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Porsche: Excellence Was Expected – 928 excerpt

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It was 1977 and Karl Ludvigsen was wrapping up his new book, Porsche: Excellence Was Expected. Concurrently, Porsche was preparing to launch the 928, first to automotive journalists and then to the world. Both final preparations for Ludvigsen's pre magnus opus 1st edition and Porsche's unprecedented 928 press introduction  apexed in Provence, France in February of that year. 

What really sums up how important this was for the time is this meaningful excerpt from Ludvigsen's preface from March 1977: 

In February 1977, I had a chance to meet Fuhrmann again and to try the latest product of his shrewd discrimination and the skill of the Porsche engineers: the 928. Other Porsche men joined us in Nice for this historic introduction: Heinz Branitzki, Helmut Flegl, Tony Lapine and Manfred Jantke were among them. These were members of a new generation at Porsche. Like me, they had grown up with the company. They were now ready to make their own contributions to its progress. The 928 showed just how fine those contributions could be.

Chapter Thirty-Two of Excellence Was Expected titled “Magnificent V-8” is a stellar piece of automotive literature and a must-read for any early 928 and Porsche history buff.

porsche excellence was expected 1980 2nd edition book cover
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Here are additional photos from the Porsche 928 press introduction in France not published in the book.

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porsche 928 1977 introduction preproduction press carsporsche 928 1977 introduction preproduction press carsporsche 928 1977 introduction preproduction press carsporsche 928 1977 introduction preproduction press carsporsche 928 1977 introduction preproduction press carsporsche 928 1977 introduction preproduction press carsporsche 928 1977 introduction preproduction press carsporsche 928 1977 introduction preproduction press cars
porsche 928 1977 introduction preproduction press carsporsche 928 1977 introduction preproduction press carsporsche 928 1977 introduction preproduction press carsporsche 928 1977 introduction preproduction press carsporsche 928 1977 introduction preproduction press carsporsche 928 1977 introduction preproduction press carsporsche 928 1977 introduction preproduction press cars
porsche 928 1977 introduction preproduction press carsporsche 928 1977 introduction preproduction press carsporsche 928 1977 introduction preproduction press carsporsche 928 1977 introduction preproduction press carsporsche 928 1977 introduction preproduction press carsporsche 928 1977 introduction preproduction press cars