The Porsche 924 Carrera: Evolution to Excellence
by Roy Smith
When you hear author Roy Smith has trawled through the Porsche archives to produce this book, be prepared for a most forensic fingertip search and evidence gathering, leaving no stone unturned. The book is written in a very human style with stories from those who designed, built, developed and drove the car. It examines the reason this rare supercar failed, and also gives account of component malfunction—something not usually associated with German engineering. The text is fully supported by 400 images, diagrams and blueprints, many direct from Porsche. Forewords by Messrs. Bell, Barth and Singer provide a stamp of approval.
When one considers the name Porsche it is the iconic rear-engined 911 that springs to mind, or the might of the mid-engined 956 and 962 models dominating the world of endurance racing, so thinking of a front-engined Porsche takes time to assimilate, though the “forgotten” 924 was such a beast. The story begins with the embryonic styling exercise exhibited at the 1979 Frankfurt Motor Show and follows through to the production of sufficient numbers to satisfy homologation requirements to enter three modified roadcars in the 1980 Le Mans 24 Hours, where they finished 6th, 12th and 13th. Racing models were built and developed by drivers including Derek Bell, Jürgen Barth and Walter Röhrl. Along with the man at the helm of Porsche’s Racing Department, Norbert Singer, they share detailed accounts of their experiences and the history of this remarkable supercar. The print run is limited to just 1,500, so make sure you get your copy now!
