Porsche Decades by Jay Gillotti

All images: © Dalton Watson Fine Books

There are so many books that have been written on just about every Porsche model and motorsport achievement over the years, that it would be a fair to ask why we need yet another one. But therein lies the opportunity, because the subject of Porsche is so vast, that to write up the company history and its products in one publication is quite difficult. There are some great multi-volume publications out there that do cover the whole company and its achievements, but in a single good quality, detailed, and wide-ranging publication, well that was potentially a big challenge to compile.

However, that is where author Jay Gillotti has really succeeded, because his latest work, Porsche Decades, does just that. But this could not have been an easy task, because the company’s founder, Dr Ferdinand Porsche, has himself worked for numerous high profile manufacturers, and on so many important projects. And that was all before he and his son, Ferry Porsche, founded their own motor manufacturing company bearing the family name.

Porsche Decades book — PORSCHE DECADES: An Introduction to the Porsche Story © Dalton Watson Fine Books

One of the challenges in compiling such a vast and far-reaching subject as the ‘history of Porsche’ is, would be what to include and what to leave out. This writer is sure that the book’s author was faced with this question more than once, because the ultimate aim would have been to produce as complete a record as possible. Upon inspection, the author has succeeded admirably.

Covering the history of a company such as Porsche, is best done in a decade-by-decade format.

In this way the author has been able to analyse and cover those activities most important and relevant to each period, making it easier for the reader to discover. Because Porsche was compelled to manufacture products to support the war effort in Germany during the 1940s, the author has had to cover this period out of necessity.

Gillotti has wisely stuck to Porsche’s design, engineering and manufacturing activities during the war years, and for further enlightenment, he has advised the reader to do his/her own research into that subject.

Book Contents

The author has started the book with the birth of the company’s founder, Ferdinand Porsche, in 1875. The first chapter includes his early life through to 1919.

From then on, it has been easier to divide the contents into convenient chapters by decade, starting with the 1920s, 1930s and so on. The author has even covered the ‘Russia Project’ which few Porsche enthusiasts will know much about.

The author then moves into that fascinating period after the war, when innovation could be directed towards satisfying consumer demand, motorsport and other engineering accomplishments. The 1950s and 1960s saw a period of massive and very fast growth in the world of motorsport, the fruits of which were seen in road car production.

Porsche was not immune to the vagaries of large-scale motor manufacturing activities, and here, just as with other motor manufacturers around the world, Porsche rode the waves of uncertainty.

Consumer demand and trends is one thing, but the power of the ever-changing fortunes of foreign exchange rates was a new threat to which Porsche almost succumbed. But fortunately the company pulled through and in the face of great uncertainty, it even grew.

Motorsport has always played an important role in Porsche’s existence, and with the advent of turbocharging, the Stuttgart engineers were able to breathe new life into the company’s product range. While this innovation was born on the race track, throughout the 1970s and 1980s, this technology boosted road car sales too. Porsche even learned from the Japanese, the production techniques developed in the Far East, incorporating these into their own processes in Stuttgart and helping the company survive through the 1990s.

With the new Millennium came exponential growth in vehicle electronics and computers. This benefitted Porsche’s achievements on the race track, but it also ushered in a new era in not only vehicle production, but propulsion too. Combined with Hybrid technology, Porsche entered the race to produce the cleanest sports and GT cars on the planet, which appealed to a new market segment, further extending Porsche’s market reach.

What Do You Get?

To combine 150 years of history with one of the most progressive design and aerodynamically efficient sports and GT model line-ups in one publication, is a big ask. But if truth be told, author Jay Gillotti has achieved this magnificently.

Conveniently divided into decade size chapters, and written in Gillotti’s easy-to-read style, this sizeable but manageable publication is a great buy. If you are new to the world of Porsche then this would be just the book for you to get your teeth into, in your quest to know more about this famous marque.

Likewise, if you are already well-versed in some of Porsche’s background and model heritage, then this publication would still be a valuable book to add to your Porsche library.

Well designed and easy on the eye, the book is not too cumbersome considering the huge subject matter being covered. The author has made extensive use of Porsche’s corporate archives, and the image selection is tasteful and high quality. It is evident that the knowledgeable and helpful folk in Porsche’s archive and museum have gone the extra mile to supply the author with important and relevant material, both in the written and the photographic sense.

The author has provided the reader with appendices of Porsche’s type number history as well as prominent appearances by Porsches in Hollywood films. An extensive bibliography details additional books, magazine and internet articles for readers to explore for more information on chosen topics of interest.

Closing Word

In a nutshell, it is a very informative, detailed and well-presented publication. The subject matter is huge, but it is well covered with a thoughtful balance between production cars and motorsport, including optional extra choices such as colour charts, available to the Porsche buyer. In the opinion of this writer, for the price, it is good value for money and a useful reference book for the aspiring Porsche enthusiast.