The History and Significance of the Porsche 959 In 1981, Porsche wanted to build a car that could prove that the then-outdated 911 could outlast the rest of the range. The plan was to use the basic rear-engine iconic 911 layout in a road car that could both compete in the Group B rallying stage but also claim the title of world’s fastest production car. Helmut Buth, Porsche’s lead engineer at the time, was put in charge of the project. The plan was to test the car at the most grueling of all rallies, the Paris Dakar. In development, the chassis and engine were complete, but as Porsche didn’t have a body, they used 911 Carrera bodyshells and dubbed their prototype, the 953 Dakar. The Dakar ended up winning the 1984 Paris-Dakar Rally. However realizing the cost was too high to go rallying, Porsche abandoned this approach and instead focused on making their new car as good as a car could be. At the 1985 Frankfurt Motorshow, their new production car was unveiled. A car that Porsche themselves described as the peak 911. Dubbed the 959, this car truly revolutionized the supercar rulebook. For starters, it was the most advanced car in the world. It featured bespoke magnesium wheels with hollow spokes and tire pressure sensors, something that’s the norm now but back in the 80s was a revolution. Its suspension was also advanced, featuring adjustable hydraulics for the first time in a road car. But more advanced than all of that was its all-wheel-drive system. This system was capable of distributing torque between the front and rear axles, depending on how much g-force the car was going under when cornering. But the most advanced part of the 959, was its bespoke 2.85l twin-turbo flat-six which generated 444 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque. The result was 0-62mph in 4.1 seconds and a top speed of 197 mph, which back in 1986, made it the world’s fastest production car. In fact, it was the bar set by the 959, that pushed Ferrari to build the legendary F40. The 959 was more though than the peak 911, without it all the tech we see in modern supercars and road cars in general wouldn’t exist. It made that first step forward so the rest of the automotive sector could run. Small wonder, it was worth over $220,000 when new and today is worth well over $2,200,000. That and given Porsche only built 345 959s. The Car on Auction This particular 959 is from 1987 with just 8,000 miles on the clock. The car has been meticulously maintained by Bruce Canepa and is fully road-legal. The only change Canepa has made was changing the hydraulic suspension with manual coil-overs with Penske Dampers and titanium springs. Due to these modifications, this 959 is now a bargain, with a reserve value of $1,750,000. And thanks to U.S. regulations for vehicles over 25 years old, this 959 can now be driven without restrictions, offering unparalleled freedom. And look what you’re driving. One of the world’s greatest, rarest and most important cars. So what are you waiting for guys, head over to Bring a Trailer and start bidding!!! Source: Car And Driver
