Lot 132: 1988 Porsche 959

The Porsche 959 was manufactured by Porsche AG from 1986 to 1989, first as a Group B rally car and later as a road going vehicle designed to satisfy FIA homologation regulations requiring that a minimum number of street legal units be built. During its production run, it was hailed as being the most technologically advanced road-going sports car ever built and for being the harbinger of the future of sports cars; it was the world's first high-performance vehicle to use an all-wheel-drive system, it provided the basis for Porsche's first all-wheel-drive Carrera 4 model, and convinced Porsche executives of the system's viability so well that they chose to make all-wheel-drive standard on all versions of the 911 Turbo starting with the 993 variant. During its lifetime, the vehicle was all but completely unsurpassed in terms of its performance, with Ferrari's F40 being the only other street legal vehicle available with performance at this level. Porsche began with an engine they already had and moved on with development from there. The powerplant, a twin turbocharged boxer six engine, with an air cooled block and water cooled heads displaced 2.85 total litres, about half a litre less than a contemporary 911 engine. The motor had originally been developed for the "Moby Dick" race car, and was then redeveloped slightly for the short-lived Porsche Indy Car and several other projects before being "tweaked" a last time for use in the 961, the 959's racing counterpart. The use of sequential twin turbochargers rather than the more usual identical turbochargers for each of the two cylinder banks allowed for smooth seamless delivery of power across the engine rpm band, in contrast to the abrupt on-off power characteristic that distinguished Porsche's turbocharged engines of the period. It has been speculated the engine was capable of over 600 horsepower if fully tuned. The engine was used, virtually unchanged, in the 959 road car as well. In an attempt to create a rugged, lightweight shell, Porsche adopted an aluminium and Kevlar composite for body use along with a Nomex floor as opposed to the traditional steel that was normally used on their production cars. Porsche also developed the car's aerodynamics which was designed to increase stability, as was the automatic ride height adjustment that became available on the street car. Its "zero lift" dynamics were a big part of keeping it drivable. The 1983 Frankfurt Motor Show was chosen for the unveiling of the Porsche Group B prototype. Even in the waning hours of October 9th, finishing touches were placed on the car to go on display the next morning. When the curtain was drawn the next morning, the Group B car became an instant celebrity. After the first two prototypes, the bodywork was modified to include air vents in the front and rear wheel housings, as well as intake holes behind the doors. The first prototype modified like this was code named "F3" but was destroyed in the first crash test. In total, fewer than 300 cars were built and the total number (which hovers around 250) includes both 959 street variants and 961 race variants as well as at least 4 prototypes Porsche built during development. 226 of the cars built were street legal (in Europe) and were sold to consumers with at least one 959 and one 961 remain in the Porsche historic hall in Stuttgart, Germany. The current owner, a well respected Porsche specialist, has spent much time and money on this fine example. Described as excellent in almost every respect, the car has been extensively restored with fresh paint, a new carpet set and a restored leather interior. Mechanically, new breaks have been supplied to retard this projectile and power is supplied through a new clutch. More importantly, the engine and suspension have both been completely rebuilt giving fresh lungs to what is one of the most elegant and slippery Porsches on show this weekend. Complete with fresh tyres and a full service history, this must represent a rare opportunity to collect and own one of the most iconic super cars of the last century.