Panorama Peter Falk article

[Fritz A. Ficke]

The latest, October 2013, issue of Panorama has a great article by Peter Falk on the development of the 911 suspension. It really helps illustrate the effort and detail put into these cars for that great drive feeling that is so hard to explain. For instance the weight of the steering wheel was increased to reduce vibrations felt in the hand.
Another interesting point was the front control arm bearing/bushing were chosen after trying a variety of other methods some of which are now sold by aftermarket suppliers.
All in all a very enlighten read that I highly recommend.

[911MRP]

Came across an old thread … prompted me to say Peter Falk’s book of 2016 covering his 33 years at Porsche is a good read.

There are of course excellent books by Frere Ludvigsen and many others besides but often these authors giving the history weren’t actually there, whereas Peter Falk was!

Joining Porsche 1959 he has an informed perspective on the entire air cooled 911 era as well as the Porsche race cars during an important period in Porsche’s history:


As a long time owner of one of the first 500 examples I was particularly pleased to read his opinion of the 73 Carrera RS 2.7 — he states it was “a quantum leap in the development of the nine-eleven in terms of vehicle handling, speed and driving feel”. Putting it on the record the Carrera RS 2.7 is his favourite of all the nine-elevens is high praise indeed given all that Peter Falk was involved in, both road- and race-cars, across those three important decades:




Peter Falk who was by then head of testing did not find the 911 turbo (930) that came out in 1975/6 as enjoyable as the naturally aspirated cars as is evident in this comment:


Despite his senior roles and personal involvement in testing and development of road and race cars he is perhaps not one of the most well known of Porsche engineers compared to the likes of Singer, Barth etc who worked for him.

An organisation chart of Falk’s racing and sports vehicles development department in the mid-eighties when they were involved in the F1 engine development work shows the span:

A tribute for his 90th birthday from Porsche AG:
https://newsroom.porsche.com/en/2022...day-30280.html
Steve