Porsche 959 - Why can't it be perfect?

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Porsche 959 - Why can't it be perfect?

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Created on June 21, 2024

Text:

Karl Ludvigsen (Übersetzung: Paul Krüger)

Photos:

Porsche AG

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Porsche AG (Archiv)

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Porsche AG / Porsche Schweiz AG

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Archiv Porsche AG

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Archiv

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Porsche 959 S (1987) - in front of a Mooney M20, a light aircraft with a Porsche engine

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Porsche 959 S (1987) - the waste heat from the intercooler escapes through the side air outlets at the rear

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Porsche 959 (1987) - Test drive with Walter Röhrl at the wheel

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Porsche 959 S (1987) - Walter Röhrl during test drives on the wet circle track

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Porsche 959 (1987) - on the factory premises. In contrast to the 911 US models in the background, the 959 did not comply with American registration regulations

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Porsche 959 (1986) - together with other models in the workshop of the Weissach Development Center

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Porsche 959 (1987) - a test vehicle in the wind tunnel

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Porsche 959 (1987) - steep bend: Of course, testing also included the driving behavior at top speed

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Porsche 965 (1985) - test vehicle with Audi V8 in the rear

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Porsche 959 (1986) - during test drives in the far north

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Porsche 959 (1985) - Prototype during test drives in Scandinavia. The co-driver's place is taken by the measuring electronics

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Porsche 959 (1987) - design sketch: the hood still cuts through the rear wing; air outlets and exhaust also differ from the later series

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Porsche 959 (1987) - Compact powerhouse: 450 hp hidden in this cramped cabin

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Porsche 959 (1987) - This much comfort is a must: although the engine compartment is already cramped enough, there is also a compressor for the air conditioning system in the rear left-hand corner

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Porsche 959 (1987) - Air filter box and fan wheel dominate the picture. The air lines to the turbochargers on the right and left

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Porsche 959 (1987) - the "naked" engine without air and exhaust pipes

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Porsche 959 (1987) - Longitudinal and cross-sectional view of the engine. Clearly visible on the right: the ribs of the air-cooled cylinders

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Porsche 959 (1987) - schematic representation of the turbocharging register

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Porsche 959 (1987) - The diagram illustrates the increase in power and torque in the lower rev range thanks to register turbocharging

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Porsche 959 (1987) - The unusual trim strip emphasizes the wide hips and thus the complex technology inside them

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Porsche 959 (1987) - Rear wing as part of the hood

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Porsche 959 (1987) - almost inconspicuous when not painted red

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Porsche 959 (1987) - cutaway model: behind the wheel the right of the two intercoolers

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Porsche 959 (1986) - See-through drawing showing the drive and chassis

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Porsche 959 (1985) - see-through model, the 200 series of the 959 is already sold out before the start of production - IAA 1985

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Porsche 959 (1986) - with electronically controlled all-wheel drive - racing car and road version - Geneva Motor Show 1986

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Porsche 959 (1987) - The 911 of the future: the chubby front anticipates the 993

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Porsche 959 (1983) - the prototype, which was still called "Group B" here - at the International Motor Show IAA in Frankfurt in 1983

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Porsche "Group B" (1983) - A special kind of high-performance vehicle, designed as a competition vehicle for endurance races, which later caused a sensation under the name Porsche 959

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Summary

Nothing is so good that it cannot be improved - with one exception: in the mid-1980s, Porsche explored the limits of what was technically feasible and redefined them to some extent. The Porsche 959 was a highly complex masterpiece that was just as suitable as an everyday car as it was as a racing car and felt just as comfortable at 30 km/h as it did at 300 - Karl Ludvigsen tells the story of the best super sports car of its time.

This article contains the following chapters

Register turbocharging
The all-wheel drive
The body
The chassis
The finished car

Estimated reading time: 12min

Preview (beginning of the article)

Porsche's first super sports car in a class of its own was presented at the IAA in Frankfurt in 1985 and cost a hefty DM 420,000 at the time. That was almost three times the price that had been targeted at the start of the project. Worse still, each 959 cost the company DM 1,300,000 to produce. Considering that 337 vehicles were produced, the total cost over the life of the project would have been DM 368 million. Only about a third of this could have been recouped through the sale of the vehicles. The 959 was a folly, a fantastic irrationality on the part of the sober Swabians, but it benefited more than 300 customers. They were able to enjoy a car that still amazes 40 years later.

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