Porsche, Origin Of The Species by Karl Ludvigsen - Reviews

[Grady Clay]

Porsche, Origin Of The Species by Karl Ludvigsen - Reviews

Jerry Seinfeld’s ex-Otto Mathé Gmünd Coupe, 356/2-040, forms the book’s centerpiece. Its career as a factory test car and ice racer, its entire provenance, and its sympathetic refurbishment are thoroughly documented, including outstanding photography by Michael Furman. Other fascinating historic topics include early VWs, the aerodynamic Type 64 and Type 114 F-Wagen, the Type 60K10 Berlin-Rome-Berlin coupes, Auto Union’s streamliners, and wartime projects plus establishment of the factory in Gmünd, the “Egyptian connection”, the Cisitalia GP car, the 356 prototypes, and early 356 race cars and entries, both factory and independent. There will never be a better history of Porsche’s early years than this!

Besides Karl Ludvigsen’s definitive writing, Porsche, Origin Of The Species incorporates the work of other Porsche authorities and describes the historic roles of Walter Glöckler, Ghislaine Kaes, Erwin Kommenda, Otto Mathé, Petermax Müller, Louise Piëch, Karl Rabe, and many others. Dozens of factory blueprints are shown, and appendices reproduce 356/2-040's factory documentation and a 1949 356 Owner’s Manual. Unquestionably, this is the finest Porsche book of the last five years.

This should be in my hands tomorrow from Toad Hall MotorBooks, specializing in Fine Books on Mercedes Benz & Porsche since 1980; Welcome., Pelican fbarrett.
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Best,
Grady

[Maurice [B]]

Hello there, I've been posting more on the threads about our new Porsche 996 manual but this new Karl Ludvigsen book is our other big Porsche book for the holidays. If anyone has any questions about the book, feel free to post them here and I can do my best to answer them (or ask Karl for help when I can't!)

[Deancrew7]

FANTASTIC book . . . It's hard to put it down! So many details and stories I had never known. It now has me wanting to ask LOTS of questions of Mr Ludvigsen. Is there any way to get a note to him about those questions ?

[Maurice [B]]

Originally Posted by Deancrew7

FANTASTIC book . . . It's hard to put it down! So many details and stories I had never known. It now has me wanting to ask LOTS of questions of Mr Ludvigsen. Is there any way to get a note to him about those questions ?

Hello Deancrew7, I might be able to pass something along, although immediate results aren't guaranteed. Send me a PM with your questions...

[tazzieman]

This is an amazing book. I just didn't know where to start , it's like a big recipe book! It really is the full story, just when I thought I'd read everything. Anyway I've started at page 1 and will read it through this month. The pictures alone are worth the price , which for such a nice textbook is very fair.

[Mark Morrissey]

If you want to ask Karl a question there's also a link on Bentley's website to contact him... it's on the right side of the area about this book