The 1985 Porsche 959 pioneered variable all-wheel-drive, sequential turbocharging, and electronically controlled ride height adjustmentOnly 292 Komfort examples were built, with prices now ranging from $1 million to $3.1 million for pristine examplesThe 959's technology was so advanced it effectively laid the groundwork for every modern performance car system we take for granted today Right, we need to talk about the Porsche 959, because this year marks the 40th anniversary of quite possibly the most important supercar ever built. While everyone obsesses about the Ferrari F40 - and fair enough, it's spectacular - the 959 was doing something far more significant than simply being fast and beautiful. It was essentially inventing the future of performance cars, one revolutionary system at a time, creating technology so advanced that it took the rest of the automotive world decades to catch up. The 959 emerged from Porsche's Group B rally ambitions, born from the FIA's anything-goes regulations that created rallying's most dangerous and spectacular era. What started as the Gruppe B prototype, tested on Paris-Dakar rally versions of the 911, evolved into something that would make NASA engineers question their career choices. By the time it debuted at the 1985 Frankfurt Auto Show, the 959 was carrying more advanced technology than most spacecraft. This wasn't just another supercar with a big engine and dramatic styling. The 959 represented a fundamental rethinking of what was possible when brilliant engineers were given unlimited budgets and told to create the ultimate performance machine. The result was a car so advanced that even today, 40 years later, its technological achievements seem almost impossible for the mid-1980s. Remember, this was an era when mobile phones required briefcases and most cars still used carburetors. Porsche 959: revolutionary technology and engineering The 959's 2.85-liter twin-turbocharged flat-six was essentially borrowed from the 935 race car but adapted for road use with enough sophistication to make modern engineers weep with envy. The sequential turbocharging system used a smaller turbo for bottom-end and mid-range torque, with a larger one joining the party at higher revs to eliminate lag - a solution so elegant it seems obvious in hindsight but was revolutionary at the time. Perhaps most remarkably, the cooling system was a hybrid arrangement that wouldn't be seen again for decades. While 911s remained stubbornly air-cooled until 1998, the 959 featured water-cooled cylinder heads with an air-cooled engine block. It was the sort of engineering compromise that demonstrated Porsche's willingness to abandon tradition when technology demanded better solutions.The six-speed manual transmission included a crawler gear marked "G" for Gelände - German for off-road terrain - because apparently Porsche thought their supercar customers might want to go overlanding in their $225,000 technological tour de force. At the other extreme, sixth gear was essentially an overdrive for high-speed cruising, because the 959 was designed to be as comfortable at 150 mph as it was navigating rough terrain. The PSK all-wheel-drive system was perhaps the 959's most significant achievement. Using information from ABS sensors and dampers, it continuously managed torque distribution between front and rear axles, with a default 40/60 split that could send up to 80% of power to the rear when needed. The front differential featured hydraulically-actuated, computer-controlled clutches - technology that would eventually become standard on every performance car but was absolutely revolutionary in 1985. Porsche 959: market impact and lasting legacy The 959's rarity was ensured by Porsche's refusal to send three examples to the United States for mandatory crash testing, making it illegal to import until the 25-year exemption rule applied. This restriction, combined with the limited production run of just 292 Komfort examples, has created a market where prices start at nearly $1 million and reach over $3 million for the most desirable examples. The stripped-out Sport version, producing 508 horsepower and limited to just 29 examples, represents the absolute pinnacle of 959 ownership. These cars were never intended for comfortable touring - they were Porsche's demonstration of what was possible when weight reduction met advanced technology. Finding one for sale requires patience, significant wealth, and considerable luck. What makes the 959's pricing particularly remarkable is that it's not just based on rarity or nostalgic appeal. These cars command such prices because automotive enthusiasts recognize their historical significance. The 959 didn't just predict the future of performance cars - it created that future through innovations that are still relevant today. The variable ride height system, with four automatic presets ranging from 4.7 to 7.1 inches, managed suspension height based on speed, passenger weight, and fuel load. Above 100 mph, the car automatically lowered itself to improve aerodynamics and stability. Four manually selectable driving modes adjusted torque distribution and throttle response for different terrain conditions. These features are now standard on every serious performance car, but the 959 pioneered them when such technology seemed like science fiction. Unlike the Ferrari F40, which relied on a tubular space frame and relatively conventional technology wrapped in spectacular bodywork, the 959 used aluminum and Kevlar composite construction with innovations that genuinely advanced automotive engineering. While the F40 was a magnificent expression of traditional supercar values, the 959 was busy inventing new ones. The 959's influence extends far beyond Porsche's own lineup. Every modern performance car with adaptive suspension, variable torque distribution, and electronic driving modes owes a debt to the 959's pioneering systems. Even today's hypercars use refinements of technologies that Porsche first implemented four decades ago. The 959 proved that advanced technology could enhance rather than diminish the driving experience. Instead of isolating drivers from the mechanical processes, the 959's systems worked transparently to make good drivers faster and safer. It was a philosophy that would influence every subsequent generation of performance cars. For modern enthusiasts, the 959 represents something increasingly rare: a car that was genuinely ahead of its time rather than simply fashionable for its era. While other 1980s supercars have become museum pieces that showcase period styling and engineering, the 959 remains relevant because its core technologies continue to evolve and improve in contemporary cars. The fact that 959 prices continue climbing reflects growing recognition of the car's significance. These aren't just expensive toys for wealthy collectors - they're functional pieces of automotive history that demonstrate what's possible when brilliant engineering meets unlimited ambition. Forty years after its introduction, the 959 still looks like the future rather than the past. In an era when we often complain about the complexity of modern cars, the 959 reminds us that sophisticated technology, properly implemented, can enhance rather than diminish the driving experience. It proved that innovation and emotion aren't mutually exclusive, creating a template that the best performance cars still follow today. Happy 40th birthday to the car that invented the modern supercar.
