Explanation

Among recent Book Reviews we included Octopus Books’ new series entitled “Great Marques”, which has resulted in their Senior Editor, Michael Gilliat, taking us to task over two items. First, he is justifiably cross because we said that many of the photographs in these titles relating to Ferrari, Mercedes and Porsche have been seen before or were from manufacturs archives. I am informed that my eyes have deceived me, because such pictures accounted only 33%, 26%, and 20%, respectively, the rest having been taken specially for the books by a photographer commissioned by Octopus Books Ltd. Our apologies.

Secondly, the Foreword to the Octopus Porsche book was credited to Dr. Ferdinand Porsche and we remarked that this must have been obtained during a seance. In fact, of course, this Foreword was written by the present Dr. Ferry Porsche. We are told that the distinction should have been clear, because the late Dr. Porsche “is always referred to as Prof. Porsche”.  Well, you learn new things every day, they say. We are further reminded that the present Ferry Porsche’s full title is Dr-Ing. h.c. Ferdinand Porsche. Apologies again. We have always thought of the brilliant father as Ferdinand and his talented son as Ferry, however. — W.B.