Though it was Porsche's first effort at making a true supercar, the 959 was revolutionary in its time. It was the first supercar to feature all wheel drive, a feature found on nearly all supercars built today.
The engine in the 959 was a rear mounted air cooled 2.85 liter turbo flat 6 that made 444 horsepower. It was paired with a 6 speed manual transmission.
Performance on the Porsche 959 was nothing short of amazing. It could go from zero to 60 in 3.6 seconds. Better yet, it could go from 0 to 140 mph in just 19 seconds. Top speed was right around 200 miles per hour.
The 959 failed to finish at the brutal Dakar Rally, but it was never really designed for that kind of race. Group B was not as focused on rally races when Porsche started development of the 959. The road racing variant, the 961, did finish first in its class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1986.
If you do not already own a 959, you can't buy one. Just kidding, for the right price I'm sure you could find one. They've even been listed on eBay before. Keep your eyes out, your wallet open, and good luck.
|