1993 Porsche 928 Gts Automatic Metallic Blue on 2040-cars

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Ferdinand Piech (1937-2019): The man who made VW global

Towering among his peers, a giant of the auto industry died Sunday night in Rosenheim/Upper Bavaria, Germany. Ferdinand Piech, a grandson of Ferdinand Porsche, who conceived the original Volkswagen in the 1930s, was the most polarizing automotive executive of our times. And one who brought automotive technology further than anyone else. Ferdinand Porsche had a son, Ferdinand (called "Ferry"), and a daughter, Louise, who married the Viennese lawyer Anton Piech. They gave birth to Ferdinand Piech, and his proximity to two Alfa Romeo sports cars — Porsche had done some work for the Italians — and the "Berlin-Rome-Berlin" race car, developed by Porsche himself, gave birth to Piech's interest in cars. After his teachers in Salzburg told his mother he was "too stupid" to attend school there, Piech, who was open about his dyslexia, was sent to a boarding school in Switzerland. He subsequently moved on to Porsche, where he fixed issues with the 904 race car and did major work on the 911. But his greatest project was the Le Mans-winning 917 race car, developed at breathtaking financial cost. It annihilated the competition, but the family had had enough: Amid growing tension among the four cousins working at Porsche and Piech's uncle Ferry, the family decided to pull every family member, except for Ferry, out of their management positions. Piech started his own consultancy business, where he designed the famous five-cylinder diesel for Mercedes-Benz, but quickly moved on to Audi, first as an engineer and then as CEO, where he set out to transform the dull brand into a technology leader. Piech killed the Wankel engine and hammered out a number of ambitious and sophisticated technologies. Among them: The five-cylinder gasoline engine; Quattro all-wheel drive and Audi's fantastic rally successes; and turbocharging, developed with Fritz Indra, whom Piech recruited from Alpina. The Audi 100/200/5000 became the world's fastest production sedan, thanks to their superior aerodynamics. Piech also launched zinc-coated bodies for longevity — and gave diesel technology a decisive boost with the advent of the fast and ultra-efficient TDI engines. Less known: Piech also decided to put larger gas tanks into cars. Customers loved it. Piech's first-generation Audi V8 was met with derision by competitors; it was too obviously based on the 200/5000.

Porsche looks back on very first 911 Turbo

Porsche has really hit on a winning formula with its series of videos going inside its vault. So far, we've seen the V8 911 prototype, mid-engine test mule and aerodynamic prototype. The company is sticking with the 911 theme in the latest entry, but this time it's an actual production car - the very first 911 Turbo ever made.
Being the first Turbo would make it important enough, but the car was also a birthday present for Louise Piëch, daughter of Ferdinand Porsche and sister to Ferry Porsche, and she regularly used the car. The family didn't just hand her a random car off the assembly line, either. She got to make it her own with some interesting modifications. She supposedly even painted landscapes from inside the car.
You have to wonder what Piëch thought of her present. The early Turbos had a reputation for being a bit of a handful to drive. The boost tended to bring the power all at once, which wasn't always welcome when cornering. She deserves some honor just for driving the car on the curvy, alpine roads. Scroll down to learn about this important Porsche, and we can't wait to see what car the brand showcases next.

The holidays are coming and this Singer Designs book is great

None of us should expect to get one of Singer's beautifully reimagined Porsche 911s for the holidays, but a new book titled One More than 10: Singer and the Porsche 911 at least lets you give, or receive, some sensational photos of them. The 275-page book tells the story of Singer founder Rob Dickinson and what inspires him to put so much effort into making 911s even better. The opinions of auto writers and industry personalities accompany Dickinson's tale, but the lavish photography is the true highlight. Based on the preview photos in the gallery above, the shots perfectly capture the company's machines from all the best angles. Former Autoblogger Michael Harley co-authors the book. There might still be time to order the $85 book for a friend (or yourself) in time for the holidays because the publisher guarantees delivery by Christmas for the first 200 of them. Dickinson will also sign copies at the Petersen Museum's re-opening preview day on Dec. 6. The publisher will also offer 100 copies of a limited edition for a hefty $911. These will come in a custom display case from Singer's craftspeople, and they'll include exclusive artwork. SINGER VEHICLE DESIGN EXCLUSIVITY MAY NOW BE MORE ATTAINABLE AS POINT OF ENTRY BEGINS WITH BACKGROUND STORY "One More than 10: Singer and the Porsche 911" New Book – Perfect Holiday Gift for Porsche 911 Fans PR Newswire, LOS ANGELES – November 10, 2015 As the world continues to take notice of a little restoration shop in Southern California that has provided a re-birth of sorts to old and tired Porsche 964s, many have come to believe the ability to enter the inner circle of Singer Vehicle Design was well beyond reach. However, as the holiday season draws upon us, there's one pathway to ownership within a less limited perspective that enthusiasts just may find easier on their pocket-book too – that being the release of the background story of the impeccable craftsmanship within Rob Dickinson's "re"imagination of Porsche 911s and the launch of his book "One More Than 10: Singer and the Porsche 911" currently available at www.singervehicledesign.com on a pre-order basis, as well as through publishing house Stance & Speed at http://www.stanceandspeed.com/automotive-books/one-more-than-10-singer-and-the-porsche-911.