Porsche 959

 

The 959 was Porsche's first official supercar and one of the most iconic Porsche models of all time. Originally created for Group B rally racing, Porsche debuted the 959 in 1985, first as a rally car and then as a road car for the 1986 model year. Based on the 964-gen 911, the 959 is powered by a 2.8-liter sequential twin-turbo flat-six with 444 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque, sending power to all four wheels through a six-speed manual gearbox. It launches from zero to 60 mph in 3.6 seconds and is capable of a top speed of 198 mph, making the 959 the world's fastest car in 1986. At the time it was released, the 959 was revolutionary not just for Porsche, but the auto industry as a whole. Some of those revolutionary aspects of the 959 include center-lock wheels, its water-cooled flat-six, height-adjustable air suspension, and PSK all-wheel drive. The 959's body and frame are constructed of aluminum and kevlar, while its interior is very similar to those of classic 911s.

Around 300 959s were produced until 1988, with each example currently worth over $1-2 million on the resale market. It was never officially sold in the U.S. when it was new in the late 80s due to federal safety regulations, but the 959 can now be legally imported Stateside under the 25-year import rule. This particular example marks the first and only road-going Porsche 959 that I've seen up close thus far and appears to have been transported from the Netherlands to Monterey for this year's Exotics on Broadway show back in August. The only other 959 I remember ever seeing in person was a rally racing version on display at a Porsche featured exhibit inside the Petersen Automotive Museum in L.A. over five years ago. Overall, it may not be as amazing as a few other 80s supercars, namely the Ferrari F40, but the 959 is the coolest, greatest, and most impressive classic Porsche road car ever built.

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