seems very light, never strained, and the reader can indulge with relish on every page. And if something doesn't interest you, keep turning the pages. There are sure to be exciting things to discover on the next pages.
Summary
It looks like a book, feels like a book, but the makers of "70 Years of Porsche Sports Cars" have succeeded in creating a magazine in book form. A book simply lacks the coherent narrative thread. However, this does not detract from the richness of the material presented. On the contrary, the aim was explicitly not to print another model presentation or an additional company chronicle. The result is a 300-page book packed full of surprising facets of Porsche's history. An entertaining narrative and, in view of the flood of images, always attractive even when leafing through the pages.
Admittedly, the one or other aspect will be familiar to the absolute Porsche connoisseur. However, the book provides an incredible number of stories, impressions, models and background information which, when viewed together, open the door to the aforementioned access to the myth of the brand. And it does so objectively, clearly and without blind brand infatuation. The book, published in the "Porsche Museum Edition" series, is not only a birthday book for fans, but also for those who want to become fans. At a price of €39.90, there's also something left over to open a good drop to celebrate while reading.
Bibliographical details
- Title: 70 years of Porsche sports cars
- Publisher: Christina Rahmes
- Language: German
- Publisher: Delius Klasing
- Edition: 1st edition 2018
- Format: Hardcover, 234 x 270 mm
- Scope: 300 pages, more than 300 mostly color illustrations
- ISBN: 978-3-667-11927-2
- Price: EUR 39,90
- Buy/order: Online at amazon.de, online at Delius Klasing Verlag or in a well-assorted bookstore
