Porsche Book Review: 911 LoveRS
New book on the history of the Porsche 911 R/RS/RSR models is a car enthusiasts get-together in literary form.
A public relations representative from a firm that works with publisher Delius Klasing was kind enough to send me a PDF copy of the new book, 911 LoveRS. In it, Jürgen Lewandowski and Bart Lenaerts document the 50+ year history of those Porsches that handle better, weigh less, and go faster than their more everyday cousins – those with such legendary names as 911 R, SC-RS, and 911 GT3 RS.
I gave myself a day to read it and digest its in-depth histories of the various models and the numerous facts and figures associated with each car’s engine, transmission, suspension setup, and aerodynamics. Thinking of a way to condense my impressions into a review for this site proved almost just as challenging. Then I thought back to the last time I went to an informal car show. That’s what 911 LoveRS is, except in book form.
Think about it. What do you do when you go to a local Mustang or European car owners meet-up in the parking lot of a restaurant? You definitely talk stats. That’s a given. You talk about the history of various models. You might even discuss how the particular car you’re standing in front of affected the future of the company that manufactured it. More than likely, you also share interesting stories about the car you brought, such as how you came to finally own it after years of searching for it on eBay Motors and Autotrader.
911 LoveRS does all of those things.
It not only tells you how much horsepower and torque a particular uber-Porsche generates, but goes even further by listing things such as wheel sizes, bore and stroke dimensions, original (European) prices, curb weights, and production numbers. You’ll floor everyone with them at your next gearhead hangout, but good luck remembering them all.
The book is full of history related to Porsche as a company, too. Each high-performance 911 comes from a more ordinary base car; 911 LoveRS makes it plain how much each generation meant to the financial well-being of Porsche. Some seem more vital to its continued operations than others. For instance, after a slump in the late 1980s/early 1990s, the 993 breathed new life into the German automaker. Its 996 successor, although a radical visual departure from earlier 911s in one key area (take a guess which one I mean), was a mostly well-received new take on the car that came to define Porsche as a brand.
“911 LoveRS is also full of stories from the owners of various R/RS/RSR models. Many – if not all – of them, show a love for unrestricted Porsches that led to a purchase as opposed to a shrewd speculator’s assessment of their potential future value that resulted in an investment.”
911 LoveRS is also full of stories from the owners of various R/RS/RSR models. Many – if not all – of them, show a love for unrestricted Porsches that led to a purchase as opposed to a shrewd speculator’s assessment of their potential future value that resulted in an investment. Heinz Emmerling loves his 964 3.8-liter RSR…which happens to be undoubtedly valuable. According to the book, “Porsche only constructed 55 copies of the 3.8 litre RS and another 52 RSRs for the ADAC GT Cup and other races. While they were technically more or less identical, the RSR had hydraulic jacks, a full roll cage and its interior had been stripped of carpets, upholstery and luxury. Whereas the 3.8 litre left the factory with 325bhp, the cup cars offered 340bhp and were equipped with the ABS Five system, which now probably is the easiest way to recognise them.Only two RSRs were road legal. This was one of them.”
Let’s not forget that the main thing we all go to car shows for is the sights. 911 LoveRS has plenty of those, as well. The pictures are abundant and eye-catching.
You can get your own copy of 911 LoveRS in hardcover on Amazon for $112.
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