Randy Leffingwell wrote his first book, American Muscle, while still on staff at the Los Angeles Times. The book examined Times' publisher Otis Chandler's growing collection of muscle cars. American Muscle published in September 1990, jump-started a love of book creation that ultimately led Leffingwell to leave the Times in 1995. By then, he and Motorbooks had published Porsche Legends, and six other books. Since 1990, Leffingwell has authored more than 60 titles, most of them automotive-oriented. Over 30-plus years, these include a dozen Porsche titles ranging from general overviews-Porsche 75 Years: Expect the Unexpected, and The Complete Book of Porsche 911-to deeper explorations in Porsche Turbo and Porsche 911: 50 Years. During this time, he has regularly traveled to Germany to continue his research regarding Porsche's history. To date, Leffingwell has interviewed more than 200 Porsche engineers, stylists, model makers, racers, and managers. While he has tackled other subjects including John Deere tractors, Harley-Davidson motorcycles, and West Coast lighthouses, Leffingwell admits he is almost addicted to the Porsche story. In addition to his book work, he is historical editor for 000 magazine and PorschePanorama. And for the past decade he has been researching and writing an encyclopedic history of Porsche's motorsports endeavors. Leffingwell lives near Santa Barbara, California.
"“Whether you're a seasoned Porsche enthusiast or simply a lover of automotive excellence, this book is a worthy addition to your collection.” * Porsche Club of America * ""It doesn’t matter how many 911 books you have, a new one never hurts and this one is not expensive, really good-looking, well written, and nicely designed and produced—all of which are attributes of a proper Motorbooks title (and let’s not forget a fine Index)—and none of them are easy to achieve."" * SpeedReaders.info * ""...it’s the informative text by Randy Leffingwell that makes the book a perfect reference source for both the casual Porsche enthusiast or the most rabid fan of the iconic 911. If you’re a fan of the Porsche 911 automobile, no matter, air or water cooled, you should own this book. It belongs in the library of every Porschephile."" * JoeFarace.com * ""This beautiful “coffee table book” is not only a sharp piece for the Porsche enthusiast but a complete encyclopedia of the thinking and challenges behind every iteration in the past 60 years. A compendium that is an excellent reference point in every make and model."" * Blacktop Magazine *"