Ultimate Ferrari250GTO-The Definitive History book -preorder?

Thanks for that link. Like many collectors, I have a number of books on the 250 GTO, and would welcome another...IF... it is truly worthwhile. But I am a skeptic when it comes to book publishing these days. So, here we have another pricey book using the all to often misused and abused words: "Ultimate" & "Definitive" to urge us to purchase. I'll wait to see it for myself, or hear/read comments and reviews from the experts before I part with any money.

 

As of a few days ago they were seeking photos and I was approached.

Marcel Massini

 

Quite a price @£450 GBP.

 

I must say that their book on the Porsche 956 is one of the best researched works I have ever seen.

 

Doesn't sound like 3765LM is going to be covered, which effectively became a 250 GTO, or the other 330/LMB cars, which were previously covered in the Pourret/Bluemel and Pritchard 250 GTO books.

Is this 250 GTO book by James Page going to be limited in numbers?

 

I have all their Ferrari titled books and I must say they are a good read but some like the 875S model don't get much book coverage so not much to compare it against.

The GTO however has many books written about it so will be interesting to see what new information, if any, and what format over two volumes it takes.

It has some big boots to fill if it's going to be described as a definitive guide.

At 450 GBP it will be "limited" just by price alone.

 

Probably it will be good and I suppose I will buy it. But yes, there are already quite a few GTO books and some of them are very good. So, it is a bit frustrating to have another book on an already well-covered subject rather than on something equally deserving but with fewer pages already in print.

 

I will probably pass on the GTO book but try to buy the Mangusta book being finalized (I hope) by Eau Rouge Publishing.

 

Glad you are looking forward to our Mangusta book.

All that remains to be done is photo selection and captions writing, layout. My publisher Doug Blair and I normally do that together in a three day brainstorm but since we are on different sides of the English channel no can do due to Covid...so we will do some sort of teleconferencing scheduled in the next few weeks to get it finalized.

Photo Copyright yours truly of one of the four Mangustas I drove for the book, a superbly restored car owned by an Austrian Fchatter, taken in Wachau region near Vienna above the Danube July 2015.
PS: Sorry your comment made me think this was the general book thread.

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Really looking forward to that!

 

(Pre)order open... just ordered it.

 

Just announced a Collectors Edition limited to just 100 specially made copies.

A genuine collectable or a quick cash grab over the standard edition ?

Thoughts...




Ultimate Ferrari 250 GTO - The Definitive History (Collector's Edition)
by Porter Press International
£ 1,500.00 GBP

Made to order

Hand-bound in striking scarlet leather, the Collector’s Edition is presented in a red Suedel covered and lined slipcase. Referencing the 250 GTO’s signature bonnet inlets, the case features triple cut-outs that are perfectly positioned to reveal the cover’s GTO lettering below. This two-volume set is limited to 100 copies and is signed by drivers Peter Sutcliffe and David Piper, author James Page and Ferrari expert Keith Bluemel.


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Call me jaded or a cynic, or both, etc, but I would call this one "a quick cash grab."

 

There’s no mention of any extra content, just the slipcases and signatures. And you could obtain Piper’s at Goodwood and Bluemel’s at Cavallino if you really wanted them.

 

Yeah, I think 450 UK pound is enough to pay for essentially a book on one Ferrari model.

 

Both statements are not mutually exclusive - from what I read here and there it seems to me many collectors are mainly interested in spending more money (maybe that makes them feel special, I don't know), rather than in what they get for the money they spend.
So it's a win-win situation

 

Well as I said, I have all the Ferrari topic books from Porter Press in the standard format and am very happy with them.

I can't see myself making an exception and buying the limited edition version in this case however.

 

I hope the book includes the recent sale of 3851 GT and the current re-re-re-restoration back to 1962 Tour de France livery (Oreiller-Schlesser #156).

Marcel Massini

 

They are also leather bound, which being produced by a specialty binder is much more expensive than the standard binding from the printer. Although I think the slip case cover in suedel is a weird material, I see that looking dirty or marked very easily. So if leather is a must have, I'm guessing the cost isn't out of line with most leather editions.

Personally I'll be perfectly happy with the standard issue.

 

You’re right about the leather binding. I missed that, but the lack of additional content makes it not worth the additional $$ to me. I have so many GTO books already, and having been disappointed in Pritchard’s, that I’m not likely to even buy the standard edition.

 

How long ago did the sale and restoration occur Marcel ?

 

It is being restored now (and since months).

Marcel Massini

 

If Porter Press have been asking you for photos recently then by the sounds of it the book is still a little while away from release, so fingers crossed that GTO can still be included.

 

Porter Press newsletter announces that pre-orders are brisk with one client buying 100 copies! I'm guessing that might be Amazon perhaps, who knows!

With 750 copies, maybe this will sell out as fast as their Ferrari GTE book.

It also looks like the standard edition is signed by James Page and Keith Bluemel.