SEEING CHRIS HARRIS MANHANDLE AN ICONIC PORSCHE 959 IS PURE AWESOMENESS.
The Porsche 959 is one of those rare Porsches that doesn’t really look like the rest of the Porsche lineup unless you look at one head-on and see the lights that look sort of familiar. The iconic 959 was conceived in the early 1980s as part of a plan to dominate Group B rally racing, which was the ultimate proving ground for then-cutting-edge technology. Porsche wanted to showcase its engineering prowess and create a car that could kick ass on the rally stage while doubling as a technological showpiece. The 959 is older than it looks, it was initially debuted as a prototype at the 1983 Frankfurt Motor Show, but it only reached production status in 1986 and just 292 units were produced until production ceased in 1988. That includes special models and prototypes, which helps explain its rarity and why it’s sought after by top collectors. The 959 did meet homologation requirements for Group B racing and the car would have undoubtedly been a monster in the series, but by the time the thing hit production, Group B was scrapped because it was just too dangerous. If you don’t know anything about Group B, get to Googling it because it was responsible for loads of awesome special cars from many of the top automakers. Group B was responsible for cars like the Ford RS200, the Lancia 037, the MG Metro 6R4 and the Audi Quattro S1. They were beastly things, and it’s sad that we never got to see if the 959 could best them in competition, but looking at the facts and figures, it had a damn good chance. The 959 featured a twin-turbocharged 2.85-litre flat-six engine based on Porsche’s Le Mans-winning 956 racecar. The thing kicked out a rather impressive 330 kW of power with 500 Nm of torque, and with a weight of 1,450 kg, which translated into a rapid machine.
When driven in anger, the 959 was properly fast, thanks to a 6-speed manual transmission and an all-wheel drive system that was unheard of at the time, it could hit 100 km/h in as little as 3.7 seconds and had a top speed of 319 km/h. That’s fast even by today’s supercar standards, and this was in the mid-’80s. The 959’s body was a mix of aluminium and Kevlar-reinforced plastic and it featured an active aerodynamics package with a unique rear spoiler integrated into the bodywork for high-speed stability. This has become the standout feature of the 959 and it gives the car a unique look, something that’s not easy in this segment of the automotive sphere. The 959 also featured height-adjustable, electronically controlled suspension which is again something ahead of its time. This translated into brilliant handling dynamics. Even though the car was meant to be raced, it was still a Porsche and so the carbon featured leather upholstery, air conditioning, and a basic audio install. The seats were bucket-style like the well-known Tombstones but with higher side bolsters to keep your ass in place on sharp turns. With the rarity of the car and with the average price of one hovering around the $2,000,000 mark (a far cry from its $225,000 price tag in the 80s) we rarely get to see these cars being driven like they were intended. That’s why this content from one of our favourite automotive car testers/reviewers, Chris Harris, is so damn cool. Check it out and marvel at everything the car can do in the right hands, and take in that soundtrack - daaaamn!
Take a look at the YouTube video that shows our favourite YouTube car guy with mad driving skills get his hands on an iconic Porsche 959 and gives it a real good what for: Chris Harris on Cars: A love letter to the Porsche 959 | Chris Harris on Cars
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