Johnny Tipler – författare

The story of the Saab 9-3 is full of twists and turns, from its origins before the 9-3 name even existed to its unexpected rebirth as an electric vehicle decades later. Bizarrely, the first-generation 9-3 was in essence the same car as the Saab 900 built between 1994 and 1998. Equally as bizarre, the second-generation 9-3 lived on well beyond the General Motors era, reappearing in 2013-14 and again from 2019 to 2022. In these later years its familiar Gen2 silhouette concealed an all-electric powertrain, now wearing the badge of new owner NEVS (National Electric Vehicle Sweden) in place of the hallowed Saab Griffin. From 1998 to 2011, the Saab 9-3 was manufactured at the Trollhattan factory in Sweden, carrying the brand's distinctive character into a new era. This book charts the 9-3's evolution under General Motors' stewardship, from the outgoing Saab 900 to the fundamentally similar first-generation 9-3, and on to the redesigned Gen2 model of 2002, this new model being built on GM's Epsilon platform and featuring far more GM-supplied componentry. The Gen1 9-3 came in three guises: four-door Saloon (sedan), two-door Cabriolet convertible and five-door Hatchback. Its Gen2 successor offered Saloon, Cabriolet and SportCombi estate car formats, powered by engines ranging from the 2.0-litre petrol Turbo and 1.9 TiD diesel to the 2.6-litre petrol V6 and the 1.9 TTiD twin-turbo diesel. Stunningly illustrated with over 250 images - many previously unseen - Saab 9-3 includes specially commissioned photography of the high-performance Viggen model, factory archive images, an interview with heroic rallycross legend Per Eklund and a Foreword by Saab insider and photojournalist Kenneth Olausson. It recounts Saab's final decade as a car manufacturer through the development of the 9-3 until its abandonment in 2011 by General Motors, and its brief rebirth as an electric vehicle under NEVS (National Electric Vehicle Sweden), which lingered intermittently until 2022.

Between the 1950s and 1971, the halcyon days of long-distance endurance motor racing, Porsche embodied the up-and-coming manufacturer, progressing inexorably from reliable class-winner to outright victor – a platform they consolidated and never rescinded. This book focuses on the six distinct Porsche models that raced from 1963 to 1971. Porsche created a series of racing cars – the 904, 906, 910, 907, 908 and 917 – to run in the FIA-regulated International Sports Car Championship Group 6 Prototype class, the Group 4 World Sportscar Championship, and European Hillclimb Championship events held during that period. These races lasted either 24 hours, 12 hours or 6 hours, or were categorised by distance: 1,000km, 500km or 500 miles. Events took place annually at European tracks including Le Mans, Nürburgring, Monza, Spa-Francorchamps and Brands Hatch, and in the USA at Daytona and Sebring. Chronicling each season, this visually stunning volume records Porsche’s multitude of successes.With over 300 outstanding images, many previously unseen, including professional photos and factory archive pictures, and featuring interviews with heroic Porsche racing drivers – with the Foreword written by two-times Le Mans winner Gijs van Lennep – this book tells the thrilling story of Porsche’s rise from consistent class-winner to incontrovertible outright victor.

As Lotus’s flagship model for almost three decades, the Esprit was launched in 1976 and remained in production for over a quarter of a century. It received regular refreshment along the way, principally to its original Giorgetto Giugiaro design and, from 1987, to its later Peter Stevens incarnation. Both iterations enabled the Esprit to maintain its position at the forefront of its market segment. Regularly compared to the best available from its German and Italian rivals, the Esprit was equally at home on the race track as it was on the road. A promising return to top-line international GT racing saw the Esprit compete on equal terms with the likes of Ferrari and McLaren, whilst, back in the showrooms, the car was selling for a fraction of their cost. The legacy of the Esprit can clearly be seen in current Lotus models whose core design brief is that they should always be the finest handling vehicle with the deftest of steering, feedback and feel.With over 300 stunning images, including professional photos, factory archive pictures and specially commissioned artworks, and featuring several interviews with Lotus personnel intimately concerned with Esprit production, this volume is a fitting tribute to a masterpiece of design and technology.

One of the most exciting models ever released by Porsche, the first 911 GT3 was introduced in 1999, based on the then-current 996 coupé, suitably modified as a contender in the FIA GT3 championship category. Successive iterations of the 911 GT3 – the 997 GT3, 991 GT3 and present-day 992 GT3 – were similarly adapted from the contemporary production-line model, with mechanical and aerodynamic upgrades, constructed at the Stuttgart-based company’s Zuffenhausen plant, with upgraded performance in RSR, R and Cup versions applied by its nearby Weissach competition department and test track. With over 300 stunning images, most previously unpublished, including professional photos, factory archive pictures and specially commissioned artworks, and featuring several interviews with Porsche heroes intimately concerned with GT3s in build and in competition, this book tells the thrilling story of a masterpiece of design and technology on road and track.

Between 1982 and 1992, the World Sportscar Championship embraced the FIA’s Group C regulations, spawning a generation of long-distance racing sports prototypes representing manufacturer teams such as Porsche, Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar, Mazda, Peugeot, Nissan and Toyota, as well as a host of specialists such as Spice and Tiga. Driven by top-line drivers, these cars competed in one of the most exciting epochs in the annals of endurance racing. This book focuses on the cars, drivers and races of the era.

Porsche Boxster and Cayman follows the design and development of this mid-engined sports car and coupe family, from their origins in the company's concerted racing activities in the 1950s and 1960s, to the drawing board, launch and systematic evolution through successive model ranges from 1996 to 2016. There are detailed profiles and evaluation of all Boxster and Cayman derivatives, including 986, 987, 981 and 718. Specifications of the various models are given including entry-level, S, GTS and GT-4. The special Limited Editions, such as the 550 Spyder 40th Anniversary models are also included. The book covers some of the author's international driving experiences at the wheel of Boxster and Cayman including the Bilster Berg race circuit and Tour Auto. There is also an intriguing interview with successful racer Rebecca Jackson, who describes the techniques of Boxster racing and demonstrates the versatility of this best-handling of all Porsche sports cars.

The complete story of the innovative, iconic and enduring Porsche Carrera. This book takes the reader on a journey from the development of its audacious water-cooled design through its racing success and continued production today, to practical maintenance and modification. This book is a true homage to the Porsche Carrera and covers the concept, design and evolution of the 996,997 and 991, including an interview with harm Lagaaji, stylist in the Porsche design studios. Other interviews include racing drivers - past and present - Mike Wilds, Timo Bernhard, Richard Attwood, Richard Westbrook, Mario Andretti, Hans-Joachim Stuck, Wolf Henzler, Brendon Hartley and Peter Dumbreck. There is also a section on how to buy, maintain and modify a Porsche Carrera.

Porsche applied turbocharging to its racing cars in 1972 and, within a year, this technology had crossed over into it's production cars: the first road-going 911 Turbo was unveilled at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 1973. This books describes the evolution of turbocharging from racing to road cars. It details the technical and design development of the air-cooled models from 930 to 993 along with exclusive interviews with Klaus Ludwig, Jochen Mass and Nick Heidfeld. Includes full specification tables for each key model type and 300 photographs including many taken specially for this book by renowned photographer Antony Fraser.

Named after Elisa, the granddaughter of Lotus's owner at the time, Romano Artioli of Bugatti fame, the Lotus Elise was launched at the Frankfurt Show in 1995. In the subsequent twenty-five years it has not only established itself as the embodiment of what Lotus stands for, it retains a unique place in the international sports car market. No other manufacturer came up with a car to seriously rival the Elise, nor the Exige, in terms of handling dexterity on both road and racetrack, and it aptly characterizes the definition of a sports car. Written in Johnny Tipler's inimitable style this book includes a detailed evolution of the Elise and Exige, including full specification tables; interviews with key individuals involved in their design and development, including Richard Rackham, Gavan Kershaw, Neil Thomas, Russell Carr, Barney Hatt and Andy Pleavin; Elisa Artioli on her namesake, its past and future; motor sport adaptions and successes and finally, driving experiences on road and track. The production of the Elise and Exige was sustained through four corporate upheavals. Now in Geely ownership, the future for Lotus looks bright.