Let's get back into 1981 when Helmutt Bott, Porsche's head engineer, began developing the Porsche 959. His idea was to create a sports car which was based on the 911, but took the classic model to a new level in terms of design, performance and technology. Bott's proposal was to maintain the rear engine setup, upgrade to all-wheel drive and test the model in racing competition.
The resulting 959 was not made street legal in the US until 1999. The US Department of Transportation required four vehicles for crash testing before they would grant their approval of a model – a request which Porsche were not prepared to meet. With the removal of the ‘Show and Display' crash test requirement in 1999, the NHTSA passed the 959 for street use, on the condition that catalytic converters be fitted and changes be made to the mirror configurations. The refusal of a number of owners to cede to these extra demands means that many examples of the 959 remain museum pieces rather than street legal cars.
Engineering and design
The Porsche 959 is constructed from an aluminium and kevlar composite, allowing the vehicle to be strong yet lightweight. The rear boasts a 2.9 litre engine which powers all four wheels. The engine was not new – instead Porsche used their existing twin-turbocharged, six-cylinder Boxster powerhouse. It produces 450 bhp, with assistance from an air-cooled block, water-cooled cylinder heads and four-valve heads, as well as the turbocharger.
This engine had already seen action in the Porsche Indy Car, the ‘Moby Dick' racecar and, of course, the 961. The powerful engine and lightweight design propel the 959 from 0-60 mph in an astonishing 3.6 seconds, topping out at just below 200 mph. Speeds this high raise stability concerns, which Porsche answered with finely tuned aerodynamics, suspension and ride height. The result is surprising stability at the top end of the 959's capabilities.
The advanced all-wheel-drive Porsche-Steuer Kupplung (PSK) system allows for variable distribution of torque between the front and rear wheels. This capability helps the weight-distribution bias to remain stable under challenging driving conditions such as wet surfaces or heavy acceleration.
A racing classic
In 1983, Porsche introduced the 961 model. It was a version prepared specifically for racing, and won the Paris-Dakar Rally twice, in 1984 and 1986. It also achieved a respectable seventh place in the challenging Le Mans 24 Hour race.
Following the success of the 961, the street version 959 was released onto the market in 1987, at a price of $225,000. Whilst this price tag may seem hefty, it was a bargain compared to the cost to Porsche for developing the model. Production of the 959 ceased in 1990 after the completion of 226 European street legal vehicles.
