Certain cars in history force the competition to pull their socks up and embrace the future. The Porsche 959 not only remains one of the most interesting supercars ever built, but it also fits the definition of cars that moved the game so far forward that everybody stood up and took notice.
Featuring a 2.85-litre turbocharged rear-mounted flat-six engine based on the flat-six out of a 911, which put 450hp at 6500rpm to all four wheels, the 959 was the peak of supercar performance in its day. Features like anti-lock brakes were a fairly recent innovation at the time, but the 959’s technological innovation didn’t stop there. Eight hydraulic dampers – four at each corner – meant the 959 did without anti-roll bars. Electronic ride height and damping adjustments were made by the car’s on-board computer, allowing the car to automatically lift or lower itself depending on the conditions and speed.
When new, the Porsche 959 cost $225,000, which at the time made it one of the most expensive cars on the market. These days, it is difficult to find a good example for less than $1 million.
Recently, Magnus Walker managed to get his hands on a Porsche 959 from Caretaker’s Collection in LA. In the video, Walker provides us with a close-up, detailed analysis of what makes the 959 probably the ultimate supercar of the 1980s.
