Porsche and me
Hans Mezger

An autobiography with Peter Morgan

Target publication date late 2010

ISBN 978 1 906712 08 02

Hardback with dust jacket, (est.) 208 pages with (est) 200 photos

Size: 10 inches by 10 inches by 0.75 inches thick. Est weight: 2lb 7oz

Target retail price £39.95

Hans Mezger autobiography update

May 12 2010

I’ve been working with Hans for the past two years on his autobiography and as you may have noted, there has been a delay in the publication. We had planned to publish his absorbing and riveting account of life at Porsche from the mid-1950s by December last year, but for one reason and another, that publication schedule has slipped.

The reasons are several. Hans celebrated his 80^th birthday late last year and he has become the subject of considerable media interest, particularly in Germany (where he is rightly regarded as one of their most influential automobile engineers of the 20^th century). He has continually amazed me how sharp is memory is and there is no doubt that the recent significant journalist interest in his career has helped to trigger memories that we didn’t catch on our first round of interviews for the book. This particularly applies to the development of the 917, which, as many of you know, he was design leader. I don’t think I will be breaking any confidences to say that his health has required several visits to the pits in the past few months, and it is important to say he is still lapping strongly.

The bottom line is that I’m probably going to have to go to Germany again in June to help wrap up the key chapters (on the 917 and the TAG turbo) and generally ‘put the manuscript to bed’. We both appreciate the importance of trying to get this memorable work published before Christmas 2010. At this stage, I can’t make any promises as to a firm publication date, but I will do so just as soon as I have the final manuscript – agreed and updated by Hans – in my hands.

This is going to be a landmark book for anybody interested in motorsport in the 1950-1970s and for those interested in Porsche’s history. I’ve made a large number of visits to Hans in the past two years and I can say that we’re both very committed to making sure the end result is the best we can do – whatever time it takes and whatever it costs. I can tell you that our distributors worldwide are tearing their hair out because we have so many back orders, but all I can say is that Hans is absolutely resolute that his book will be like the 917 itself – an unbeatable result! It’s been a real privilege to work with an engineer who has such a fantastic recall, doesn’t seek the limelight and who is such a down to earth family man. It’s not difficult to see why Ferry Porsche appreciated him so much.

If there is any more breaking news on the book, you will read it here first.

Peter Morgan

The autobiography of one of the most prolific automobile engineers of the twentieth century. Hans Mezger joined Porsche in 1956 and became a principal contributor to the Stuttgart auto manufacturer’s unmatched success over the following 37 years.

Demonstrating an early command of mathematics and analysis, Mezger cut his teeth on improving the competitiveness of the famed ‘Fuhrmann’ 4-cam engine, moving on in 1960 to Porsche’s F1 programme and becoming a driving force in the design of the 8-cylinder F1 engine.

The following year, he was charged with responsibility for the design of the new six cylinder 911 engine, understanding from the start the need for its suitability for both production and motorsport – arguably the most far reaching technical decision in Porsche’s history.

In 1965, he became head of the new race design office and subsequently led the design of all the iconic Porsche prototypes of the 1960s, including the 910, 907, 908 and climaxing in the unforgettable 917. In the 1100 horsepower 917/30 Can-Am race cars, his department delivered industry leadership for Porsche in turbocharging technology. The later 936 demonstrated that his race design office were masters of endurance race car design.

When the McLaren-TAG F1 team came to Porsche for a turbo engine in the 1980s, it was Mezger who led the design and development of the engine that resulted in three consecutive F1 world championships.

Hans Mezger is justly acknowledged in every motorsport arena in the world from Monte Carlo to Indianapolis and of course, Le Mans.

This richly personal account of a dedicated and loyal Porsche engineer will quicken every enthusiast’s heart and underline why the name of Porsche is so respected today. It is an unmatched account of life at Porsche from the 1950s to the 1990s.