Featured in Elferspot Magazine's "5 Really Expensive Porsche Books, But Worth Every Penny" from March 15, 2021:

Expensive as hell, but it works. Many of us in the German-speaking world know this advertising slogan from days long past. Whether the dandruff shampoo addressed back then actually worked is something we cannot prove. But we dare to say that the slogan, which is admittedly a bit dusty, is absolutely true for the Porsche book recommendation that now follow. They are indeed expensive, but they work. And how! Please do not take our recommendations regarding the following Porsche books as a ranking. Each Porsche book has its own special features in terms of content and design, and it would not be possible to make a judgmental ranking here.

1. Porsche Book: Turbo 3.0 -Limited Edition von Ryan Snodgrass

Anyone interested in the history of Porsche simply cannot avoid the subject of the 911 Turbo. The truly excellent book Turbo 3.0 by Ryan Snodgrass delves deep into the development, production, and mystery of the three years of Porsche’s groundbreaking 3.0-liter Turbo models produced from 1975 to 1977.

The book is the result of the most meticulous research and intensive studies in the Porsche factory archive.

This extremely comprehensive compendium attempts to cover everything an owner, restorer, historian, or enthusiast would want to know about the beginning of Porsche’s turbocharged supercar. With a foreword by Jürgen Barth, the Turbo 3.0 book explores the history of the first production turbocharged 911 and delves into the development of turbo road and race cars through great interviews with factory engineers, development drivers, and race drivers. 536 pages, each of them exciting and informative, and 1,508 photos, 754 of them never before published, make the Porsche heart beat faster.

Review of the Turbo 3.0 book in Octane magazine's October 2019 #196 issue:

We'll come clean: this book was released last year but our review copy was mislaid during Octane's hastily carried-out office relocation form Bedfordshite to London. It's author, Ryan Snodgrass, very kindly offered to send us another one—and we're so glad he did, because this is a truly exceptional work.

A companion volume to Snodgrass' previous magnum opus, Carrera 2.7, this mammoth 536-page tribute to the Porsche 911 Turbo is printed on creamy archival paper and presented in a stout slipcase. Pay extra for the 300-off Publisher's Edition and you get an even stouter clamshell box that additionally houses convincing reproductions of Porsche ephemera such as press releases and photos, and actual 35mm colour slides, plus a 20-page supplement on how the book was put together.

Is either version worth the money? Emphatically yes, because the level of detail and the production values are stunning. To give just two examples: expert financial book-keepers were hired to check the production data for all 2819 Turbos built; and because no detailed cutaway drawing was ever made of the Turbo, noted cutaway artist Makoto Ouchi was commissioned to draw on. The print specification—which apparently involved '15-micron stochastic hybrid screens' and 'special wide-gamut inks'—will have any bibliophile salivating over their silkscreened linen slipcase.

Every possible aspect of the 1975–77 Turbo is covered in depth: development, build, mechanical, design, one-offs and special editions, racing versions... There's even a spread devoted to specific tyre inflators, jacks and plastic gloves supplied by Porsche for the Turbo's space-save tyre.

As you'll have gathered, we're impressed. It's taken a while for Turbo 3.0 to make it into these pages, but it was well worth the wait.

—Mark Dixon

"Ryan Snodgrass's book on early Porsche Turbos is probably the greatest single model book that I've ever seen in my life.  I have not been able to put it down since getting it. It is just full of every bit of geeky goodness about those cars. It is phenomenal."

Of course, when asked at 0:28:07 by Mark Greene if manifested into a car, what kind of car would Robb Sass be, his affinity for the Turbo was clear. Sass answered he'd like to be a 1975 or 1976 Turbo Carrera, the first generation Turbo: "I think that they are kind of a little bit edgy. It was the height of the malaise era. A car I really respect as when everything else was slow and crappy, you had this car that would go 0 to 60 in about 5 seconds. Performance on par with a muscle car from ten years before at a time when people were building the Mustang II. If I could aspire to be any car...I'm not a 75-76 Turbo Carrera, but if I could that is probably what it would be as it was so shocking and so surprising and a little bit unpredictable." "Porsche never got the memo that the malaise era was going on."

For almost 20 years, noted automotive historian and journalist Jürgen Lewandowski has presided over the Autobuchpreis which honors the best works produced each year on automotive and motorsports topics. For 2018, MOTORWORLD Group became the primary sponsor for the Autobuchpreis, hosting the event and judging team of Jürgen Lewandowksi (chairman of the jury), Andreas Dünkel (Motorworld Group Chairman), Mark N. Backé (Grand Basel Chairman), Vittorio Strosek (Strosek Design), Michael Stoschek (Brose Chairman), Christian Steiger (Classic Cars Editor-in-Chief), Dr. Andreas Kaufmann (Leica Camera Chairman) and Robertino Wild (Capricorn Chairman). 

Platz 1: Parabolica Press — Ryan Snodgrass — Porsche Turbo 3.0

Vor zwei Jahren hat Ryan Snodgrass die ultimative Porsche Carrera 2.7-Bibel geschrieben —und nun hat sich der Software-Ingenieur zwei weitere Jahre gegeben, um das ultimative Buch über den Porsche Turbo 3.0 zu Papier zu bringen. Das Ergebnis ist ein opulenter Band mit 536 Seiten Umfang, der wirklich alles über die Genese und den Bau des ersten Porsche-Straßenfahrzeugs mit Turboaufladung sowie dessen erste Renn-Version des Typ 934 beinhaltet. Es ist nicht nur das Gewicht von 5,8 Kilogramm, das dieses Buch zu einem der Höhepunkte der diesjährigen Automobilbuch-Produktion macht, es ist auch die Tiefe der Recherche und die Bereitstellung auch ausgefallener Dokumente, wie beispielsweise aller Farb-Codes oder der lieferbaren Interieur-Ausstattungen.
Darüber hinaus hat Ryan Snodgrass auch die Geschichte aller One-Off-Modelle, wie sie beispielsweise für Luise Pich oder Conte Rossi (vom Martini-Clan) gebaut wurden, nachgezeichnet. Und dazu — wie bereits angedeutet — die Geschichte des 934, dessen Evolution letztlich zum legendären 935 führen sollte. Kurz gesagt: Ein Opus Magnum, dem kein weiteres Buch über dieses Thema mehr zu folgen braucht — klar ist aber auch, dass ein solches Werk seinen Preis hat: 595 Dollar kostet die auf 300 Exemplare limitierte Edel-Ausgabe im Schuber, der Reprints der Preisliste, Werksfotos und -Dias beigelegt sind. Die auf 2.500 Exemplare limitierte „Normal"-Ausgabe kostet 395 Dollar. Ein grandioses Buch, das wahrscheinlich bald, wenn die Auflagen vergriffen sind, zu deutlich höheren Preisen gehandelt werden wird.

Rough English Translation

Ryan Snodgrass wrote the ultimate Porsche Carrera 2.7 Bible two years ago - and now the software engineer has spent another two years writing the ultimate book on the Porsche Turbo 3.0. The result is an opulent 536-page volume that truly includes everything about the genesis and construction of the first turbocharged Porsche road vehicle and its first race version of the Type 934. It's not just the weight of 5.8 kilograms that makes this book one of the highlights of this year's automobile book production, it's also the depth of research and the provision of even fancy documents, such as all color codes or the deliverable interior features.

In addition, Ryan Snodgrass also retraced the story of all one-off models, such as those built for Luise Piéch or Conte Rossi (by the Martini clan). And to that - as already indicated - the story of the 934, whose evolution ultimately led to the legendary 935. In short: An Opus Magnum, which needs no further book on this subject more to follow - but it is also clear that such a work has its price: $ 595 costs the limited edition of 300 copies noble edition in the slipcase, reprints the price list , Factory photos and slides are attached. The limited to 2,500 copies "Normal" edition costs $ 395. A terrific book, which will probably soon, if the editions are sold out, at significantly higher prices will be traded.

The IPPY “rewards those who exhibit the courage, innovation, and creativity to bring about change in the world of publishing,” with the judging criteria “based on quality of content, originality, design, and production with an emphasis on innovation and social relevance.” The eight overall Outstanding Books of the Year categories choose books from "regular entries for being the most heartfelt, unique, outspoken and/or experimental."

Many thanks to all the contributors to the success of the Turbo 3.0 book: art director Richard Baron; cover artist Guy Allen; cutaway illustrator Makoto Ouchi; photographers Claus Bachl, Michael Furman, and Randy Wells; editors Jonathan Stein and Mary Snodgrass; designer of our first book style Christoph Mäder; prepress support from iocolor with Stephanie Lock, John Bailey, and Gary Hawkey; and the printer Artron Art Group.

Published by Parabolica Press, Turbo 3.0 was officially available for purchase in October 2018. The 23rd Annual IPPY Awards ceremony will be held in New York City on May 28, 2019.

Review of the Turbo 3.0 book in Porsche Fahrer's February 2019 issue: 

Manchmal, wenn Geld und Zeit keine Rolle spielen, entsteht große Kunst, ohne dass die Limitierungen des wirklichen Lebens ihr Schranken auferlegen. Und mit viel Glück wird ein Buch wie Ryan Snodgrass’ Magnum Opus zum Thema 911 Turbo daraus.

Die Masse von 1500 Bildern und Informationen auf 536 Seiten hat das Zeug, den Betrachter/Leser zu erschlagen: Wo beginnen, wenn schon das Kapitel „Accessoires“, angefangen beim korrekten Bordwerkzeug bis hin zum passenden 911-Koffer-satz der Firma Volz, 18 Seiten umfasst? Wohlgemerkt, es geht nur um den Dreiliter-Urturbo der Modelljah- re 1975 bis 1977! Natürlich ist es spannend, die Entwicklung des 911 Turbo nachzuvollziehen, aber richtig aufregend wird es, wenn Text und Bilder tief und detailreich bis hin zum Aufnäher der Sicherheitsgurte in Technik, Ausstattung und Produktion eintauchen. Snodgrass hat sich die Mühe gemacht, auch Sonderanfertigungen und Spezialmodelle zu zeigen, die Spuren im Rennsport nachzuzeichnen und zu guter Letzt JEDEN gebauten 911 Turbo 3.0 mit Farbe, Innenausstattung, Reifentyp bei Auslieferung, Extras etc. aufzulisten. Wenn das Geld also nicht für einen Urturbo reicht, sind 395 Dollar für die Standardausgabe dieses Standardwerks perfekt angelegtes Geld. Ein besseres Buch zum Thema wird es auf absehbare Zeit nicht geben. Fünf Sterne!

Rough English translation:

Sometimes, when money and time are irrelevant, great art emerges without the limitations of real life putting a stop to it. And with luck, a book like Ryan Snodgrass' Magnum Opus on the subject 911 Turbo comes alive.

The massive 1,500 images and 536 pages of information has what it takes to slay the viewer / reader: Where to start, the chapter "Accessories" is 18 pages, starting with the correct tool kit to the matching 911-suitcase set Volz? Mind you, it is only about the three-liter Urturbo the model year 1975 to 1977! Of course, it is exciting to understand the development of the 911 Turbo, but it gets really exciting when text and images immersed deep and detailed to the patch of the seat belts in technology, equipment and production. Snodgrass has taken the trouble to show custom and special models, trace the traces in racing, and last but not least, listing ALL 911 Turbo 3.0 built with color, interior trim, tire type at delivery, extras, etc.  So if the money is not enough for a primal turbo, $395 for the standard edition of this standard work is perfectly invested money. There will not be a better book on the topic for the foreseeable future. Five stars!

It's an honor to just be nominated for such a prestigious award in the world of automotive journalism. Congratulations to the other finalists in the Book category:

• Hurley: From the Beginning by Sean Cridland
• Twice Around the Clock – The Yanks at Le Mans Vol. I-III by Tim Considine

Hurley is an absolutely fantastic read on one of America's greatest racing drivers, written directly in partnership with Mr. Haywood himself. I haven't seen Twice Around the Clock yet, but I've pre-ordered a copy as it looks like it will provide great insight into the history of American drivers at Le Mans.

Interestingly, MPG finalist nominations run deep with those involved in the Turbo 3.0 project. Richard Baron, the Designer/Art Director for the Turbo 3.0 book, also worked on the MPG nominated Hurley book. And Randy Wells—a 2018 MPG finalist in the Featured Video category for his film ICARUS—photographed many shots that appeared in the Turbo 3.0 book.

The winners in each category will be announced during the awards dinner on February 24th at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles. Good luck to all.

Review of the Turbo 3.0 book in Flat6 magazine's January 2019 issue:

Pas moins de 536 pages, plus de 1500 photos et illustrations pour la plupart jamais publiées, voici un ouvrage majeur sur la 911 Turbo 3.0. Pour tout savoir, tout décoder du modèle emblématique du milieu des seventies. 

Ryan Snodgrass n’en est pas à son coup d’essai, après avoir écrit et publié en 2015 un ouvrage de 416 pages sur la Carrera 2.7 mondialement reconnu, il a décidé de s’attaquer à la Turbo 3.0 avec succès. Bien sûr le livre est en anglais, mais très facile à lire, et vraiment complet. Toute l’histoire de la Turbo est fidèlement racontée, chaque couleur, chaque option, chaque couleur ou tissu de siège y sont fidèlement répertoriés. Si vous êtes ou avez été propriétaire de cette icône de l’automobile, ou si vous en avez rêvé et que vous en rêvez encore, vous vous devez d’avoir cet ouvrage dans votre bibliothèque, Vous ne pourrez plus dire : « je ne savais pas ». 

Rough English translation:

No less than 536 pages, more than 1500 photos and illustrations for the most part ever published, here is a major work on the 911 Turbo 3.0. To know everything, to decode the emblematic model of the middle of the seventies.

Ryan Snodgrass is not at his first attempt, after writing and published in 2015 a book of 416 pages on the world famous Carrera 2.7, he decided to tackle the Turbo 3.0 successfully. Of course the book is in English, but very easy to read, and really complete. The whole history of the Turbo is faithfully told, every color, every option, every color or seat fabric is faithfully listed. If you are or have been the owner of this car icon, or if you have dreamed of it and still dream of it, you owe it to yourself to have it in your library. You will not be able to say, "I did not know".

July saw Ryan Snodgrass' second book come to market, Turbo 3.0 — Porsche's First Turbocharged Supercar. Another superb offering from Snodgrass, and I personally love his panache for design and layout. He is also one of the pioneers of what I call, the "future of automotive publishing" by giving the customer a lot of specific details. Perfect for anyone who either owns one of the cars or is looking to buy one. This limited edition of 2500 copies has 536 pages and comes slipcased. The book was also nominated for "The Royal Automobile Club Book of the Year."

Review by 9Once Plus magazine of the Turbo 3.0 book:

Ryan Snodgrass, entusiasta del mundo del automóvil especializado end Porsche, acaba de publicar su segundo libro dedicado esta vez a los 911 Turbo 3.0 y que cuenta con un total de 536 páginas y 1.508 fotografías, la mitad de ellas nunca antes publicadas. Un libro fantástico e imprescindible para cualquier propietario, historiador o restaurador, que tiene muchísima información sacada de los archivos de Porsche. Todo ello le ha valido el [nominación para] "Motoring Book of the Year 2018". Pero si queréis un ejemplar tendréis que daros prisa porque se trata de una edición limitada de 2.500 ejemplares que tiene un precio de €399.

Rough English translation:

Ryan Snodgrass, enthusiast of the world of the specialized automobile Porsche, has just published his second book dedicated this time to the 911 Turbo 3.0 which has a total of 536 pages and 1,508 photographs, half of them never before published. A fantastic and essential book for any owner, historian or restorer, with much of information the sourced from the Porsche Archives. All this has earned him [a nomination] for "Motoring Book of the Year 2018". But if you want a copy you will have to hurry because it is a limited edition of 2,500 copies that has a price of €399.

Review by Porsche Road & Race of the Turbo 3.0 book:

Amongst its numerous attributes, Porsche sports cars have always been about performance, engineering, innovation and being different. From the production of the very first sports car to bear the Porsche name, the 356 which came into this world in 1948, the company has strived to excel with each successive model. In this same mould, the 911 Turbo 3.0 is just one of Porsche’s many milestone achievements that have set this manufacturer apart from the rest of the motor industry.

In the same way that the Atlantic salmon swims upstream against the strong flow of a river to reach the headwaters to spawn, so too has Porsche avoided the easy path to achieve its goals. Many motor manufacturers might claim to have pursued similar ideals over the years, but few have come close to achieving these as consistently as Porsche has done. When the 356 was launched, its design was just so far ahead of anything else on the market, and being streamlined and lightweight, it soon started beating much more powerful rivals in motorsport. When it was replaced by the 911 model, racing drivers and teams loyal to Porsche continued to compete, giving the new model excellent exposure. It was the company’s success with the 917/10 and 917/30 turbocharged race cars though, that encouraged Porsche to experiment with turbocharging the 911’s 6-cylinder engine.

Apart from Porsche’s success with the Carrera 4-cam 4-cylinder engine in the 1950s and early 1960s, the most notable big step forward for Porsche, was in turbocharging the 911 engine. A number of manufacturers had dabbled with the concept, some had mild success even, but no other manufacturer came close to achieving what Porsche did with this technology. When Dr. Ernst Fuhrmann suggested hooking up a turbo to the 6-cylinder 911 engine, many questioned whether this would be manageable, or even if it could work in the passenger car market. History tells us that the 911 Turbo 3.0 launched in 1975 was the big breakthrough that saw Porsche’s sports cars grab the market’s attention. Many sports car loving kids around the world will happily admit to having had a poster on their bedroom wall of the Turbo 3.0 at some point (the Editor included).

Production of the 911 had fallen from a high in 1973 (15,438 units), around the time of the Carrera RS introduction, dropping 47% to a low in 1975 (8189 units). With the launch of the Turbo 3.0 in the spring of 1975, sales of all 911s began to climb again to 10,677 units in 1976 and 13,793 units in 1977. Not only was the Turbo 3.0 flying off the showroom floor, but Porsche was also writing history on the race tracks of the world with its 934 and 934.5 models. Put simply, turbocharging the 911 6-cylinder engine transformed the company from a little Stuttgart manufacturer into a serious contender around the world with both its road and race cars.

It should be remembered that Porsche launched the Turbo 3.0 at a time when other sports car manufacturers were facing bankruptcy, dramatic drops in sales, and increasing demand for cleaner running vehicles. In the face of such daunting odds, the Turbo 3.0 made everyone sit up and notice, from customers to race teams, from rival manufacturers to business and financial commentators. Many thought Porsche would fall on its face, but the reverse happened, and we can probably thank Porsche for being so brave in the face of the oil crisis, and for giving us the 911 Turbo 3.0 model.

The book, Turbo 3.0, written by Ryan Snodgrass and published by Parabolica Press, is an outstanding piece of work. The book’s narrow remit is precisely its strength, because if you are the lucky owner of a 911 Turbo 3.0, then you would not need any other book on this subject on your bookshelf. This exhaustive volume endeavours to cover everything an owner, restorer, historian or enthusiast would want to know about the dawn of Porsche’s turbocharged supercar. Turbo 3.0 covers not only Porsche’s historic 3.0-litre Turbo, but also the development of production-based turbocharged race cars by examining the Carrera RSR Turbo 2.14 and Turbo RSR 934/934.5 race cars.

In a letter from the author that accompanies each book, Snodgrass tells the reader that it was his desire to raise the bar for quality and research, in the publication of top-line books. He has indeed succeeded in achieving both goals, admirably. Without any doubt, this is one of the best researched books on the subject of Porsche production cars yet, and the quality of writing and presentation, ensure that it will stand out in the market. But the book is no lightweight, comprising 512 pages, and with book dimensions of 280 x 320 mm tall, this is a substantial piece of work, but be assured, you won’t find a better piece of research and writing on this model anywhere.

Individual chapters cover: Turbocharging Roots; Porsche Turbo Arrives; Drivetrain; Rolling Chassis; Body; Interior…and much more. There is a chapter devoted to motorsport, and then separate sections covering Accessories, Literature, and Production Data with several Appendices closing out the book. As a Turbo 3.0 owner or enthusiast, you will not want to be without this book, as for example, from page 452-497 the author has listed the production data on all 2819 Turbo 3.0 chassis. After this follows many pages giving Production Changes: Engine; Gearbox; Rolling Chassis, and much more.

This is truly a comprehensive, all-inclusive publication and you will be glad that you have a copy on your bookshelf. The book is offset printed on the highest-quality paper and enclosed within a protective slipcase, but only 2500 individually numbered hardcover copies of the Turbo 3.0: Limited Edition will be sold.

If you really want to get the full works, then the exclusive Turbo 3.0: Publisher’s Edition is offered in an individually signed and numbered series and limited to just 300 copies. Only available direct from Parabolica Press, the Publisher’s Edition differs from the Limited Edition with several unique and extra special surprise features included within a bespoke clamshell box designed specifically for the Publisher’s Edition. Additionally, the Publisher’s Edition carries on Parabolica Press’s theme of offering a “behind the scenes” look into aspects for how each book is produced. The Turbo 3.0 Behind the Scenes Supplement continues where the Carrera 2.7: Publisher’s Edition Supplement left off by exploring the deep research necessary to produce books at this level, peering through the viewfinder of several photographers and, finally, understanding how artistic concepts become reality for several commissioned illustrations.

The purchase price is not insignificant, but you will not be pleased when they are all sold out, so get your copy now!

Turbo, Turbo über alles

Ryan Snodgrass hat vor zwei Jahren die [Carrera 2.7 MFI] Bibel geschrieben und nun überrascht der Software-Ingenieur mit einem opulenten Band über den 911 Turbo 3.0, der auf 536 Seiten wirklich alles Ober den ersten Elfer mit Turboaufladung und dessen Rennvariante 934 erzählt. In der auf 300 Exemplare limitierten Luxus-Variante für 595 Dollar ist das 5.8 Kilogramm schwere Werk mit seinen 536 Seiten Umfang das Referenzwerk schlechthin — die auf 2.500 Exemplare beschrankte Normal-Ausgabe kostet 395 Dollar. Wir werden in der nächsten Ausgabe von PORSCHE KLASSIK diesem außergewöhnlichen Buch und seinem Autoren eine größere Geschichte widmen.

Rough English translation:

Turbo, Turbo over everything

Ryan Snodgrass wrote the [Carrera 2.7 MFI] bible two years ago and now the software engineer surprises us with an opulent volume about the 911 Turbo 3.0, which on 536 pages really tells everything about the first 911 with turbocharging and its racing variant 934. In the limited to 300 copies luxury [Publisher's Edition] version for 595 dollars, the 5.8 kilogram heavy work with its 536 pages per volume is the reference work par excellence - the normal [Limited Edition] is restricted to 2,500 copies and costs 395 dollars. In the next issue of PORSCHE KLASSIK we will dedicate a larger story to this extraordinary book and its author.

“We never fail to be amazed at the quality and variety of titles that our experienced judges propose for the Awards, and this year is no exception,” said Peter Read, the Club’s Motoring Committee Chairman.

"Ryan Snodgrass' masterpiece is the future of automotive publishing."
         — Ben Horton, Horton Books

Nominees shortlisted for RAC's 2018 Specialist Motoring Book of the Year Award include:

• Daimler Days Volume 3 - More Than a Celebration of 100 Years of Daimler Motor Cars
  Brian E. Smith
• Inside Track: Phil Hill, Ferrari's American World Champion - His Story, His Photography. Volume 1 1927 – 1967
  Phil Hill with Doug Nye
• Reid Railton: Man of Speed
  Karl Ludvigsen
• Jim Clark: The Best of the Best
  David Tremayne
• Gaston Grümmer The Art of Carrosserie
  Philippe Gaston Grümmer and Laurent Friry
• Turbo 3.0: Porsche's First Turbocharged Supercar
  Ryan Snodgrass

The judging panel consists of of six experts who are totally independent of the Royal Automobile Club and represent the UK’s most informed motoring literary critics. The judges include Gordon Cruickshank (Motor Sport magazine), Mark Dixon (editor of Octane magazine), Ben Horton (independent motoring bookseller Hortons Books), Mick Walsh (editor of Classic & Sports Car), Christian Whitehead (motoring department of London bookstore Foyles) and Tom Wiltshire (book reviewer for Auto Express).

Noch ein Buch über den Carrera RS 2.7? Nein, dieses Mal geht es um den Nachfolger, der als sogenanntes G-Modell zwar die gesamte Technologie erbte, sich aber mit seinen Faltenbalg-Stossstangen optisch deutlich vom wertvoll gewordenen Vorgänger unterscheidet.

Ein wahrer Enthusiast als Autor

Ryan Snodgrass verdient sein Geld als Software-Ingenieur, seine Liebe zu Porsche entstand unabhängig davon. Und es muss echte Liebe sein, wenn man sich derartig tief in das Thema hineinkniete. Snodgrass nutzte ein “Sabbatical”, um aus dem vielen Material, das er zum Porsche Carrera 2.7 MFI, gebaut zwischen 1974 und 1976, gesammelt hatte, ein Buch zu komponieren, das kaum eine Frage offen lässt.

Das Buch ist so erfolgreich, dass der Autor postwendenden einen Verlag gründete und 2018 das nächste Werk, dieses Mal zum 930 Turbo, nachschob.

Es ist sicherlich kein Zufall, dass Snodgrass bereits im Vorwort des englisch gehaltenen Buches seine Vorbilder bei der Konzeption seines Carrera-2.7-Werks nennt, nämlich Matthias Bartz’ Dino Compendium und das Carrera-RS-Buch von Konradsheim/Gruber.

Aus der Not heraus entstanden

Der 74-er Carrera 2.7 steht in der allgemeinen Wahrnehmung deutlich hinter dem berühmteren Carrera RS 2.7 zurück. Nur wenig detailliertes Material wurde bisher veröffentlicht und selbst der Unterschied zwischen der amerikanischen Version (Kürzel CIS) und der europäischen Variante (MFI) scheint nur echten Kennern bewusst zu sein.

In diese Lücke stiess Snodgrass mit seinem Carrera-Buch.

Von der Geburt …

Auf eine lange Vorgeschichte, wie sie andere Bücher gerne anführen, verzichtet Snodgrass komplett. Er geht sofort “in medias res” und erklärt das Umfeld in den Siebzigerjahren, die Konkurrenz und die Überlegungen Porsches, die zum G-Modell und zur Carrera-Varianten führten. 
Angekündigt wurde der neue 911 SC (so die interne Bezeichnung) mit einem Press Release am 15. August 1974 und man war bei Porsche stolz, dass der Wagen alle europäischen Umweltgesetzgebungen erfüllte.

Einer der ersten Besteller war übrigens King Hussein, der für den Wagen einen Carrera 6 und einen 904 GTS eintauschte, wie das Foto auf Seiten 8/9 zeigt …

Interessant der Leistungsvergleich (Seite 23), der zeigt, dass der G-Modell-Carrera trotz des Mehrgewichts nur unwesentlich langsamer war als sein berühmter Vorgänger.

… über die Konstruktionselemente …

Snodgrass führt in seinem Buch durch alle wesentlichen Konstruktionselemente, also den Antriebsstrang, das Fahrwerk, die Karosserie und das Interieur. 180 Seiten setzt er dafür ein und enthüllt eine fast unglaubliche Detailfülle, etwa die unterschiedlichen Heckflügel-Entwürfe, die zu Entenbürzel und Walfisch-Schwanz führten. Selbst den Beschriftungen und Aufkleber widmet er acht Seiten.

Immer wieder gibt es auch Fotos aus der Produktion zu sehen, die zeigen, wieviel Handarbeit damals noch nötig war, um einen Carrera zu bauen.

… bis zu den letzten Details

Natürlich macht der Autor auf Veränderungen während der Produktion aufmerksam, zeigt aber auch Stoffmuster und Interieur-Optionen im Detail auf. Viele Abbildungen zeigen die Spezialitäten einzelner Produktionsgruppen, etwa unterschiedliche Beschriftungen des Blinkerhebels. 

Snodgrass belässt es aber nicht mit der Dokumentation des Grundmodells, sondern erklärt auch alle Sondermodelle, beginnend mit dem Autosalon-Autos, dem speziellen Wagen für Louise Piëch, Count Rossi, Huschke von Hanstein oder Ferry Porsche. Erwähnt wird auch das Testvehikel, das den Dreiliter-Carrera-Motor im Heck hatte, Chassis 911 560 0043. Selbst die wenigen Sportomatic-Varianten, die nicht im offiziellen Programm waren, sind dokumentiert. genauso wie das Sondermodell zum 25. Geburtstag und jenes der belgischen Polizei.

Auch die letzten 113 Carrera 2.7, die nur für den deutschen Markt produziert wurden und das Ende der mechanischen Einspritzung bei Porsche bedeuteten, sind komplett aufgeführt, inklusive der Farbverteilung für dieses ganz spezielle Modell, das sich in vielen Punkten von den anderen Autos unterschied.

Kurze Rennkarriere

Obwohl deutlich weniger bekannt im Rennsport als sein Vorgänger, hatte auch der Carrera 2.7 MFI seine Rolle auf den Renn- und Rallye-Pfaden dieser Welt, wie 50 Seiten im Buch aufzeigen, die auch die berühmten 1974-er IROC RSR Modelle dokumentieren.

Feinheiten

Ein Auto ist nur komplett mit Schlüsseln, Werkzeugset, Originaldokumentation und dem damals mitgelieferten sonstigen Zubehör. Kein Wunder geht Snodgrass diesem Thema auf fast 50 Seiten nach, die aber auch die Verkaufs-Literatur und Hilfsmittel beleuchten.

Und dann kommt auch noch eine umfangreiche Appendix, die FIA-Homologationspapiere, Ausrüstungsoptionen, Produktionsanpassungen über die drei Baujahre und Codes auf den einzelnen Teilen erklärt.

Eine umfangreiche Bibliografie fehlt natürlich auch nicht, ein Schlagwortverzeichnis braucht es wohl nicht.

Foto-Feuerwerk

Natürlich wird man das Buch vor allem wegen des (englischsprachigen Texts) kaufen, aber die Bilder sind mindestens genauso interessant. 684 Farbfotos, 146 Schwarzweissfotos und 50 Illustrationen in guter Qualität sind eine reichhaltige Ausbeute Snodgrasses jahrelanger Forschungstätigkeit, viele der Bilder wurden vermutlich noch nie gedruckt, zumindest nicht im gegebenen Kontext.

Für den Enthusiasten

Billig ist das Buch nicht, es wurde auch nur 2500 Mal in der “Limited Edition” gedruckt. Beim Verlag sind keine Exemplare mehr erhältlich, Amazon führt noch einige wenige, die zu Preisen von etwa EUR 270 verkauft werden. Dass sich dies nicht für jedermann lohnt, versteht sich von selber. Und es wurden bekanntlich nicht einmal soviele gebaut. Gemäss Snodgrass waren es nämlich inklusive der Prototypen und Sondermodelle deren 2282.

Für jeden Porsche-911-Fan ist das Buch sicherlich eine Erwägung wert, zumal es sehr sorgfältig und wertig gemacht ist. Wie wichtig dem Autoren Snodgrass inhaltiche Korrektheit ist, kann man auch daran ablesen, dass auf der Website von Parabolica Press die bisher gefundenen Fehler sorgfältig dokumentiert und korrigiert wurden.

Rough English translation:

Another book about the Carrera RS 2.7? No, this time it's about the successor, who inherited the entire technology as a so-called G-model, but with its bellows bumpers visually different from its valuable predecessor.

A TRUE ENTHUSIAST AS AUTHOR

Ryan Snodgrass earned his money as a software engineer, his love for Porsche arose independently. And it has to be real love when you get so deeply into the subject. Snodgrass used a "sabbatical" to compose a book from the many materials he had collected for the Porsche Carrera 2.7 MFI, built between 1974 and 1976, that leaves little to be desired.

The book is so successful that the author founded a publishing house by post and in 2018 the next work, this time for 930 Turbo, nachschob.

It is certainly no coincidence that Snodgrass already mentions his role models in the foreword of the English-language book in the conception of his Carrera 2.7 work, namely Matthias Bartz 'Dino Compendium and the Carrera-RS book by Kontradsheim / Gruber.

FROM THE EMERGENCY OUT

The 74er Carrera 2.7 stands in the general perception clearly behind the more famous Carrera RS 2.7 back. Little detailed material has been published so far and even the difference between the American version (abbreviation CIS) and the European variant (MFI) seems to be only known to real connoisseurs.

Snodgrass came across this gap with his Carrera book.

FROM THE BIRTH ...

On a long history, as they like to lead other books, Snodgrass completely dispensed. He goes immediately "in medias res" and explains the environment in the seventies, the competition and the considerations of Porsche, which led to the G-model and the Carrera variants.

Announced was the new 911 SC (the internal name) with a press release on August 15, 1974 and Porsche was proud that the car met all European environmental legislation.

Incidentally, one of the first buyers was King Hussein, who exchanged a Carrera 6 and a 904 GTS for the car, as the photo on pages 8/9 shows ...

Interestingly, the performance comparison (page 23), which shows that the G-model Carrera, despite the extra weight was only slightly slower than its famous predecessor.

... ABOUT THE CONSTRUCTION ELEMENTS ...

Snodgrass in his book leads through all the essential construction elements, ie the powertrain, the chassis, the body and the interior. He uses 180 pages for this, revealing an almost incredible amount of detail, such as the different rear wing designs, which led to duck tail and whale tail. He even devotes eight pages to the labels and stickers.

Again and again, there are also photos from the production to see, showing how much manual labor was still necessary to build a Carrera.

... UP TO THE LAST DETAILS

Of course, the author draws attention to changes during production, but also reveals fabric patterns and interior options in detail. Many illustrations show the specialties of individual production groups, such as different labeling of the turn signal lever.

Snodgrass does not leave it with the documentation of the basic model, but also explains all special models, starting with the car salon cars, the special car for Louise Piëch, Count Rossi, Huschke of Hanstein or Ferry Porsche. Mention is also the test vehicle, which had the three-liter Carrera engine in the rear, chassis 911 560 0043. Even the few Sportomatic variants that were not in the official program are documented. as well as the special model for the 25th birthday and that of the Belgian police.

Also the last 113 Carrera 2.7, which were produced only for the German market and meant the end of the mechanical injection with Porsche, are completely listed, including the color distribution for this very special model, which differed in many points from the other cars.

SHORT RACING CAREER

Although far less well-known in racing than its predecessor, the Carrera 2.7 MFI also had its role on the world's racing and rallying tracks, as 50 pages in the book document the famous 1974 IROC RSR models.

NUANCES

A car is only complete with keys, tool kit, original documentation and the other accessories supplied at the time. No wonder Snodgrass covers this topic on almost 50 pages, but also illuminate the sales literature and tools.

And then comes an extensive appendix that explains FIA homologation papers, equipment options, production adjustments over the three years of construction, and codes on each part.

Of course, there is no lack of a comprehensive bibliography; a list of keywords probably does not need it.

PHOTO FIREWORKS

Of course you will buy the book mainly because of the (English text), but the pictures are at least as interesting. 684 color photos, 146 black-and-white photos, and 50 good-quality illustrations are a rich source of Snodgrass's years of research, and many of the images have probably never been printed, at least not in the given context.

FOR THE ENTHUSIAST

The book is not cheap, it was printed only 2500 times in the "Limited Edition". No more copies are available from the publisher, Amazon still has a few that are sold at prices of around EUR 270. That this is not worthwhile for everyone goes without saying. And it was known not even so many were built. According to Snodgrass, the prototypes and special models included their 2282.

For any Porsche 911 fan, the book is certainly worth a look, especially as it is very carefully and valued. How important to the author Snodgrass is substantive correctness can also be seen from the fact that on the website of Parabolica Press the errors found so far have been carefully documented and corrected.

Review of the Turbo 3.0 book in 000 Magazine, issue 006/Summer 2018, by Kerry Morse:

A few months ago, I picked up a rather large package at the post office, brought it home and—it being the end of a long day—put it aside. After dinner, I opened the box and discovered a book full of boost.

You may be familiar with author Ryan Snodgrass’ freshman effort, Carrera 2.7, a first-rate reference book that fit right in with the new edition of Carrera RS from TAG. Both titles are considered go-to-books for settling matters of originality, and there was every reason to expect that the long-awaited sophomore offering from Snodgrass would follow the established format.

This time, however, Snodgrass enlisted as art director Richard Baron, whose body of work would fill a few bookshelves. Baron’s stylistic shift has given Turbo 3.0 a separate identity, in much the same way that a 1976 911 differs from a 1976 930. The core remains, but the differences are immediately apparent and very pleasing.

The organization seen in the previously mentioned books was used to form this one’s structure: chassis numbers, color codes, optional equipment, promotional campaigns, literature, tool kits, racing variations. All are where they should be, along with a narrative of the concept, development, introduction, and production run for 1975–1977. A more suitable title for this comprehensive study is The Really Big Book of the 3.0 Liter Turbo.

Turbo 3.0 is offered in a Limited Edition with a print run of 2,500, priced at $395, and the Publisher’s Edition of 300 for $595. Between the two, I feel Snodgrass got the print runs wrong: With its extra supplement and archival features, the Publisher’s Edition is so far superior to the Limited Edition that that additional $200 should be considered a smart move. When the 300 editions are gone, I expect to see the prices get up to a couple of grand on the various online outlets—and I don’t need a Magic 8 Ball to convince me this is a certainty.

One of the clever design aspects of the Publisher’s Edition involves the supplement and the archival folder. Think of the book as a published DVD, where you scroll down the menu and click on the special features box. The supplement takes the reader through a behind-the-scenes look at how the book was put together—it’s informative while avoiding any self-congratulatory traps.

Reference books often take up shelf space without justifying their presence. After the initial excitement while surveying such books, they’re usually put away because few of these reference titles are enjoyable no matter how engaging their overall story. The details might be accurate, but a lack of context robs them of the emotional connection that gives them meaning and allows them to evoke memories like your first car or first kiss—which can provoke an awareness that life is ever changing. For me, Turbo 3.0is just such a catalyst, one that prompted me to revisit a rewarding array of experience. 

For those who can recall the early to mid 1970s, there was a great deal of unpleasantness, both in general life but especially in a car culture plagued by environmental issues, oil shortages, mandatory smog equipment, and a lethargic attitude toward design. For many of us who were VW enthusiasts, modifications were a way of life—and the aftermarket was an escape. We followed the major sportscar races, and we were thrilled by the 917s and successes of Follmer and Donohue. But, given a choice between a new 911 and a 914-6, it was the VolksPorsche that spoke to us. Few remember that, by 1973, the 911 was considered an old man’s car, one owned by aerospace engineers and dentists. Long before it was a deemed a class or “iconic,” the 911 shape had looked the same for almost a decade. In contrast, the 914, especially the “Six,” was a youth statement. It was different and almost within reach financially…almost.

Remember, too, that the 911 ST and 911 Carrera RS were not road legal in the U.S. Unless you read AutoWeek or Road & Track, those 911s didn’t exist. The news traveled considerably slower back then, and print magazines were often three months behind in delivering the latest trends from over the pond. When the 911 Turbo was announced, BMW had already produced the 2002 Turbo and a few U.K. manufacturers made attempts, but none of these ever hit our shores—so this market was unprepared for one of the most influential cars to ever reach production.

Porsche was not only build a road-legal 911 with forced induction, it would provide a version for the U.S. One of the strengths of the new 911 Turbo came about because of a change in safety regulations that required alteration to the bumpers. Design chief Tony Lapine and crew got it right and then some, transforming the 911’s aura and making it cool again. We didn’t just have a 911 and 911S we even had a Carrera with rear spoiler—but it was the Turbo we all wanted, knowing damn well only a few of us would ever own one.

This is where Snodgrass and his book come in. They bring all of the memories back—the anticipation, the yearning, and, most of all, the first time I drove a Turbo, in 1976, when a friend trusted me with his new car for a couple of days. Silver on tourist delivery plates, it was beautiful. It was also, as I was quick to learn, one of the most dangerous cars ever built. Learning about turbo lag was a new experience, and boost was to be respected—because you absolutely had to know when the power was about to come on. What really caught my attention were brakes, because brake pads the same size as those introduced on the 1969 911S were no expected to stop the boostmobile. Even so, I loved every moment in that car—and Snodgrass’ book provided an emotional ticket back to those times.

What distinguishes the 930 from almost every other Porsche is its cultural influence. When the word “turbo” came up in conversation, chances were high that it was in reference to a Porsche. The impact the 930 had when it came to extending the lifespan of many used 911s cannot be overstated. Dealers sold thousands of 930 flares, and the aftermarket quickly offered up complete body kits in fiberglass to give your 1966 912 that “Turbo look.” No Porsche model—before or since—has made the singular impact that the Turbo in its original, 3.0-liter form did.

The high point of the Publisher’s Edition may be its archival folder, which has accurate reproductions of internal memos, production numbers, FIA documents, a price listing for each model, photos, and color proof sheets. It is as if it’s 1975 all over again, with a twist Snodgrass’s mammoth book has taken something familiar and made it an original, much as Porsche did when it transformed the 911 into the 930. As a reference book, the roots are permantent. As a time machine it’s a bargain.

R

“Exhaustive” doesn’t even begin to describe Ryan Snodgrass or his opus on the Porsche 930 3.0 Turbo. Let’s start near the back, on p. 452. Here, along with a handy production-data decoder for the model, is an exhaustive list of EVERY 930 from 1975 to 1977, including paint, interior, engine, gearbox, tires, distributor, de- livery and completion date — plus a synopsis of installed equipment. This level of detail is emblematic of Snodgrass’ work. He is a former software engineer, and his love of Porsches led him to start his writing career with Carrera 2.7, now followed by Turbo 3.0.

It’s a thick, 10.5-pound, beautifully printed, designed and written book on the car that Porsche used to repudiate the awful cars that came out of the mid-1970s, when fuel economy and safety were the highest representation of the art, and performance was an ugly stepchild. Using turbo technology and knowledge gained from racing the 917, the Carrera 3.0 was an antidote to the times.

While only 2,819 of the 3.0 Turbo cars came out of the factory, they had an outsized impact on the market (with prices to match, as a first-year 930 is going for around $150,000). Sometimes called the “doctor killer” for the dangerous intersection of high-horsepower, turbo-lag and a lack of skills behind the wheel, the 930 was actually a touch slower than the mechanically injected 2.7-liter predecessor. But that was mostly down to extra weight that balanced the increased output, mostly thanks to safety equipment (thanks, Ralph Nader!) demanded at the time. Heck, safety was such a top-of-mind item that there were threats to kill all convertibles in that period. So the introduction of the 930 was certainly counterintuitive — and well-received by enthusiasts.

And well-received is what this book should be. It’s an instant classic in the category of single-model history and detail.

Provenance: Ryan Snodgrass brings a software engineer’s hyper-fo- cus and demand for perfection to his second book. Turbo 3.0 is an intense, deep dive into the history of the model and every scrap of information available.

Fit and Finish: This book is simply beautiful. The claimed (I didn’t count them) 1,508 photos and illustrations are beautifully reproduced on quality stock. The overall design is understated and serves the content. The entire package is top-shelf.

Drivability: With Turbo 3.0, Ryan Snodgrass has reset the bar for any future Porsche book. The text is smart, lively and easy to read, supporting an incredible amount of information. At $395 for one of 2,500 copies of this limited-edition tome, you can expect the same appreciation in value as in the car — even as you appreciate Turbo 3.0 as a resource and good read.

Turbo 3.0 Book Review by autobuch.guru (see rough English translation below):

Mit dem Turbo erweiterte Porsche sein Produktportfolio im Jahr 1974 nach oben und stand hiermit in direkter Konkurrenz zu Ferrari, Lamborghini und Co.. Das zweite Buch des amerikanischen Verlags Parabolica Press nimmt sich dem Turbo 3.0 an, der nur für einen recht kurzen Zeitraum produziert wurde, ehe er vom Turbo 3.3 nahtlos abgelöst wurde. Abermals erhält man hier ein Prachtband über einen weiteren speziellen Porsche 911.

Das Buch kommt wie der Titel zum Carrera 2.7 in zwei Editionen in den Verkauf, wobei zu Rezension die üppige Publisher’s Edition zur Verfügung gestellt wurde. Diese kostet 599 € statt der 399 € für die Limited Edition, wobei beide Bücher selbstverständlich limitiert sind. Die Limited Edition kommt im klassischen Schuber daher und ist auf 2.500 Exemplar limitiert. Die Ausstattung entspricht somit der Edition vom Carrera 2.7-Buch. Die Publisher’s Edition hingegen kommt in einer sehr aufwendigen Box daher, die beim ersten Begutachten einen gewaltigen Eindruck hinterlassen kann. Lediglich 300 solcher Bücher werden auf den Markt kommen und zeichnen sich auch durch eine Nummerierung und die Signatur des Autors aus. Das Öffnen der Box bringt die das in rot gehaltene Buch zum Vorschein, welches durch ein Band herausgeschoben werden kann. Erst auf den zweiten Blick kann man noch weitere zusätzliche Features entdecken, die sich hinter einem schwarzen Blatt verbergen. In der darunterliegenden Mappe finden sich zahlreiche Archiv-Materialen, die teilweise aus dem Porsche Archiv wieder neu reproduziert wurden. So finden sich neben Pressemitteilungen sogar Dias und Werksfotos wieder. Ein toller Fundus, der einen Einblick in die Archiv-Arbeit ermöglicht. Passend hierzu findet sich in der Publisher’s Edition auch der zweite Teil der Behind the Scenes wieder, in dem auch intensiv die Arbeit nach seltenem Archiv-Material erläutert wieder. Diese 20-seitige Broschüren liegt ebenfalls der Publisher’s Edition bei. Ein durch und durch beeindruckender Auftritt, den das Buch hinlegt.

Das eigentliche Buch ist aber auch schon aufgrund der Größe beeindruckend, schließlich sind die 536 Seiten auf einem hochwertigen 170g-Papier gedruckt worden. So beläuft sich das Gesamtgewicht der Publisher’s Edition auf 6,1 kg, die Limited Edition kann immer noch stattliche 5,2 kg auf die Waage bringen. Von außen zeigt sich eine tolle Grafik mit scheinbar vorbeifahrenden 911 Turbo-Modellen die in vielen bunten Farben der 70er Jahre auf schwarzem Grund umgesetzt wurden. Diese eigens für das Buch angefertigten Grafiken finden sich auch auf dem Buch wieder, welches außen zur Unterscheidung bei der Publisher’s Edition in Rot umgesetzt wurde und bei der Limited Edition in Grün. Auch der Vorsatz kann beim ersten Aufschlagen begeistern und zeigt den Turbo 3.0-Schriftzug auf einem gelben Papier. Über dem aufwendig gestalteten Aufkleber, welcher die Limitierung kennzeichnet, findet sich dann auch die Unterschrift des Autors wieder und das folgende Inhaltsverzeichnis gibt dem Leser einen ersten Überblick der Einteilung des Buches in 11 Kapitel. Nachdem Vorworten von Jürgen Barth und Ryan Snodgrass folgt dann schließlich das erste Kapitel in dem die Wurzeln der Turbolader beschrieben werden. Mit dem Turbo 3.0 brachte Porsche die Aufladungstechnologie erstmals auf die Straße, man hatte aber schon Erfahrung im Motorsport sammeln können. Die Grundlage der Turbo-Technologie liegen aber noch weiter zurück und zwar bis ins Jahr 1905, als Dr. Alfred Büchi das entsprechende Patent anmeldete. Im Motorenbau wurde diese Technologie zunächst vor allem im Schiff- und Flugzeugbau angewendet, ehe zum Modelljahr 1962 der Oldsmobile F-85 Jetfire und der wenig später vorgestellte Chevrolet Corvair Monza die ersten Automobile waren, die mit dieser Technik zum Kauf angeboten wurden. In den 70er rückte die Technik zur Leistungssteigerung und Verbrauchsoptimierung bei vielen Herstellern in den Fokus. So entstand der Ford Capri mit optimierten Motor von Turbo May, der BMW 2002 Turbo, der Saab 900 Turbo und Opel hatte schon die Turbo-Version des Manta in der Entwicklung. Porsche sammelte erste Erfahrungen durch den Einsatz des Turbos im Rennwagen 917, der für den Einsatz in der amerikanischen Rennserie Can-Am mit einem Turbo ausgestattet wurde. Die Erfolge hieraus sind bis heute legendär. Ein kurze technische Erläuterung wie der Turbolader funktioniert rundet das erste Kapitel dann ab.

Jeder Kapiteleinstieg zeigt in übrigen einen besonderen Stil. Auf schwarzen Hintergrund wird passend zum Thema in einem leicht helleren Grauton eine Zeichnung o.ä. abgebildet und ein ebenfalls zum Thema passendes Foto präsentiert sich mit einer Glanzlackierung und wird so weiter hervorgehoben. Dazu zeigt sich noch der Titel des Kapitels und eine kurze Einführung. Mit Turbo Arrives folgt dann im zweiten Kapitel der Blick auf die Vorstellung des ersten Turbo-Modells von Porsche. Bevor das Buch hier aber direkt auf das Fahrzeug blickt, folgt erstmal ein Rückblick auf die damaligen Umstände, die mit dem Einfluss der Ölkrise für Hochperformance-Fahrzeuge keinesfalls perfekt schienen. Porsche hatte aber mit den Vorgänger wie dem Carrera RS beeindruckende Erfolge gefeiert und so wurde der Turbo inoffiziell als Nachfolger des Carrera 2.7 präsentiert. Die Reaktion des Publikums auf ein Turbo-Modell des 911 wurde schon 1973 auf der IAA mit der Präsentation der Turbo-Studie getestet. Das generelle Ziel des Turbo war die erforderlichen 400 Exemplare in einem Jahr zu produzieren um nach den Regeln der Gruppe 4 homologiert zu werden und auf der Rennstrecke wieder Erfolge einfahren zu können. Schon in zweiten Jahr konnte Porsche dann für den wichtigen US-Markt den Turbo Carrera vorstellen, der einer der wenigen verbleibenden europäischen Spitzen-Sportwagen war, der noch erhältlich war. Die strengen Abgasbestimmungen hatten viele Konkurrenten vom Markt verdrängt. Im Kapitel lassen sich noch viele internationale Werbemotive entdecken und auch die mögliche Performance des Turbo wird dargestellt. Auch ein Überblick über die Produktionszahlen und die Qualitätskontrolle bei Porsche lassen sich noch entdecken. Das ganze ist gespickt vielen vielen Aufnahmen, die zumeist historisch sind und oftmals kaum bekannt. Hier kann selbst der Turbomaniac sicher noch einiges entdecken. Beeindruckend ist auch eine Durchschnittszeichnug des Turbo, die auch ebenfalls extra für das Buch angefertigt wurde.

In den nun folgenden Kapiteln lernt man den Turbo von seinem innersten Kern kennen und der Start hierzu liefert das dritte Kapitel mit dem Antriebsstrang. Zunächst steht hier der neue Motor im Mittelpunkt, in dem die Entwicklung komplett nachvollzogen wird. Mit unglaublich vielen Details und dazu auch vielen historischen Aufnahmen aus dem Werk bleibt nix verborgen und auch die Evolution für die einzelnen Modelljahren wird aufgezeigt. Insgesamt kamen in den Turbo 3.0-Modellen fünf unterschiedliche Motoren zum Einsatz, die je nach Einsatzland den Umständen angepasst werden mussten. So verfügte der Motor in Europa über 260 PS, während die Modelle für USA und Japan sich mit 245 PS begnügen mussten. Aber auch diese gewährleisteten eine beeindruckende Performance und trugen so auch ihren Teil zum Mythos 911 Turbo bei. Immer wieder lässt sich die Detail-Verliebtheit erkennen, denn selbst die einzelnen Porsche-Nummer zu diversen Anbauteilen lassen sich wiederfinden. Dabei werden auch falsch verzeichnete Nummern aufgedeckt.

Das Rolling Chassis wird dann im folgenden Kapitel behandelt und umfasst die Aufhängung, die Federung, die Bremsen, die Felgen und Reifen inkl. des platzsparenden Ersatzreifens. Auch hier ist eine umfassendere Darstellung kaum möglich und wieder nutzt das Buch viele Bilder und Zeichnungen zu Verdeutlichung der zahllosen Details.

Die Karosserie ist dann das nächste Thema und hier kann die Seitenanzahl von über 70 Seiten schon aufzeigen wie umfassend alles dargeboten wird. Zum Start folgen hier gleich mehrere Seiten die ausschließlich aus zeitgenössischen Aufnahmen und Bildunterschriften bestehen. Der direkte Einblick in die damalige Produktion ist damit möglich und es ist durchaus interessant wieviel Handarbeit noch notwendig war um den Porsche 911 Turbo zu produzieren. Die Qualitätskontrolle nach dem Erschaffen der Karosserie zeigt den hohen Qualitätsanspruch von Porsche und auch die Vorbereitung der Lackierung und die Galvanisierung wird thematisiert ehe auch die Lackierung selbst natürlich nicht fehlen darf. Eine erneute Qualitätskontrolle folgt dann nach der Lackierung um auch diesen Prozess zu überprüfen. Einen tollen Überblick aller Farben bekommt der Leser dann durch eine beeindruckende Bildtafel, die auf mehreren Seiten die mögliche Lackierung an den Modellen zeigt. Zur Karosserie zählt aber auch die aerodynamische Entwicklung, die beim Turbo vor allem durch den großen Heckspoiler allgegenwärtig scheint. Ein entsprechender Frontspoiler war aber für die Balance ebenso unabdingbar, wie die breiten Kotflügel zur Aufnahme der breiteren Räder. Dazu finden sich auch noch weitere exterior-bezogene Details wieder, welche die Betrachtung abrunden.

Bis hierhin sind vom dem Buch gerade knapp über 200 Seiten beschrieben und im weiteren Verlauf des Buches wird die Beschreibung des Turbo 3.0 um viele weitere Punkte ergänzt. Das Interieur mit all seinen Facetten wird im nunmehr schon sechsten Kapitel vorgestellt und hier lässt sich abermals vieles entdecken. Sei es die unterschiedlichen Sitze, die verwendeten Materialien, das Armaturenbrett mit seinen unterschiedlichen Uhren oder die Möglichkeiten den Turbo mit Radios auszustatten.

Ein besonders interessantes Kapitel blickt dann auf die Spezial-Modelle, die von Porsche hergestellt wurden, angefangen mit dem Show Car aus dem Jahr 1973. Hier finden sich weitere exklusive Modelle die teilweise der Entwicklung dienten, der Familie Porsche und ihren Angehörigen als fahrbarer Untersatz dienten oder für besondere Kunden speziell hergestellt wurde. Auch die Turbo-Modelle, welche auf den Messen vorgestellt wurden sind hier verzeichnet und der erste Prototyp der Slat Nose-911er ist ebenfalls vertreten. Eine tolle Auflistung besonderer Porsche, die ihres gleichen sucht.

Auch der Motorsport darf natürlich nicht fehlen und der direkte Ableger des Turbo, der 934 mit dem Porsche in der Gruppe 4 erfolgreich war. Aber das selbst der 911 Turbo in einigen Rennen von Privatfahrer erfolgreich eingesetzt werden konnte beeindruckt und ist ein nicht unbedingt bekannter Fakt.

In dem verbleibenden Kapitel stehen noch die erhältlichen Accessoires, die Porsche-eigene Literatur und die umfangreichen Produktionsdaten mit allen Anpassungen während der Produktion im Mittelpunkt, ehe im Anhang noch die Ausstattungen und die technischen Daten aufgezählt werden.

Fazit: Das zweite Buch von Parabolica Press kann ausnahmslos begeistern und setzt dort an, wo die Geschichte des Carrera 2.7 endete. Somit ist der Titel ein logischer Nachfolger und hebt die Qualität der Umsetzung dazu noch auf ein kaum denkbares Niveau. Die Publisher’s Edition ist mit weiteren exklusiven Extras und der aufwendigen Box eine wahre Augenweide und ein Highlight einer jeden Buchsammlung. Der gebotene, textliche Inhalt zum Turbo 3.0 ist bei beiden Edition identisch und kann ebenfalls voll überzeugen, denn eine umfassendere Darstellung eines Modells ist kaum möglich. Das Layout orientiert sich hierbei ebenfalls am Vorgänger-Titel und es lassen sich auch wieder Parallelen zum Carrera RS-Buch erkennen. Dies ist aber keinesfalls ein Nachteil, denn mit dem klaren und aufgeräumten Design lassen sich viele Bilder integrieren ohne optisch langweilig zu wirken. Ein komplette Porsche-Bibliothek kann auf keines dieser Bücher verzichten, in denen die wichtigen Meilensteine der noch frühen Ära des Porsche 911 eingehend dokumentiert wurden.

Der Preis von knapp 600 Euro für die Publisher’s Edition schreckt sicherlich erst einmal ab, aber der Auftritt des Buches lässt diese Zweifel schnell schwinden. Die komplexe Umsetzung und die Extras sind echte Leckerbissen und eine echte Rarität auf dem Büchermarkt. Für 200 Euro weniger ist die Limited Edition ebenfalls stolz eingepreist und bietet rein inhaltsmäßig zum Turbo 3.0 das Gleiche. Die Entscheidung kann dann jeder Interessent für sich entscheiden, wobei die Publisher’s Edition sicher schneller vergriffen sein dürfte, wie das Beispiel vom Vorgänger-Buch zum Carrera 2.7 zeigt.

Very rough English translation of the Autobuch.guru review:

With the Turbo, Porsche broadened its product portfolio in 1974 and was thus in direct competition with Ferrari, Lamborghini and Co. The second book of the American publisher Parabolica Press takes on the Turbo 3.0, which was only produced for a rather short period before he was seamlessly replaced by the Turbo 3.3. Once again, you will receive a magnificent volume about another special Porsche 911. 

The book comes like the Carrera 2.7 book in two editions, with this review covering the provided lush Publisher's Edition. This costs 599 € instead of the 399 € for the Limited Edition, whereby both books are of course limited. The Limited Edition comes in a classic slipcase and is limited to 2,500 copies. The equipment thus corresponds to the edition of the Carrera 2.7 book. The Publisher's Edition, however, comes in a very elaborate box, which leaves a huge impression on the first viewing. Only 300 such books will come onto the market and are also characterized by a numbering and the signature of the author. Opening the box reveals the book held in orange, which can be removed by a special ribbon. Only at second glance, you can discover more additional features that hide behind a black sheet. In the folder below there are numerous archive materials, some of which were reproduced again from the Porsche Archive. In addition to press releases, even slides and works photos can be found again. A great feature, which allows an insight into the archive work. Fittingly, the Publisher's Edition also includes the second part of Behind the Scenes, in which the work with rare archive material is also intensively explained. This 20-page supplement is only included with Publisher's Edition. A thoroughly impressive performance that the book puts down. 

The actual book is also impressive because of the size, after all, the 536 pages have been printed on a high quality 170g paper. So the total weight of the Publisher's Edition amounts to 6.1 kg, the Limited Edition can still bring a stately 5.2 kg on the scales. From the outside there aregreat graphics with seemingly passing 911 Turbo models that were implemented in many bright colors of the 70s on a black background. These graphics, created specifically for the book, can also be found on the book, which has been redesigned to distinguish the publisher's edition in red and the limited edition in green. The header can also inspire you when you first hit it and shows the Turbo 3.0 logo on a yellow paper. Above the lavishly designed sticker, which identifies the limitation, the signature of the author is then found again and the following table of contents gives the reader a first overview of the division of the book into 11 chapters. After forewords by Jürgen Barth and Ryan Snodgrass, the first chapter finally follows in which the roots of the turbochargers are described. With the Turbo 3.0, Porsche put the charging technology on the road for the first time, but it was already possible to gain experience in motorsport. The basis of turbo technology, however, dates back even further to the year 1905, when Dr. Ing. Alfred Büchi filed the corresponding patent. In engine construction, this technology was initially used primarily in shipbuilding and aircraft construction, before the model year 1962, the Oldsmobile F-85 Jetfire and the Chevrolet Corvair Monza introduced a little later were the first automobiles to be offered for sale with this technology. In the 1970s, the focus was on the technology for increasing performance and optimizing consumption for many manufacturers. Thus, the Ford Capri with optimized engine of Turbo May, the BMW 2002 Turbo, the Saab 900 Turbo and Opel already had the turbo version of the Manta in development. Porsche gained initial experience through the use of the turbo in the racing car 917, which was equipped for use in the American racing series Can-Am with a turbo. The successes of this are legendary to this day. A brief technical explanation of how the turbocharger works completes the first chapter. which were offered for sale with this technique. In the 1970s, the focus was on the technology for increasing performance and optimizing consumption for many manufacturers. A brief technical explanation of how the turbocharger works completes the first chapter.

Each chapter entry shows a special style in the rest. On a black background, a drawing or something similar to the theme in a slightly lighter shade of gray. and a matching photo also presents itself with a gloss finish and is further highlighted. This is shown by the title of the chapter and a short introduction. With Turbo ArrivesIn the second chapter follows the view of the first turbo model from Porsche. However, before the book looks directly at the vehicle here, a first look back at the circumstances at that time, which by no means seemed perfect with the impact of the oil crisis on high-performance vehicles. Porsche had celebrated but with its predecessors such as the Carrera RS impressive successes and so the unofficial unofficial Turbo was presented as the successor to the Carrera 2.7. The reaction of the audience to a turbo model of the 911 was already tested in 1973 at the IAA with the presentation of the turbo study. The general goal of the turbo was to produce the required 400 copies in one year to be homologated according to the rules of the group 4 and to achieve success on the racetrack again. In the second year Porsche was able to introduce the Turbo Carrera, which was one of the few remaining top European sports cars that was still available, for the important US market. The strict emission regulations had displaced many competitors from the market. In the chapter, many international advertising motifs can be discovered and also the possible performance of the Turbo is shown. An overview of the production figures and quality control at Porsche can still be discovered. The whole thing is peppered with many many recordings, which are mostly historical and often barely known. Even the Turbomaniac can certainly discover something here. Also impressive is an cutaway drawing of the Turbo, which was made especially for this book.

In the following chapters you will get to know the turbo from its innermost core and the start will be provided by the third chapter with the powertrain. First, the focus is on the new engine, in which the development is fully understood. With unbelievably many details and in addition also many historical recordings from the work nothing remains hidden and also the evolution for the individual model years is pointed out. Overall, the Turbo 3.0 models five different engines were used, which had to be adapted to the circumstances depending on the country of use. So had the engine in Europe over 260 hp, while the models for US and Japan had to settle for 245 hp. But these also ensured an impressive performance and thus also contributed their part to the myth 911 Turbo. Again and again, the detail infatuation can be seen, because even the individual Porsche number to various attachments can be found again. This also uncovered false numbers are revealed.

The Rolling Chassis will then be discussed in the following chapter and includes the suspension, suspension, brakes, rims and tires, including the space-saving spare tire. Again, a more comprehensive presentation is hardly possible and again, the book uses many images and drawings to illustrate the countless details.

The bodywork is then the next topic and here the number of pages of over 70 pages can already show how comprehensively everything is presented. To start, there are several pages that consist exclusively of contemporary photos and captions. The direct insight into the former production is thus possible and it is quite interesting how much manual labor was still necessary to produce the Porsche 911 Turbo. The quality control after the creation of the body shows the high quality standards of Porsche and the preparation of the paint and the galvanization is discussed before the painting itself may not be missing. A new quality control will follow after painting to check this process as well. The reader then gets a great overview of all colors through an impressive picture panel, which shows the possible paint on the models on several pages. The body also includes the aerodynamic development, which seems omnipresent in the turbo especially by the large rear spoiler. A corresponding front spoiler was as essential to the balance as the wide fenders to accommodate the wider wheels. In addition, there are also other exterior-related details again, which round off the consideration. A corresponding front spoiler was as essential to the balance as the wide fenders to accommodate the wider wheels. In addition, there are also other exterior-related details again, which round off the consideration. A corresponding front spoiler was as essential to the balance as the wide fenders to accommodate the wider wheels. In addition, there are also other exterior-related details again, which round off the consideration.

So far, just over 200 pages of the book are described and in the further course of the book, the description of the Turbo 3.0 is supplemented by many more points. The interior with all its facets is presented in the now sixth chapter and here again many things can be discovered. Be it the different seats, the materials used, the dashboard with its different clocks or the possibilities to equip the turbo with radios.

A particularly interesting chapter then looks at the special models that were made by Porsche, starting with the show car from 1973. Here are more exclusive models that partly served the development, the family Porsche and their families served as a mobile pedestal or specially made for special customers. Also the Turbo models, which were presented at the fairs are listed here and the first prototype of the Slant Nose 911er is also represented. A great listing of special Porsche, which is unparalleled.

Of course, motorsport should not be ignored and the direct offshoot of the Turbo, which was successful in 934 with the Porsche in Group 4. But even the 911 Turbo could be successfully used by privateers in some races and was a not-so-well-known fact.

In the remaining chapter, the available accessories, the Porsche literature and the extensive production data with all adjustments during the production are in the center, before the equipment and the technical data are listed in the appendix.

Conclusion: The second book by Parabolica Press can excite without exception and starts where the story of the Carrera 2.7 ended. Thus, the title is a logical successor and raises the quality of implementation to a barely conceivable level. The Publisher's Edition is a real feast for the eyes and a highlight of every book collection with its exclusive extras and elaborate box. The offered, textual content to Turbo 3.0 is identical in both editions and can also convince completely, because a more comprehensive representation of a model is hardly possible. The layout is also based on the predecessor title and it can also recognize loose similarities to the Carrera RS book. This is by no means a disadvantage because with the clear and tidy design, many images can be integrated without appearing visually boring. A complete Porsche library cannot do without any of these books, in which the important milestones of the still early era of the Porsche 911 were documented in detail.

The price of just under 600 euros for the Publisher's Edition certainly scares off once, but the appearance of the book makes these doubts disappear quickly. The complex implementation and the extras are real treat and a real rarity in the book market. For 200 euros less, the Limited Edition is also proudly priced and offers in terms of content to the Turbo 3.0 the same. The decision can then decide each prospective customer for themselves, whereby the Publisher's Edition surely should be sold out faster, as the example of the predecessor book to the Carrera 2.7 shows.

Speedster Magazine, issue #44, review of the Turbo 3.0 book:

Lorsqu'il dévoilait son Carrera 2.7 MFI book en 2015, Ryan Snodgrass ne s'attendait pas nécessairement à ce que son oeuvre devienne un nouvel étalon-référence dans la littérature automobile super-spécialisée (comprenez les livres dédiés à un seul modèle). Il a été encensé par la presse et a collectionné les Trophées. On imaginait le prochain opus, qu'on savait consacré à la 911 Turbo 3.0, d'une égale qualité. Et puis non, l'auteur n'a pas su s'y tenir... il a poussé tous les curseurs au maximum!

Snodgrass vous emmène voir ce que signifiait Turbo dans le contexte du début des 70's. Il vous en explique le fonctionnement, vous emmène dans les bureaux d'études suivre le développement des premiers prototypes, leur proximité avec l'univers de la compétition, but premier que devait servir la 930... Vivre sa révélation au public, son lancement et ses premiers pas commerciaux. Et puis tout le reste. Ses entrailles, son équipement, ses options, son nuancier, chaque détail de manière exhaustive et sa moindre évolution de millésime en millésime. En si peu de mots, le schéma vous semble certainement similaire à la table des matières de tout ouvrage spécifique dûment constitué. Mais s'il lui faut plus de 530 pages, c'est que Ryan Snodgrass le fait avec un niveau de détail jamais approché auparavant: connaissez-vous un autre livre qui aille jusqu'à développer les différences entre les stickers de l'environnement moteur d'un millésime à l'autre? La somme de documents est impressionnante, la qualité même d'impression et de reliure est époustouflante. Nous avons demandé à Ryan Snodgrass de nous parler de la Turbo 3.0 et de son travail sur cet ouvrage incroyable.

Qu'est-ce que la Turbo 3.0 a de si particulier dans l'histoire de Porsche pour qu'elle mérite un ouvrage aussi volumineux?

La Turbo 3.0 était une voiture révolutionnaire pour la marque, Elle l'a élevée au rang de constructeur de supercars et attiré une nouvelle population vers Porsche, particulièrement aux USA où il n'y avait pas de concurrente à haute performance (les Countach et 512BB n'étaient pas légalement importées). C'était la première voiture de sport sans compromis construite en grande série. Contrairement aux précédentes versions du moteur air-cooled qui avaient mené à la RS, le 3,0 Turbo était le premier de son genre, et Porsche a dû mener des travaux de développement colossaux pour obtenir un ensemble moteur/châssis efficace et fiable, Une ingénierie et des tests considérables sont entrés dans le développement de la Turbo 3,0, Et puis comme c'était la première, il y a eu de nombreuses variantes et des modèles spéciaux créés pour les dirigeants de l'entreprise, des partenaires ou des clients particuliers comme le Conte Rossi ou Karajan.

Ce nouveau Turbo 3.0 repousse encore les standards établis par le précédent livre Carrera 2.7 MFI. Dans quels domaines êtes-vous allé plus loin encore?

Je me suis lancé dans cette nouvelle aventure parce que je savais pouvoir faire mieux, et les passionnés d'automobiles attendaient de nouveaux standards dans ce domaine. Turbo 3,0 va encore plus loin dans l'analyse des données et des concepts d'ingénierie, en essayant d'obtenir des informations de première main, en interviewant des employés de l'usine qui ont travaillé sur ces projets. Aucun autre livre n'a jamais présenté autant de données sur chaque numéro de châssis, près de 3000 voitures! J'ai passé environ cinq semaines (plus de 200 heures) à fouiller dans les données pour assurer la plus grande précision possible. Des logiciels les ont analysées pour relever d'éventuelles erreurs, d'autres les ont croisées pour obtenir des visualisations intéressantes et inédites comme celle de la page 496 qui permet de constater rapidement la fréquence de chaque code option dans toute la production. Je pense que nous avons aussi placé la barre plus haut en termes de qualité d'édition, en dévoilant des archives originales jamais vues jusqu'à maintenant Nous avons aussi poussé les limites de la qualité d'impression. Les lecteurs peuvent scruter les photos à la loupe à la recherche de détails pour leur propre voiture. Avec la Publisher's Edition, nous sommes allés encore plus loin, en offrant au lecteur comme une immersion dans les archives, la possibilité de fouiller dans des documents, diapos, photos, vidéos, etc, pour se faire sa propre idée de la nature des sources. C'est associé à un supplément qui éclaire le lecteur sur le processus de recherche. Le coffret est de très grande qualité, avec une doublure en velours pour protéger le livre et un soufflet spécial pour ranger les archives. J'ai plus de 400 ouvrages automobiles dans ma bibliothèque, du livre de poche à 5 dollars aux titres de chez Palawan Press à 1 700 dollars, Je pense sincèrement qu'aucun d'entre eux n'atteint le niveau de qualité et la profondeur du livre Turbo 3,0, S'il paraît onéreux à première vue, il est moins cher que trois heures de main-d'oeuvre chez un spécialiste Porsche, pour une mine d'information colossale. Pour les passionnés de Turbo, c'est une très bonne affaire

En anglais. 536 pages, plus de 1 500 photos.
Couverture rigide entoilée avec sérigraphie de Guy Allen.

Limited Edition : 2 500 exemplaires numérotés. Couverture Lime Green, étui entoilé sérigraphie d'art. Format 27,3x32,4 mm. Poids 4,8 kg. 375 euros. ISBN : 978-0-9962682-4-0.

Publisher's Edition : 300 exemplaires numérotés et signés. Couverture Continental Orange, coffret entoilé sérigraphie d'art. Supplément "Making of" de 20 pages et dossier d'archives historiques. Format 28,6x33,7 cm. Poids 5,2 kg. 575 euros. ISBN : 978-0-9962682-6-4.

Panorama's May 2018 issue reviewed the Turbo 3.0 book:

Following its domination of the Can-Am racing series in 1972 and 1973, Porsche used its experience with turbocharging technology gained in motorsports for serial sports car production. Launched in 1975 with a turbocharged flat-six engine, flared wheel arches to accommodate wider wheels, and unmistakable “whale tail” rear spoiler, the 930 Turbo was revolutionary in its performance. It was the fastest German production car upon its introduction, helping Porsche to fortify its reputation as a seminal sports car manufacturer.

Following in the considerable wake of his award-winning Carrera 2.7, author Ryan Snodgrass again hones in with laser-like focus on just a single variant of the iconic 930 Turbo—the earliest 3.0-liter examples produced from September 1974 through June 1977—tracing the model’s roots and origin during an era that is often referred to as a dark time for performance cars.

Naturally, there are the de rigueur in-depth chapters that one might expect to be found on the subjects of turbocharging, drivetrain, chassis, body, and interior, incorporating first-hand accounts and interviews with factory personnel who worked on the project. Additional content includes sections on accessories; literature; marketing materials; and special bespoke models built by the factory for exhibition, executives, and important clients. Racing derivatives such as the Martini Carrera RSR Turbo 2.14, 934, 934.5, and privateer Turbo 3.0 entries are also examined. An appendix at the end of the book lists all 2,819 Turbo 3.0 chassis numbers complete with notations on original colors, interior, and equipment.

Over 536 beautifully designed pages, the prose is supported by more than 1,500 incredible color and black-and-white images, including illustrations, charts, publications, and internal documents, the majority of them truly uncommon or not published before.

Befitting a book that Snodgrass states demanded almost 5,000 man-hours of research, writing, design, and production time, the attention to detail is incredible, surpassing the already superb levels of data analysis and engineering development insights from the author’s previous effort. The book’s production quality is on an equal plane of existence with its writing and utilizes special wide-gamut inks and high-resolution, 15-micron stochastic screens, allowing the reader to zoom in on the details should they want to scrutinize the photos more closely with a magnifying glass when researching various minute details for their own restorations.

Available in a slipcased standard Limited Edition, of which 2,500 have been printed, and a numbered-series Publisher’s Edition (shown here) limited to just 300 copies containing additional niceties, Turbo 3.0 is a sublime reading experience, automotive book or not, and one that will undoubtedly generate feelings of lust for the 930.

Although a starting price of $395 might seem lofty, consider it a small price to pay—the reader is gleaning the immeasurable benefit of all the hours of effort and achievement the author has invested into uncovering anything an owner, collector, or re- storer could possibly want to know. A monumental piece of work, Turbo 3.0 must be considered one of the finest automotive books extant, and the definitive word on the model.

—Benjamin Shahrabani

Ryan Snodgrass is an excellent storyteller who proved capable of making the subject of a single Porsche model – the 911 Carrera 2.7 MFI – engaging reading supplemented with exceptional documentation. That book had no shortcomings.

However, when Snodgrass set out to relate the planning, engineering, styling, and development history of the Typ 930, he used his own work as his benchmark. Then he reset it a great deal higher with his latest book Turbo 3.0. This work – throughout – tends to humble the word “encyclopedic” as Snodgrass explores every element of turbocharging and the turbocharged Porsche 911 in detailed photos, diagrams, and documents. There are pages (and pages) of paint color representations, a complete series on actual cars, and an astonishing chart identifying ALL Turbo 3.0 colors and the frequency of their appearance in 1975, 1976, and 1977.

Reinforcing the exhaustive attention to detail, captions for many photos in this book not only identify the model year and country of original delivery but also include the car’s VIN. The chapter on interiors identifies standard and optional upholstery materials (and on one jarring two-page spread illustrates the interior color scheme of one particular 1977 Martini Turbo 3.0 (also identified by chassis number) done for the London Motor Show.

For those intrigued – or enthralled – by Porsche factory custom cars, Snodgrass’s chapter on these special Turbos is fascinating. Snodgrass devotes equal space, time, and research to Turbo accessories, literature, and of course, production data.

With the title of his book, Ryan Snodgrass posits an interesting idea. While most automotive historians quickly and willingly will award Porsche’s 959 with the title of world’s first supercar, Snodgrass suggests the Turbo 3.0 may more rightfully carry that distinction. It was, after all, the fastest production car in the world when Porsche introduced it. It also was one of its most courageous, announced just as O.P.E.C. told the world the mid-eastern oil exporting countries were cutting off supplies of petroleum.

Books such as this – especially one printed and produced with such high quality photo reproduction, taking immeasurably high research, and representing several years of Snodgrass’ and his collaborators’ time, necessarily must command high prices. If you own one of these cars or simply are deeply interested, you must have this book in your reference library.

Turbo 3.0 – Porsche’s First Turbocharged Supercar 1975-1977; Ryan Snodgrass. 2018 Parabolica Press. 536p plus supplements. ISBN: 978-0-9962682-4-0. $395.00 (limited edition) from www.parabolicapress.com. More information at info@parabolicapress.com

Sabu Advani's Speedreaders.info review of the new Turbo 3.0 book:

“Without the 3.0-liter Turbo, Porsche’s turbocharged racing story would be a shadow of what it is today and, perhaps, Porsche would never have achieved the reputation of being the groundbreaking, technology-driven manufacturer that it still trades on today.”

• When you order this book, you’d better schedule some vacation time because this is one of those books you won’t want to put down once you get into it. You’ll also want to start building up wrist strength—the package the courier will leave on your doorstep clocks in at around 12 lb.
• The book is so hefty that you’ll want to get advice from your bookbinder friends, or Google it, how to properly break in a big new book without stressing the binding and bend it out of shape permanently.
• If there were valet parking for books, this one is one of those confections that would be left right out front, for all to salivate about.

Enough with the preliminaries. Yes, this book is an “event” unto itself—not least considering its arduous and oft-delayed production path—and while the turmoil probably put a few nails into its perfectionist author-publisher’s coffin, it’ll give you the entirely uncommon thought that there is, still, intelligent life out there. If you are a 911 fan, especially a Turbo fan, none of this will matter because you already know that, based on the strength of the author’s previous work, this is not a book you can afford to be on the fence about. Only 2500 copies (plus 300 in the $595 Publisher’s Edition that was used for this review) exist anyway, so, spool up that turbo and get your order in.  

If you have the patience, start your exploration of the book with the 20-page “Behind the Scenes” Supplement. It’ll give you a mighty appreciation for the fantastic amount of thought and work that goes into producing a book of this caliber. And that’s if everything goes well . . . Murphy’s Law could have been invented for the publishing world. . . . People who’ve been aware of this book project for the last few years and had to readjust their “now I can die happy” clock repeatedly know well enough the litany of production challenges Snodgrass had to overcome in order to adhere to his vision. Now the book is here, at last, and of course it was worth the wait. As did the previous book, the new one raises the bar in regards to “richness” in terms of presentation, selection and organization, and distinguishes itself in regards to the integrity of the data, inferences drawn, new micro details added to the record.  

A necessary caveat: the book deals only with the original run of 3L Turbos, the 2874 cars built 1975–77. Even if you are—tsk, tsk!—someone to whom all 911s look alike, a 911 Turbo, or, properly, a Porsche 930, is instantly recognizable. Hint; it’s that tail! Throughout its life it was Porsche’s top-of-the-line model, and as engineer-turned-race driver Jürgen Barth (a Porsche author, too) rightly says in his Foreword, at its launch it was the fastest production car in Germany but still even civilians found it “a really fun car to drive” at the limit—if they had been properly briefed on its use, by the likes of him.  

For motorcars that burn gasoline, especially performance cars, turbocharging is nowadays a hot topic and so anyone who looks at the technology angle will benefit from seeing here how the first road car produced in series tackled the problems.  

The Turbo 3.0 book picks up where the author’s previous one on the Carrera 2.7 ends, both in terms of chronology and also technical evolution. The books were conceived as companion volumes and what little overlap there is between the two in regards to especially photos is only for the sake of rounding out certain aspects of the story.  

To thread the needle, Snodgrass offers a quick summary of the technical principles behind forced induction and showcases early applications including ships and aircraft. One of the automotive projects actually involved a young Ferdinand Porsche, in the 1920s (working on the Mercedes-Benz SSK), decades before the firm he was yet to found would become a leader in this technology. This section really is only a high-level snapshot and the novice reader will probably not gain a fully rounded understanding of why turbos were so complicated and therefore costly and also failure prone and therefore were considered unfeasible for mass-produced road cars.  

The level of magnification changes drastically once the story turns to Porsche, first the racecars beginning with the all-dominant 917. The existing Porsche literature is immensely deep and it can’t have been easy for Snodgrass to reconcile different accounts, choose which gaps to fill, and clean up the data. From the business case to design parameters to marketing strategies to specs for different world markets, this one authoritative books puts it all your fingertips.  

On the illustrative side there are many gems and almost half the images have never before been published. In terms of craft the cutaway [above] by Makotu Ouchi must rank supreme. Moreover, it is the first ever of a Turbo 3.0! The in-period photography of the Porsche factory by Guy Morrison adds singular detail; images of his were already used in the Carrera book as was the contemporary studio work of Michael Furman. The layout is easy on the eyes and the prose, detail laden as it is, a joy to read.  

Much more could be said but the case could not be made more persuasive: Whether you are a Turbo owner/aspirant or a bibliophile book geek, on every count, this book is significant.  

See the original review along with other book reviews at Speedreader.info.

Another small batch of Publisher Edition books arrived in Seattle this week and will be shipped out over the next few days. Mid-April an air freight of 120 books arrives into Seattle International Airport, mostly Limited Editions, and will be shipped out to those who pre-ordered last Summer and Fall. In May, the container ship will arrive in at the Port of Seattle with the remainder of the books which will go out to the remaining pre-orders.

Your patience will be well rewarded. The Turbo 3.0 book shaped up to be an exceptional book which we think is unparalleled to any of the 400+ automotive books in our library. Anxiously awaiting? See what the very first readers think in their reviews of the book.

What’s the next best thing to buying a Porsche Carrera 2.7? Buying a book about it.

Specifically, Ryan Snodgrass’s definitive guide to the model, published by Parabolica Press in 2015 and called, helpfully, Carrera 2.7. Just 2500 were printed. There are about 300 copies of the Limited Edition version left, each costing £225. Sounds a lot? Don’t worry: in two years your investment could be worth £1000.

During printing, special wide-gamut CMYK inks were used to get more tonal range out of each photo, the printing plates were produced with a 15μm stochastic random screen to significantly improve rendering of minute details when looking closely at a photo, and three different spot varnishes were used across the book. No expense was spared in ensuring the quality of book was as exceptional as the care and quality that goes into each car Porsche produces.

The first video shows a press operator removing one of the high-resolution stochastic screened signatures to do a quality control check.

The second video shows how an automated machine folds all the pages from one of the 12-page signatures. There are 45 distinct signatures that must be folded and sewn together to produce the Turbo 3.0 book.

A long time coming with many Porsche enthusiasts anxiously (and patiently) awaiting its arrival, the Turbo 3.0 book is nearly here. The individually numbered Turbo 3.0: Limited Edition and the very special Turbo 3.0: Publisher's Edition books will begin shipping from the United States in early March 2018 to those who pre-ordered the book prior to November 15, 2017. Pre-orders placed after November 15, 2017 will begin shipping 4+ weeks later in batches based on the original payment date for the order. If you haven't already, place your pre-order now before the pre-order reduced pricing ends February 2018.

Shipping Schedule

See the FAQ for more info. 

We still have copies of the award-winning Carrera 2.7: Limited Edition book available for shipping from both United States and, for European customers, our supply in Germany. The above photo highlights the size differences between each Carrera 2.7 and Turbo 3.0 editions, with each slightly taller than the next.

To celebrate the Turbo 3.0 book printing process starting, we are excited to offer a very special contest for Porsche enthusiasts. At Parabolica Press, we believe in producing exceptionally researched books, uncovering never before seen material, and striving to set a higher standard for automotive books. Recently, we've found a kindred spirit in this pursuit. The quality, depth, new material, and overall presentation of 000 Magazine is exceptional. Their quarterly magazines are consistent with the standard we have set for ourselves at Parabolica Press. Indeed, each 000 issue could be characterized as a mini book. For this reason, we are excited to partner with 000 Magazine for an exclusive opportunity to win either a one year 000 Magazine Subscription or the award winning Carrera 2.7 book. 

The contest runs through the end of November 2017. Enter now and share with all your Porsche friends!

As a thank you for the patience of those who pre-ordered the Turbo 3.0 book directly from Parabolica Press, we are pleased to share a digital online preview of the entire first chapter. This chapter explores the history of turbocharged engine development from the early 1900s, historical attempts of turbocharging production cars, and ends with Porsche's development of the turbocharger for the 917 and Turbo Carrera RSR. This special preview is only available to Parabolica Press customers who sign-in to the account that they used to pre-order the Turbo 3.0 book. If you do not have a password, use the "Forgot your password?" link to create an account.

For customers who have already purchased the Turbo 3.0 book as a holiday gift for another person, please contact us.  

John works on color correcting the Turbos appearing on the slipcase and clamshell box of the Turbo 3.0 book.