WANNA OWN A PORSCHE 959 SPORT? YOU'LL NEED A PLANE TICKET TO MIAMI AND ABOUT R120 MILLION.
The Porsche 959 is one of those rare Porsches that doesn’t immediately scream '911' - unless you catch it head-on, where the headlights hint at its lineage. Conceived in the early 1980s as Porsche’s answer to Group B rally dominance, the 959 was an ambitious blend of cutting-edge technology and brute performance. It was designed to obliterate rally stages while serving as a rolling showcase of Porsche’s engineering prowess. The 959’s story began in 1983 when it debuted as a prototype at the Frankfurt Motor Show, but it wouldn’t see production until 1986. By the time the final unit rolled off the line in 1988, only 292 examples had been built, including prototypes and special models - making it one of the rarest and most sought-after Porsches ever. Though it met homologation requirements for Group B, the category had been deemed too dangerous and was scrapped before the 959 could properly stretch its legs in competition. That left us with a road car built for a motorsport class that no longer existed, but one that still had the performance credentials to rival anything of its time. At its heart was a twin-turbocharged 2.85-litre flat-six engine, derived from Porsche’s Le Mans-winning 956 race car. Producing 330 kW and 500 Nm of torque, the 959 packed a serious punch, especially given its relatively light 1,450 kg weight. With power sent through a six-speed manual transmission and an advanced all-wheel-drive system - unheard of in a supercar of its era - the 959 could rocket from 0 to 100 km/h in just 3.7 seconds and push on to a top speed of 319 km/h. Even by today’s standards, those are some amazing figures. The body was an advanced mix of aluminium and Kevlar-reinforced plastic, featuring active aerodynamics and an integrated rear spoiler that remains one of its most distinctive design elements. Adding to its futuristic arsenal was an electronically controlled, height-adjustable suspension system - another innovation well ahead of its time. But despite its race-bred DNA, the 959 retained a level of comfort expected from a Porsche, with leather upholstery, air conditioning, and a minimalist audio system. The bucket seats, resembling the iconic Tombstones but with deeper bolsters, ensured drivers stayed planted during hard cornering. Given its rarity and the fact that values have climbed to around $2,000,000 today - far from its original $225,000 price tag - it’s no surprise that most 959s are now kept in collections rather than unleashed on the open road.
Among the most coveted variants is the 959 Sport, a lighter, more track-focused version with fewer creature comforts. All Sport models were identical apart from paint choices—Grand Prix White or Guards Red. This particular example, the 16th 959 Sport built, was originally purchased in June 1989 by Werner Funk of La Jolla, California. Unlike most buyers, Funk acquired his car directly from Porsche rather than through a dealership, a rare “Direktverkauf” (direct sale). Funk had deep ties to Porsche, having worked as a crew chief for a Porsche factory-sponsored racing team. However, due to U.S. import restrictions and emissions laws, he was unable to legally register the 959 in the States, leading him to part with it after just a few weeks. Before selling the car through Graber Ferrari in Switzerland, Funk made sure to properly enjoy it—renting a track in France and putting the 959 through its paces alongside a Ferrari F40 and 288 GTO. He estimates logging about 100 miles during the session, recalling, “What fun it was.” Photos on file document this legendary day, showcasing three of the era’s finest supercars in their natural habitat. Following its brief stint with Funk, the 959 Sport remained in Switzerland for the majority of its life. In 2008, Porsche Zentrum Schinznach Bad performed engine and gearbox maintenance, along with repairs to the ABS and limited-slip differential. Further records document its meticulous upkeep through 2015. The car then moved to Italy before being exported to Sweden, eventually making its way back to Italy before arriving in the United States, where it now resides. The current owner, a dedicated Porsche collector, has preserved it in exceptional condition, with the odometer showing just 3,757 miles at the time of cataloguing. Now, this pristine 959 Sport is set to cross the RM Sotheby’s auction block on the last weekend of February, with estimates suggesting it could fetch around $6,500,000 - or roughly R120,000,000. Given its rarity, impeccable provenance, and low mileage, this might be one of the finest examples of Porsche’s ultimate Group B road car ever offered for sale.
Take a look at the YouTube video that also shows off a rare Porsche 959 Sport from an auction via RM Sotheby's a good 8 years ago. It's a stunning piece of kit and will no doubt end up in the clutches of a serious Porsche collector: Porsche 959 Sport: The Childhood Dream | RM Sotheby's
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