Porsche 911

With the one millionth Porsche 911 rolling of the production as we write, Veloce have chosen a good time to re-release this history of the 911’s 996 series by Brian Long. The 966 represents very good value as a second-hand buy at the moment, so much so, having also now read this book, I’m sorely tempted.- Retro Speed. This book centres on the 996, the first of the water-cooled models. The author first gives a potted history of the marque, and then takes the reader on a detailed and interesting tour of all things 996: how it was developed, the many variations and options over its nine year life, competition models and racing successes, and how the car was promoted in its key markets. While the look of the 996 remained much the same, many changes were introduced over its lifetime; some as major as four wheel drive and other minor ones like the colour of the badging. Illustrated throughout with factory photos, plus a neat selection of ads from the US, Europe, and Japan, this 224 page book should be enjoyed by the many fans of this evergreen Porsche model. – New Zealand Classic Car.

Born in Coventry, the heart of Britain’s motor industry, Brian comes from a family with a proud heritage in the automotive and aviation fields. He trained as a mechanical engineer, and worked for a time at his father’s garage. Brian became heavily involved in the classic car scene at 19, and says he turned to writing by accident. He now writes full-time and, since 1990, when his first book was released, he has had over 80 titles published. Brian and his wife, Miho, have two children, Louis and Sophie-Mercedes. They currently live in Chiba, close to Tokyo, where they can enjoy life with their Dobermann and a Thoroughbred racehorse, now retired from the tracks.