Porsche 959

Porsche 959
Porsche 959 Komfort
Overview
ManufacturerPorsche AG
Production
  • 1986–1993
    (337+8 produced)[1]
DesignerHelmuth Bott[2]
Body and chassis
ClassSports car (S)
Body style2-door coupé
LayoutRear-engine, four-wheel-drive
Related
Powertrain
Engine2.8 L (2,849 cc) twin-turbocharged flat-6
Power output450 PS (331 kW; 444 hp)
500 N⋅m (369 lbf⋅ft)[3] of torque
Transmission6-speed manual
Dimensions
Wheelbase2,272 mm (89.4 in)
Length4,260 mm (167.7 in)
Width1,840 mm (72.4 in)
Height1,280 mm (50.4 in)
Curb weight1,450 kg (3,197 lb)[4][5]
Chronology
SuccessorPorsche 911 GT1 Straßenversion

The Porsche 959 is a sports car manufactured by German automobile manufacturer Porsche from 1986 to 1993, first as a Group B rally car and later as a road legal production car designed to satisfy FIA homologation regulations requiring at least 200 units be produced.[6]

The twin-turbocharged 959 was the world's fastest street-legal production car when introduced, achieving a top speed of 317 km/h (197 mph), with some variants even capable of achieving 339 km/h (211 mph). Combining race-car performance with luxury-sedan comfort and everyday drivability in dry, wet and snowy conditions, it was considered the most technologically advanced road car of its time.[7][8][9][10]

After the successful introduction of all-wheel drive on more rally-specific cars like the Audi Quattro, it was one of the first pure high-performance sports-cars with all-wheel drive, providing the basis for Porsche's first all-wheel drive 911 Carrera 4 model. Its performance convinced Porsche executives to make all-wheel drive standard on all turbocharged versions of the 911 starting with the 993. The twin-turbo system used on the 959 also made its way to future turbocharged Porsche sports cars. In 2004, Sports Car International named the 959 number one on its list of Top Sports Cars of the 1980s.

  1. ^ Ludvigsen 2003, p. 1032.
  2. ^ "Porsche 959, everything you need to know". Evo magazine. 6 May 2016. Retrieved 15 February 2018.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference Csere_Review was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Renz, Sebastian (22 March 2018). "Ein Oldtimer mit 450 PS und Turbolader". Auto, Motor und Sport (in German).
  5. ^ "2015 Porsche 918 Spyder First Test". Motor Trend. 5 May 2014. Retrieved 30 March 2019.
  6. ^ Ludvigsen 2003, p. 1003.
  7. ^ Huffman, John Pearley (October 21, 2012). "Porsche 959: The Future Is Now". Road & Track.
  8. ^ "The story of the 959 – the brilliant classic Porsche supercar". www.porsche.com. Retrieved 2024-03-07.
  9. ^ "The Porsche 959 Was the Ultimate 911". Gear Patrol. 2015-06-18. Retrieved 2024-03-07.
  10. ^ "Ferrari F40 vs Porsche 959: CAR+ archive, July 1988". CAR Magazine. Retrieved 2024-03-07.