The summer’s best beach read is not some schlock by Danielle Steele but a nifty new volume called Porsche: A History of Excellence from Motorbooks.

Author, renowned Porsche expert and photographer Randy Leffingwell focuses on each of the famed marque’s important models, from the first 356 (above) to the modern-day 911.

Porsche: A History of Excellence by Randy Leffingwell from Motorbooks

Photos – over 350 of them – in-depth analyses of each car and its context, and interviews with key personnel make a compelling read for anyone interested in the history of sports cars.

Or just four-wheeled works of art….

Images courtesy of Motorbooks; click to enlarge: