Looking back on 70 years of the legendary marque at one of the world's greatest races, Porsche at Le Mans is authoritatively written and packed with photos, history, and results.

Le Mans in 2011 marks the 60th anniversary of Porsche's participation in the Le Mans 24 Hours. This anniversary is an ideal opportunity to provide a detailed study, packed with photos, narrative and data, of Porsche's part in the world's greatest motor race. Porsche's first visit to Le Mans was with a singleton entry of a streamlined 356 model, complete with aerodynamic fairings over the wheels. True to the reputation Porsche has established over its long association with the famous endurance race, this 356 ran like clockwork to 20th place, beating the coveted record for the shortest time spent in the pits. Since then, there have been Porsches entered for every single running of the 24 hours and the models that have taken part add up to a roll call of great sports racing cars: 550 Spyder, 718 RSK, 904, 906, 908, 910, 917, 936, 935, 956, 962 and GT1. And to this list can be added the ubiquitous 911, the privateer's choice for the race: in 1971, a year that saw a record number of Porsches take part, 19 of the 33 Porsches in the race were 911s. This book, compiled by a meticulous author with a passion for Porsche, provides definitive coverage of the subject, supported by full access to Porsche's archives of photographs, data and technical information.

Unbekannte Preziosen Wenn Autofirmen Studien und Prototypen zeigen, erlauben sie damit einen Blick hinter den Vorhang, eine Vision von dem, was kommt oder kommen könnte. Neben dem, was bei offiziellen Terminen und auf Messen gezeigt wird, gibt es aber eine überwältigende Menge von Entwürfen und Modellen, die der Öffentlichkeit aus verschiedensten Gründen verborgen bleiben. In diesem Buch wird das unmögliche möglich: ein Blick auf noch nie gesehene Porsche - Porsche Unseen. Stefan Bogner durfte exklusiv im Allerheiligsten des Porsche Designs fotografieren und beschert uns absolute Aha-Momente. Die Porsche-DNA ist in jedem der gezeigten Modelle erkennbar, die Ausführung aber so neu und zum Teil so unerwartet, dass man meint, in einem Paralleluniversum gelandet zu sein. Ein 1-Liter-Auto von Porsche? Ein coupéhafter 4-Sitzer mit 911-Zügen? Einsitzige Roadster mit dem Geist der 50er-Jahre? Das alles hat Stefan Bogner im Modell oder sogar fahrfertig vor der Linse gehabt. Die erhellenden Hintergründe hat Jan Baedeker im persönlichen Gespräch mit Designchef Michael Mauer notiert. Folgen Sie uns auf eine unvergleichliche Entdeckungsreise durch die Welt des Porsche Designs! Zweisprachig: Deutsch/Englisch Unknown valuables When car companies present studies and prototypes, they allow a glimpse behind the scenes, a vision of what will come or might come. Apart from what is shown on official events and at fairs, there is an overwhelming number of drafts and models, that remain hidden from the public for various reasons. This book achieves the impossible: a look at Porsche cars the public never laid eyes on - Porsche Unseen. Stefan Bogner was exclusively allowed to take pictures in the Porsche Design sanctum, aha-experiences guaranteed. The Porsche DNA is recognisable in any of the models shown, but the design is so new and unexpected that it suggests the existence of a parallel universe. A 1-litre Porsche? A coupé-like four seater with 911-looks? Single-seated roadsters with 50's flair? Stefan Bogner took photos of all of them - either as models or ready to drive. Jan Baedeker talked with Michael Mauer, Head of Design, and took down the enlightening background information. Join our extraordinary expedition of discovery through the world of Porsche Design!

After knocking on the door for decades, Germany's Porsche finally stepped into the big time of international auto racing with its Type 917 in 1969. Its phenomenal air-cooled flat-12 engine powered the 917 to 15 wins in world sports-car championship races from 1969 to 1971, after which it was outlawed by a rules change. Included were two wins at Le Mans in 1970 and '71. First built in a series of 25 coupes that Volkswagen chief Ferdinand Piech called the biggest risk he's ever taken in business, the 917 was raced in both short- and long-tailed forms, pumping out 630 bhp by 1971. It went on to even greater glory in turbocharged roadster form in Can-Am racing as the 917/10, series champion in 1972. In '73 the incredible 1,000-horsepower 917/30 Porsche dominated the Can-Am series in the hands of Mark Donohue, who called it "the perfect racing car". The 917 stands proud in Porsche's history as the costly and daring machine that decisively ended the company's underdog status in international motor sport.

This richly illustrated book offers a complete history of Porsche, Germany's premium sports-car maker. Porsche 70 Years focuses on engineering and design stories, while also paying homage to key players.

For half a century, Porsche automobiles have been favorites of race fans and drivers in endurance events, rallies, hill climbs, Trans Am, Can-Am, and GT racing. This photohistory chronicles more than 100 racing Porsches that have been campaigned at circuits the world over, including Le Mans, Daytona, Sebring, Spa, Nurburgring, and Leguna Seca, to name a few. In addition to color photography of the cars today and archival race images depicting the cars and top drivers from the annals of motorsport, the author presents the histories of such legendary Porsches as the 550 Spyder, a customer version of which gained notoriety as the car in which James Dean died; the open-wheel 718/2 with which Porsche unsuccessfully contested Formula 1 in 1959 and 1960; the 904 GTS that dominated European circuits in 1964 and 1965; the 917's which in 1972 and 1973 halted McLaren's Can-Am cakewalk; the 1976 Martini-liveried 935; the pair of Rothman-sponsored 959's that easily swept Paris-Dakar in 1986; and today's successful 911 GT cars.

This was the defining decade for the Le Mans 24 Hours. It started with six consecutive victories by Ferrari, overwhelming Aston Martin and Maserati. But then Ford threw its all-American dollars at the race and won it four times in a technically exciting period that also brought the competitive emergence of brands such as Alfa Romeo, Matra, Porsche and Renault. The participation of great automobile manufacturers spurred the development of many iconic racing cars: Ferrari Testa Rossa and GTO, Ford GT40 and Daytona Cobra, Porsche 904 and 917. The machines that were specially built for Le Mans evolved through the decade from front-engined brutes to mid-engined monsters. By the end of the period, many of them could achieve more than 200mph on the awesome straights that defined the race, thrilling as many as 300,000 spectators at trackside. - Highly detailed year-by-year coverage of the decade's ten races, giving over 30 pages of information and photographs for each year. - Official status provides a number of unique features, including the reproduction of the full-colour race poster artwork for each year and photographs from the ACO's archives. - The images include rare color, and the emphasis is on photographs that enthusiasts will not have seen before. - The story of each race is told through photographs and an accompanying commentary. - Complete data for each year includes technical regulations, entry list, circuit changes (with diagram), lap chart, full results and category awards. - The whole work is beautifully designed and presented. - The 1960s was the decade of Ferrari and Ford: the Italian manufacturer took six consecutive wins until Ford finally came good, winning the decade's other four races, including the 1969 thriller that saw the closest ever finish at Le Mans.