1988 Porsche 959

OVERVIEW

1988 Porsche 959
VIN: WP0ZZZ95ZJS900160

Finished at the factory on April 13th 1988 this 959 was special ordered with paint to sample Garnet metallic paint. First registered in England on June 1st 1988, its first owner would keep the car until 2003. After being fully serviced at the Porsche Center Reading in England on 7/24/2003 with 3979 km on the odometer it was sold to its second owner.

The car remained in England, and when it was inspected in September of 2003 it had only 3,988 km. Over the years the car was cared for in a private collection and has just recently been brought to the United States by Canepa.

4008 km = 2490 miles

About the 959



The Porsche 959 was by far the most technologically advanced sportscar when it was introduced in 1985. Their timeless design, state-of-the-art systems, and superior driving characteristics make them one of the greatest sports cars of all time. 
 


In the early 1980s, to the joy of race fans worldwide, FISA introduced its new Group B road regulations. To qualify for homologation, manufacturers would have to produce and sell 200 road versions of their cars. Only two stepped up to the challenge: Porsche with its 959, and Ferrari with its 288 GTO. 
 


Porsche developed the ultimate powerplant; a twin-turbocharged six-cylinder boxer engine with an air-cooled block and water-cooled heads, displaced 2.85 liters, about half a liter less than a contemporary 911 engine. The motor had originally been developed for the "Moby Dick" race car and then been redeveloped slightly for the short-lived Porsche Indy Car before being "tweaked" a last time for use in the 961, the 959's racing counterpart. The water-cooled cylinder heads combined with the air-cooled block, 4-valve heads and sequential turbochargers allowed Porsche to extract 450 hp from the compact, efficient and rugged power unit. The engine was coupled to a unique manual gearbox, which was the first 6-speed manual transmission sold in a streetcar.

In an attempt to create a lightweight shell, Porsche adopted an aluminum and Aramid (Kevlar) composite for body use along with a Nomex floor, instead of the steel normally used on their production cars. The vehicle's weight of 3,190 pounds (1,450 kg) helped to achieve its high performance level. 
 


Porsche also developed the car's aerodynamics, with automatic ride-height adjustment and "zero lift" aerodynamics. The 959 also featured the most advanced all-wheel-drive system available in a production car. Capable of dynamically changing the torque distribution between the rear and front wheels, the PSK system gave the 959 the adaptability it needed both as a race car and as a "super" street car. Under hard acceleration, PSK could send as much as 80% of available power to the rear wheels. It could also vary the power bias depending on road surface and grip changes, helping maintain traction at all times. The magnesium alloy wheels were unique, being hollow inside to form a sealed chamber contiguous with the tire and equipped with a built-in tire pressure monitoring system.

The 959S was created as a US car for the close friends of Porsche racer, Al Holbert. The idea was to bring in 959S as a track day / race car, thereby side stepping all of the DOT and EPA regulations that were never met by Porsche. They took out the A/C, installed a roll cage, put in a traditional coil over suspension, installed 4-point seat belts and special seats, and boosted power by about 30hp in an effort to pass the car off as track car. When the first 10 arrived in the US the US government agencies inspected the cars, and after a trip to the Nazareth Speedway, they determined that the 959S was not a track car. They were all shipped back to Porsche to be sold to different regions outside North America.