Home Porsche History

Ferdinand Porsche-
Genesis of Genius

Road, Racing and Aviation Innovation 1900 to 1933

by Karl Ludvigsen

Hardcover, 9.5 in. by 12 in.
496 pages
570 photos & illustrations
ISBN-13: 978-0-8376-1557-8
Price: $219.95

Winner of the Nicholas-Joseph Cugnot Award for 2009!

In Ferdinand Porsche - Genesis of Genius, author Karl Ludvigsen reveals a dynamic young innovator who helped to chart the course of the automobile through the first decades of the twentieth century. As early as 1900, at the age of 25, Ferdinand Porsche pioneered hybrid technology to power his automobile designs. Once gasoline gained dominance as the power-source of choice, Porsche became relentless in his goal to design the fastest and most durable automobiles in Europe.

Porsches engineering brilliance did not stop at the automobile. He also made significant contributions to the early development of airplane engines and military transport vehicles. And in addition to his hands-on style of engineering, Ferdinand Porsche was a tireless managing executive in the automotive industry.

Click here to view an excerpt from this book:
Chapter 6 - Racing in Their Blood: 1909-1911

Winner of five top automotive book awards:
  • 2009 Nicholas-Joseph Cugnot Award
  • 2008 International Automotive Media Award - Best of the Year
  • 2008 International Automotive Media Award - Best of Books
  • International Automotive Media Award - Best Design of 2008
  • 2008 Mercedes-Benz Montagu of Beaulieu Award

Ferdinand Porsche - Genesis of Genius explores in depth the unique combination of ambition, determination and genius that were the genesis of an automotive dynasty which has continued to thrive and expand for over a century.

"So, the man who had such influence on our abiding passion is brought vividly to life, thanks in no small part to the huge amount of new material that Karl Ludvigsen has so painstakingly unearthed through sheer hard slog and weighty research. . . . This book meets all the criteria of written greatness and is without parallel." - Porsche Post

Download a PDF of the press release about the IAMA awards here (843 kb)

570 B/W and color photos & illustrations, including:
  • 7 specially-commissioned 18.5 in. x 12 in. full color foldout drawings of some of the most important early car designs of Ferdinand Porsche by renowned Swiss automotive artist Wolfgang Franke
  • 9.5 in. x 12 in. full color plate insert showing engine detail from the 1910 Prince Heinrich car
  • Reproductions of original pages from Ferdinand Porsches original handwritten notes
  • Many previously unpublished photos from the Porsche family archives
click to enlarge, and for longer caption if available
Chapter 3: Electrifying Automobiles 1900-1905
In neat sketches in his own notebook, Porsche worked out the electrical connections that would be needed to control the forward speeds of his powerful Panhard-powered Mixtes of 1905.
click to enlarge, and for longer caption if available
2009 Nicholas-Joseph Cugnot Award Winner
Presented annually by the Society of Automotive Historians in recognition of outstanding writing and original research, the Cugnot Award is given to the best automotive history book published in the previous year.
click to enlarge, and for longer caption if available
Picture of Ferdinand Porsche - Genesis of Genius
click to enlarge, and for longer caption if available
Chapter 8: Opportunity in the Air 1908-1918:
In his characteristic bowler, Porsche observed a test flight with one of his engines on the Steinfeld in 1911
click to enlarge, and for longer caption if available
Chapter 10: Sascha to the Rescue 1921-1923
Cutaway drawing of the 1922 Austro-Daimler "Sascha" ADS-R. The ADS-R Sascha pictured here is the car driven by Alfred Neubauer in the 1922 Targa Florio.
Porsche-Genesis of Genius
Porsche-Genesis of Genius
Wholesale Case Quantity: 1
BSIN: GPET
ISBN: 978-0-8376-1557-8 (ISBN-13)
Permalink: http://www.bentleypublishers.com/c/GPET
Karl Ludvigsen
Karl Ludvigsen

In addition to his motor industry activities as an executive (with GM, Fiat and Ford) and head of a consulting company, Karl Ludvigsen has been active for over 50 years as an author and historian. As an author, co-author or editor he has some four dozen books to his credit. Needless to say, they are all about cars and the motor industry, Karl's life-long passion.

More about Karl Ludvigsen

Associated Vehicles

This product is related to the following vehicles: