German Car Zone

Compared with heavy hitters like the Bugatti Veyron and the Ferrari F40, the understated Porsche 959 is easily overlooked. You might not have even heard of it, but it completely rocked the supercar world when it debuted at the Frankfurt show in 1985.

Sold to the public as a homologation car so that Porsche could take it racing, the 959 also served as a showcase of technologies that had never before been seen on more pedestrian 911s, including four-wheel drive, power steering, antilock brakes, four-valve heads, twin turbochargers, and a six-speed transmission. The cylinders of the 959's 2.8-liter flat-six were still air-cooled, but its heads needed to be water-cooled because of the high temperatures generated by two sequential turbos that force-fed the engine to the tune of a positively shocking 444 hp.

The 959 exploded to 60 mph in only 3.6 seconds and continued on to a manufacturer-claimed 195 mph, but it did so in Porsche's typical drive-all-day manner: quietly and smoothly. Variable dampers kept the ride supple, and where other ungodly powerful supercars at the time screeched and scrambled for traction, the 959 used a computer-controlled all-wheel-drive system that could send power front or rear as it saw fit.

The 959 sold for a whopping quarter of a million dollars but wasn't imported by Porsche Cars North America. Even some twenty years later, there are few cars that can keep up with a 959 - but in grand irony, if you see one on the road today in the United States, it's likely that an original 959 couldn't keep up with it, either.
Full atricle: automobilemag

Interesting. So why were these not imported into the USA new?


Also, how many 959s were built?

337 were built. The car was a head of it's time and still has the performance to battle with today's 911s. It looks breathtaking in the metal.

Thanks for that Hassan.

One of the most wonderful cars ever created. Such a shame it was always overshadowed by the F40...especially as it was far more sophisticated.

Absolutely STUNNING performance for its time. And probably the most technologically ADVANCED car for its time too.

I was/am a major fan of this car, even though it looks awkward in some picture angles.

True. It's one of the most underestimated super cars. The car was light years ahead of it's time and I hope Porsche would develop something such as extraordinary one again.

don't like the looks but that is one special car indeed!

Yes indeed, it had the same performance, but unlike the F40 it was as easy to drive as any 911 (as I read in magazines, cause I think I was like 7 when this car came out ). After all these years it still looke fresh though, it profits from the timeless 911 design.

Emissions, Damn EPA!