Porsche High-Performance Driving Handbook

Mr. Elford’s PORSCHE High-Performance Driving Handbook is superlative advice on how to approach driving any high performance automobile, not just a Porsche. The materials - including historical anecdotes - are relevant, concise, and augmented by myriad easily understood diagrams. Unlike other books on high performance driving, Mr. Elford’s rally experience also provides the reader with invaluable and unique insights and advice contained in the last five chapters of the book on how to approach inclement weather and road hazards that are completely applicable to one’s daily commute on public highways as well time trials or AX events. It is not an overstatement to say that this book is truly “comprehensive” in the truest sense of the word and rates five stars.This review reflects the perspective of one who, (A) has actually read the book, and, (B) has participated in high perf driver education and autocross programs offered by a national Porsche-owners organization and studied H. A. Watts’ Secrets of Solo Racing, as well as materials published by the SCCA, the Porsche Owners’ Club, the Porsche Club of America - Golden Gate Region, Nor Cal Shelby American Automobile Club, the Sports Car Club of New Hampshire, AZ Competition Corvettes, and both the 2009 and the 2014 editions of R. Jonson’s Solo Course Design [Houston Region-SCCA].Accordingly, I cannot help but believe that the negative reviews posted herein are at best analytically invalid, if not devoid of intellectual integrity; I am compelled to dismiss those same negative reviews as being nothing more than the chest-beating of internet trolls who have little experience driving an automobile.

As others have noted, this is not a traditional handbook for driving Porsches as there isn't a preponderance of lists and how-to flow diagrams, etc. And also noted, it is very much a memoir of Quick Vic's racing career, a career that is fascinating and informative at the same time. With the recent purchase of a high-performance sports car and an HPDE event approaching, I've read several books of driving theory and practice. The line, slip angles and fractional tire performance, turns and curve strategies, etc., maintaining vehicle balance and looking in the right places. The multitudes of details that make up proper performance driving all seem to make sense and be contradictory at the same time. And then they all say things like "Smooth is fast"! Well, all that prep did help me under my instructor at the track, but this book and listening to what Quick Vic said in this book helped combine all this information into a smooth and fast performance on the track, particularly one day when we dodged thunderstorms and puddles. Two things I came away with unique to this book are: those bumps on the Porsche steering wheel just above the 10 and 3 positions are thumb rests and you should use them; and, a pair of Sperry Boat Shoes are ideal racing shoes at a fraction of the cost.

Good reading for any Porsche owner. However, be aware of the 'copyright' page prior to the 'Contents' page........a misprint for sure as all it talks about is General Motors and identifies the picture on the front cover is a "Chevy small-block...". Not!

I am astounded by the negative reviews. Vic Elford, one of the legends of auto racing and a founder of the Porsche Driving School, has written an extremely useful book for any of us seeking to be better drivers. Beginning with how to properly position the seat and controls, he goes on to explain how to accomplish balance, smoothness, acceleration and gear changing, braking, heel-and-toe, cornering, sliding, skidding and car control. He provides personal anecdotes which illustrate the "why", as well as explaining physical dynamics through the use of simple models. I refer to it often, and am certain I am a safer, faster and all around better driver because of this book. Highly recommended!

This book is inspiring and helpful. I appreciate the authors intertwining his life experience into a topic that might be boring if approached with a direct and dry approach.

The book is broken down to many small chapters by subject (e.g. equipment, tires, accelerating, cornering, etc..) which is a good way to present. Unfortunately beyond the organization the book mostly fails as a driving handbook and is not interesting to read.Every chapter begins with a story from his driving career that often seems unnecessary and obvious and not always interesting. At points it reads more like an autobiography than a reference manual. The 173 pages pages in the book are filled with (nice) pictures but the pictures don't add anything to the subject and come across as page fillers.There's very little theory or technical discussion of driving and it's really a coffee table book with neat pictures. Also the car set-up section is entirely irrelevant to most readers (entry level track day-ers and racers) as it gives very little advice in either theory or execution.There are much better books in general driving categories ("Driving Secrets", "Going Faster", "Drive to Win", "Winning: A Race Driver's Handbook").

Great pictures and history lesson. If you want to read up on Porsche racing history, a little bit of driving tips, and a nice coffee table book, then this is a good book.For a more serious driving technique book, especially if you already know quite a bit about performance driving, I would suggest looking elsewhere. The best driving technique book I have found so far is the Skip Barber, the art of race driving book. However, it can be a little heavy and complicated if you are only looking for a casual easy reading book.

Husband bought a Porsche - has read this cover to cover - sseveral times. Learns something new each read thru. Has really helped him drive his toy better and with more confidence!

This was the best $20 I've spent in a while. The driving tips are very useful, and some quite advanced, and interspersed in some decent racing stories nestled amongst some interesting old pictures of Porsche and Ferrari racing cars. Overall, have no issues, and would easily buy again.

Sehr gute Aufmachung. Gut zu lesen. Sehr informativ. Kann man jedem Porschefan, oder solchen welche es noch werden wollen nur empfehlen.

Da molte spiegazioni interessanti sulla guida sportiva, mescolate con un po' di storia delle corse e soprattutto esperienze di vita vissuta dello scrittore (nonché pilota Porsche per diversi anni)

Before I started racing some years ago I read an earlier edition of this book and found some of the tips particularly valuable in respect of building an understanding of why my 911 did what it did and what actions I needed to take to naturally correct any slides or unexpected reactions of the car. It was a revelation and I recommended the book to a lot of my friends and customers, eventually lending it to one of my friends and never getting it back.Roll forward 15 years and after buying the book for one of my customers I found myself scan reading it whilst packaging it for the post office. It's still a revelation, so although I can remember most of the content it was inspiring to read it again. Now I am desperate to get out on track again and I also know for sure that I should have bought two new copies.......

Wonderful book. Informative, interesting... guy obviously knows his stuff.