Ref. Editor

When the first edition of Porsche: Excellence Was Expected was published in 1977, reviewers sang high praises for author Karl Ludvigsen and his monumental book. Now Ludvigsen surpasses these achievements with this fully updated edition of Porsche: Excellence Was Expected. This new edition includes augmented and edited versions of the 32 chapters from the 1977 book, as well as an additional 29 chapters that cover Porsches history through 2002. This three-volume, 1,566-page set contains the photos and artwork from the original version, enhanced by over 742 new black and white photos and 50 new color drawings of Porsche production and racing cars which were commissioned specifically for this updated edition. Author Ludvigsen has outdone himself in presenting the inner workings, masterpieces and failures of an independent automaker that has exerted a disproportionately powerful influence on the automotive industry. If the first edition of Excellence Was Expected was "the definitive archetypal marque history, " (Michael Scarlett, Autocar) this revision and update is much more so. Ludvigsens masterwork is once again set to achieve new milestones, just as the company it chronicles continues to shape our very definition of the term "sports car."