Additional information
by Roy P. Smith (Author)
Powered by Porsche - the Alternative Race Cars is a thorough and fascinating account of the racing cars that were powered by Porsche engines, but where the chassis and development of the car was carried out by others.
The Porsche company in Zuffenhausen, Germany, can probably be said to be the most successful marque ever for victories in the motor racing scene. Likewise many firsts in innovation have come with the name Porsche attached.
Many major racing car producers such as Elva, Lotus, Lola, or March, as well as many smaller independents, at some time featured a Porsche engine in their chassis. Demand for the services and supply of cars, chassis, and parts from Porsche, often outstripped their ability to deliver during the late '70s to early '80s. With many new projects in the rapidly expanding Porsche organisation, race car projects had to be prioritised. This would lead to the creation of the replicas, as opposed to the factory-built works race cars, and even Porsche was building 'replica' 935s to supply to clients, continuing into the 962 era. In turn, a whole new, highly specialised, high quality industry grew up to meet the demand for Porsche-powered racers.
In this fascinating book we meet the racing cars, the teams and the people who turned to Porsche to utilise the power from, perhaps, the greatest of all engine makers.
This is thought to be first book on the subject, covering the entire history of Porsche engines, detailed engine specifications, non-Porsche chassis, and race details, as well as team histories with anecdotes from drivers. It is illustrated with many previously unpublished photos, and provides fascinating reading for all racing fans, as well as Porsche enthusiasts.
Author Biography
Roy Smith retired from business in 2003, and with a lifetime passion for motor sport entered the world of motoring writing. He was not new to this field, having written in the 1960s for several club magazines. A 40-year business career developed an attention to detail that is crucial to writing works such as this. He is an award winning member of the Guild of Motoring Writers. Roy has also had work shortlisted for the Historic Motor Sport Publication of the Year. He regularly writes specialist articles for websites and magazines in the UK and internationally.
His previous books include: Porsche - The Racing 914s; Amedee Gordini - A True Racing Legend; Alpine & Renault - The Development of the Revolutionary Turbo F1 Car: 1968 to 1979; Alpine & Renault - The Sports Prototypes - Volumes 1 and 2, and The Porsche 924 Carrera - evolution to excellence.
