You can pick out any model of the Porsche and it will be an incredible looking car with great performance. This is of course also true of the 1988 Porsche 959 model, but that particular version is quite rare. How rare you ask? Well, only about 50 of them made it overseas to the U.S. so I think the term “ultra-rare” applies here.
These original models were sent over under show-and-display waivers, which made them extremely difficult to get your hands on. Many of 959s are over 25 years old now though, so importing them is now okay, which is great news for car collectors. Join us as we explore this model in more detail, and estimate how much it will fetch at an upcoming auction.
The Black-Over-Carmel Colored Beauty
Image: Car and Driver
That beautiful car above is heading to the Gooding & Company’s Pebble Beach auction in August, and it’s looking to fetch a pretty penny. It’s being labeled as a “Komfort” model which is a name used by Porsche to differentiate between the street models of the their cars from the racing ones (known as “Sport”).
This beautiful car is powered by a 444-horsepower, twin-turbocharged 2.8-liter flat-six that’s connected to a six-speed manual transmission. These kinds of specs were way ahead of their time when this model was first released. Even back in a 1987 test drive, this beauty was able to hit a zero-to-sixty time of 3.6 seconds and a top speed of 190 mph, one of the highest recorded as of that date.
Another major innovator in this model was the inclusion of an all-wheel-drive system which was able to spread torque to each wheel, or it also supported a fixed split. The estimate sale price for this model is between $1.6 and $1.8 million.
Taking a Trip Back: The 1987 Test Drive
Archived Image: Car and Driver
Back in 1987, Car and Driver had an opportunity to test drive the Porsche 959. Looking back to that year, the November issue of the magazine had high praise for this model of the Porsche. The article opens with an internal conflict which claims that the driver wanted to call it the perfect car.
The broad strokes included mentioning a race-car performance level, combined with the luxury of a sedan, and the ability to handle all manner of conditions. While nothing is perfect, at the time of this car’s release, it was one of the greatest human endeavors to hit the road. At the center of it all is the 959’s incredible acceleration and a top speed that crushed the competition at the time.
This test drive was done at the Hockenheim-Ring, which hosted the 1987 German Grand Prix. The test started by switching the all-wheel-drive system into it’s locked torque distribution setting. The drive started in low gear, bringing the engine to 7,000 rpm before dropping the clutch. This starter drill spun up dust and an incredible burst of speed.
It was in these tests that the 959 was able to go from zero-to-sixty in 3.6 seconds, to 100 mph in 8.8 seconds, and to 130 mph in 15.9 seconds. Even when the test was done without wheelspin and little to no clutch slip, it managed to go from zero-to-sixty in 4.9 seconds.
The six-speed transmission allows for fluid changes in gear, along with six various ratios to choose from. The end result? A great driving feel and the option to go from mild to wild at the switch of a gear. Moving on, if we look at the engine, we see 24 valves, four overhead camshafdts, twin turbochargers and intercoolers, two water-cooled heads, and six titanium connecting rods.
This results in an engine that is a tamed version of the Porsche 962’s racing variation. The issue with these types of engines though is that that only do their best at high speeds. The 959 managed to provide a solution in the form of a staged turbocharger system. In low rpm conditions, all of the exhaust flow is sent through only one turbocharger.
The second turbocharger kicks in at 4,300 rpm, which is when you’ll feel the beast roar. This moment feels good, like a push instead of a punch. The top speed was measured by driving it on the autobahn, Germany’s speed limit free highway, at night. It managed to hit 190 mph, but the factory has said it can hit 195 mph if there’s enough room.
Image via Car and Driver
Hilariously, the only real flaw the the test drive from 1987 has with the car is its lack of availability. As of that writing, the 200 production run had been sold out at a price of almost a quarter million dollars per car. At the end of the day, they won’t call it perfect, but the article closes with “if you want to call the Porsche 959 the best car in the world, you will get no argument from us.”
Sounds like this car is worth every penny of its auction price, but what do you think? Would you pay this much for a 959 model? It’s hard to say, but this is still one incredible automobile and a great example of what German car brands have to offer.
