[Book Review] Porsche Rennsport

Porsche Rennsport – The Definitive Photographic Record of Porsche Racing Sports Cars: 1949–2004

By Jeff Zwart

We’re not sure if it is something in the water, or perhaps a result of global warming, but recent months have yielded a veritable onslaught of great books on Porsche and racing. One of the most striking is this drop-dead gorgeous work by renowned automotive photographer Jeff Zwart. The premise is simple: go to the Rennsport Reunion at Daytona; set up a temporary photographic studio big enough to hold a car; then shoot 125 of the most historically significant Porsche racecars of all time.

Subject matter-wise, every decade is represented with everything from the 1949 356 SL Gmund coupe to the 2004 Carrera GT. But where this book will floor you is the glossy style and production quality. At 15-inches wide and 10-inches tall, a great many of these moody, studio shots are reproduced as a full 30-inch-wide spread, adding a level of visual impact not seen in many books. Combine all this with a cloth-covered slipcase and this work will become one of those books that 10 years from now collectors will be paying exorbitant sums to aquire. Get yours while you still can. Available from specialty motoring book sellers or directly from David Bull Publishing for US$149.95 at (602) 852-9500 or at www.bullpublishing.com