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Carrera 2.7 is one of those Porsche books you just cannot put down. It is a perfect example of how to write a modern super detailed and beautifully designed text on a specific car. Author Ryan Snodgrass, who looks after the carreramfi.com website in the USA, is a confirmed fan but this work on his favourite model excels in terms of research, writing style, design and the huge amount of contemporary and studio photography. This lavish ($250 USD) slip-cased book details every aspect of the story behind the first full production 911 Carrera.

The 1974 models were the next step in Zuffenhausen's then-established routine of introducing bi-annual major upgrades to the 911 series. The top-of-the-line range model had been planned as a 2.7 911S, with the free-revving engine first used on the previous year's RS. However, the new G-series models were much more than that – adopting the required impact absorbing bumpers and a whole new interior. The use of the revered Carrera name upset many purists, but it was an essential gilding to the top production model at a time when Porsche faced stalling sales and possible bankruptcy caused by the 1973–74 OPEC oil embargo. Although not available in the USA, Porsche treated its customers in other markets to a RS-powered thoroughbred. The Carrera 2.7 was the last in the line of pure-bred 911s, before ever more restrictive regulations took the 911 in a different direction.

This absorbing book details all the development that led to the final production models and includes fascinating sections on the Sonderwunschen (special wishes) cars, the other sections covering the technical specifications, colours, options, literature, motorsport and even the tools included with the car. It is a fantastic work and an essential for any serious Porsche book collector.

 

 

 

– GT Porsche magazine 

The new Carrera 2.7 book was listed in the #1 spot on Total 911's "2016 'MUST READ' LIST" in issue #135: 

"This limited edition tome, of which 2,500 numbered copies have been printed, tells the complete story of the Carrera 2.7, a car relatively unknown compared to its similar-engined RS predecessor. Expertly researched and written by Ryan Snodgrass, this comprehensive compendium gives Carrera 2.7 fans and owners all the information they will ever need."

Total 911 magazines's 2016 "MUST READ" book list:

1. Carrera 2.7 by Ryan Snodgrass
2. Carrera RS by Georg Konradsheim & Thomas Gruber
3. Porsche Turbo by Randy Leffingwell
4. Porsche Sounds by Dieter Landenberger
5. The Complete Book of Porsche by Randy Leffingwell
6. Porsche Drive by Jan Baedeker

The first English-language review was published by Randy Leffingwell last week in the Road Scholars Magazine, December 2015 issue:

Ryan Snodgrass’s new Carrera 2.7 is the logical and meticulously researched follow-up to the Carrera RS history written by Drs Thomas Gruber and Georg Konradsheim and first published in 1992. The earlier book encompassed 911 RS Carrera models from 1972 through 1992 because the RS designation was the focus of its interest. Snodgrass follows a similarly tight discipline, examining the 2.7-liter models with mechanical fuel injection, a series that began with the 1972 model year and ended in early 1975 with some 1976 “Sondermodell” or special variation cars. These cars share a mystique in the U.S. with the ’72/’73 RS 2.7 in that Porsche did not export them to the states either – because they were identical in their specification and in their non-compliance to early emissions standards. Motivated by his desire in recent years to find a good example of one of these cars for himself, he undertook what is now a bible on the 2.7s.

Pages are handsomely designed, and hundreds of not-seen-before black-and-white and color images share importance with diagrams or graphics or charts. Several pages show engine or chassis or body assembly as it only could have been witnessed and photographed in the early- and mid-1970s. Detailed part photos turn this book into an ultimate restoration guide as well as encyclopedic buyer’s reference.

The photos deserve special mention because it is easy to completely lose count of how many were specially commissioned for this book. A common complaint from European readers of American-produced books on Porsche is that U.S. versions of 911s are different, which provide inaccurate references to continental readers. Snodgrass enlisted photographers not only in the U.S. but also in the U.K. and Europe to provide excellent images. What’s more, the thorough racing coverage in chapter 7 shows countless photos of these cars sideways, tricycling, or fully airborne. The captions – for all the pictures – are more than just labels and some are downright entertaining.

Vierenzestig 64: Porsche Carrera MFI: 2.7 - The Book 

INTRO: Serieuze Porsche-fans zien de Porsche Carrera 2.7 RS als dé 911. En terecht. De auto’s zijn licht, flexibel, doelgericht en de 210 pk sterke 911/83 motor staat niet voor niets keer op keer in de top drie wanneer er in een poll wordt gevraagd welke 911-motor de lekkerste is. In de afgelopen 40 jaar is het verhaal van de 2.7 RS belicht in tientallen boeken en artikelen. Toch is zijn opvolger – een auto met de identieke motor en hetzelfde DNA – lange tijd onderbelicht gebleven.

Die auto is de Carrera 2.7 MFI. Een model dat in feite gelijk is aan de 2.7 RS, alleen dan voorzien van de harmonica – oftewel impact-bumpers. De modellen zijn van 1974 tot 1976 gebouwd en zijn in feite zeldzamer dan de 2.7 RS, want in die drie jaar zijn er minder dan 2.000 van gebouwd. Velen in mooie seventies kleuren als ‘blood orange’, ‘viper green’ en ‘copper brown’. In dit boek van Ryan Snodgrass – ook beheerder van de website www.carreramfi.com – wordt tot in detail het complete verhaal verteld van deze fantastische sportwagens. Het Carrera 2.7-boek is tot stand gekomen met materiaal van de archieven van Porsche, particuliere collecties, documentatie uit die tijd en intensieve studie. In het boek wordt getracht om zowel eigena- ren als restaurateurs, historici en liefhebbers te helpen om alles te weten te komen over deze intrigerende 911-variant. Zo wordt aandacht besteed aan de oorspronkelijke opties, zijn er foto’s van belangrijke details, wordt inzicht gegeven in de productie en wordt een grote hoeveelheid nooit eerder gepubliceerd materiaal getoond. Hoewel het boek in eerste plaats gaat over de Carrera’s met mechanische brandstofinjectie, is het volgens de auteur tevens een onmisbaar naslagwerk voor liefhebbers van een de 930 3.0 Turbo-modellen en andere 911-modellen uit het midden van de jaren 1970. Meer info op: www.parabolicapress.com

Rough translation of Dutch article into English:

INTRO: Serious Porsche fans will see the Porsche Carrera 2.7 RS as the 911. And rightly so. The cars are light, flexible, targeted and the 210 hp engine 911/83 is not for nothing again and again in the top three when asked in a poll which 911 engine is the tastiest. In the past 40 years the story of the 2.7 RS highlighted in dozens of books and articles. Yet his successor - a car with the same engine and the same DNA - long remained underexposed.

That car is the Carrera: 2.7 MFI. A model that is in fact the same as the 2.7 RS, only with the bellows - in other words impact bumpers. The models are built from 1974 to 1976 and are in fact rarer than the 2.7 RS, because in those three years there are fewer than 2,000 were built. Many in beautiful colors seventies such as "blood orange", "viper green" and "brown copper.

In this book, Ryan Snodgrass – also administrator of the website www.carreramfi.com – provides a detailed account tells the complete story of this fantastic sports cars. The Carrera 2.7 book was developed with material from the archives of Porsche, private collections, documentation from that time and intensive study. In the book seeks to both eigena- run as restorers, helping historians and enthusiasts to learn all about this intriguing 911 variant. If attention is paid to the original options are given pictures of important details, insight into manufacturing and a large amount of never-before-published material is shown. Although the book primarily deals with the Carrera with mechanical fuel injection, according to the author it is also an indispensable reference for lovers of the models 930 3.0 Turbo 911 and other models from the mid-1970s for more info: www.parabolicapress.com.

Printing has Finished

With a new batch of paper delivered, the presses could finally start rolling last week. As of this week, all pages of the Carrera 2.7 book have now been printed and are enroute to the book binder for cutting, assembling, stitching, and preparation for binding. Next week, the individual sections of the book will be bound together into a book with the linen cover. Slipcase production and hot foiling of various exterior design elements will begin shortly thereafter with only a few steps after that before we can start preparing to ship out books.

Rennsport Reunion Recap

As expected, Rennsport Reunion V was a smashing success and enough to fill my dreams with racing Porsches through the end of the year! Thanks again to Thomas Andersen at Andersen Collectibles for hosting me at their Rennsport booth to show a proof copy of the Carrera 2.7 book. It certainly sparked many engaging conversations and was great to finally meet many of you face-to-face instead of only over email.

Paper Manufacturer Delays Printing

Our quality bar is extremely high to ensure owners of the Carrera 2.7 book not only have research and information that cannot be found anywhere else, but also a book that provides an overall aesthetic that is a joy to open and read every time. The production of the special paper size for the book has taken considerably longer than expected and we finally received paper last week. During last week's test printings using the first aluminum printing plates, the printer noticed inconsistent color absorption which didn't meet their quality bar. The paper manufacturer sent out an inspector who deemed the entire production batch of 27 pallets defective, so we are in a holding pattern waiting for approximately 15–20 tons of new paper to be produced and delivered. The massive amount of wasted paper will eventually be recycled. Hundreds of aluminum printing plates are already being produced so the printing presses can be started as soon as paper arrives. Once the pages have all been printed, which takes approximately four to five days of continuously running the machines, they will be be sent off to the specialty book binder for final binding and slipcase production, all done by hand for each book.

Unfortunately, this means we won't be able to start shipping pre-ordered books until sometime later in November. Orders are being sent on a first-come, first-served basis so those who have been waiting the longest will receive their books first. New orders from this point forward will start shipping at the end of November to early December.

Thank you to all who have pre-ordered the Carrera 2.7 book and are patiently waiting for their copy to arrive. The wait will be worth it! I look forward to hearing your comments and feedback.

Porsche enthusiasts email me several times a week for info on the upcoming book covering the Carrera 2.7 MFI and so I thought it was time to publish a public update on the project. The end is in sight, but there is still quite a bit of work left even after the last word has been typed. The exact release date is TBD, though by the end of January we should have a good idea when it will be available for sale.

The majority of the book has been edited at this point by an automotive editor as well as copyeditors, and most sections have undergone a deeper technical review by really knowledgable Porsche enthusiasts. That said, even the final copy is a moving target as almost weekly some new nuance is discovered that requires re-researching details to ensure the book is as accurate as possible. As with all books, articles, etc. there will be mistakes, but hopefully they will be few and far between.

Approximately 300 pages have been laid out at this point and seeing the results are quite motivating. This was no small task, but I think it is important to produce a book that people love to spend time with, rather than just partially reading once. At the end of October the first round of studio shoots were completed in North America, with a second studio shoot that should occur by the end of January. This was an extremely rewarding step forward, particularly as the photos were integrated into the existing book layout. Each new photo brings the book to life and I hope readers enjoy the depth and diversity of photos as much as I have.

The book will be approximately 375 pages, filled with high quality images, detail shots, period photos and significant exploration into all aspects of the mid-1970s Carrera model. Even the most astute Porsche enthusiast should learn some new things and owners of other period Porsche, such as the 3.0-liter 930 Turbo, will find it to include a wealth of information not found anywhere else.

Thanks again to all the contributors who have given feedback, suggestions, photo contributions and, most of all, have been patient with the project. Happy Holidays!

Serious automotive enthusiasts consider the Porsche 2.7 RS to be the archetypical 911 and deservedly so. The cars are light, responsive, purposeful and the type 911/83 engine delivers scintillating performance. Over the last 40 years the 2.7 RS has been covered in dozens of books and articles. Yet its successor – a car with the identical engine and similar DNA – remains either unknown or misunderstood even by long time Porsche enthusiasts. That car is the Carrera 2.7 MFI. This book will tell the complete story of these remarkable, unheralded sports cars.

The Carrera 2.7 book has been meticulously researched using the Porsche factory archives, private collections, period documentation, and intensive study. It will cover everything an owner, restorer, historian, or enthusiast would want to know about this intriguing 911 variant. Content includes comprehensive discussion of original options, detailed photos, insights into factory production, competition history, and material never before published. Although primarily focused on the MFI based Carrera, this book will also be valuable to enthusiasts of any Porsche 911 built in the mid-1970s.

A limited edition of numbered hardcover copies will be produced in English with five-color printing on quality paper. The Carrera 2.7 book is expected to be available in 2014. Pricing is TBD.

Interested in contributing? We are looking for photos and other material to include in the book.