Recently it seems Porsche is releasing a Special Edition monthly. Not true of course but Special Editions are a lucrative part of Porsche’s business model. There are so many accomplishments for Porsche to celebrate. There are anniversaries of various model releases as well as many racing achievements which should keep the specials coming.
There are a few authors called Matt Stone, but this one has written many automotive related books including ones on Steve McQueen and the IROC Porsches. This book is in large format of over 190 pages with approximately 400 photographs. Chapters include topics such as Factory Specials, Limited Editions and Anniversary Specials. Low volume vehicles by outside companies such as RUF or Emory Motorsport are also highlighted.
This is a book to dip in and out of rather than a cover-to-cover read. Some of the material is straight from Porsche which means it is accurate. While leafing through the book when I first got it, the Turbo-Look Porsche of 1984-1989 really jumped out at me. The 930 Turbo introduced 10 years earlier with a similar body was so dramatic and lust-worthy that it is still inspirational. (Time to bring out the oft-repeated cliché of the Porsche Turbo, White Countach and Farah Fawcett posters that graced many a boy’s bedroom wall back in the day.)
Another thing that jumped out while reading the book was an amusing typo. In the section on the Emory restoration of Porsche’s first class win at Le Mans in 1951, the 1951 Gmund 356SL Coupe is said to have covered 24,841 km which works out to over 1,000 km per hour. Even modern Porsches can’t do that!
I’ve heard that demand for current special editions is so great that most go to long-established customers. According to Road & Track magazine “In an effort to limit the insane prices brought on by American flipping culture, Porsche has decided to limit buyers’ actual ownership of the vehicle for at least a year after the car rolls off of a lot.”
It sounds like in a few years there could be another book on Porsche Special Editions. This one is recommended as a good collection of special editions to the 2022 model years, gathered in one place. </>
