1988 Porsche Type 959 Coupe

Porsche unveiled the 'Gruppe B Concept' in 1983 at the Frankfurt Auto Show, and subsequently as a production car in 1985. By the time production ceased in 1988, a total of 337 examples had been built, including 37 prototypes and pre-production models. An additional eight cars were assembled from spare parts from inventory during 1992 and 1993. The car's performance and attractive design were matched by its development costs - which nearly bankrupted Porsche. The MSRP of the 959 was 420,000 DM (around $300,000), but it is estimated that the company still lost 50% of its costs on each of the 292 standard units sold. Most of the 959s received Komfort trim, which included air conditioning, cabin insulation, seatbelts, an adjustable suspension system, and leather upholstery.

Disregarding any limitation, including cost, the Porsche 959 was the Paragon of the supercar market, setting benchmarks for technology and performance. Its existence began as a Group B rally car, eventually becoming a road-legal production car built to satisfy FIA homologation regulations. Capable of achieving a top speed of 197 mph (317 km/h), the twin-turbocharged 959 was the world's fastest street-legal production car at the time of its introduction.

Helmuth Bott's team of engineers at Porsche utilized innovative technologies to achieve unparalleled levels of performance. It was given an intelligent four-wheel-drive system, an adjustable suspension, lightweight Kevlar composite and aluminum body panels, and super-lightweight hollow-spoke magnesium wheels. Beneath its svelt body shell was a rear-mounted, race-proven flat-six engine that displaced 2.85 liters. The twin-turbocharged units had air-cooled cylinders and four-valve, water-cooled cylinder heads. One of the turbochargers produced low-end boost, while the second exhaust-driven turbine came into play at 4,500 rpm. Despite its small size, the engine produced 450 horsepower at 6,500 RPM.

A specially designed Borg-Warner six-speed transmission included a low 'Gelande' gear for use in off-road situations. The PSK (Porsche-Steuer-Kupplung) system allowed the driver to vary the 370 pound-feet of torque between the front and rear axles. Under hard acceleration, up to 80 percent of power/torque could be electronically transferred rearward.

The race-derived suspension used double-wishbones at each corner, with coil springs and double shocks that could be adjusted by the turn of a knob from the driver's seat. The shock damping and ride height were electronically adjustable, accommodating a variety of driving scenarios and situations. The 17-inch lightweight magnesium alloy wheels were wrapped with model-specific run-flat tires and controlled by power-assisted, ventilated disc brakes with ABS.

Chassis number WP0ZZZ95ZJS900247 : 1988 Porsche 959 Komfort
The first owner of this 959 Komfort example, number 247, was German real estate and construction magnate Franz Sallinger who purchased it directly from the factory in August 1988 and had it registered with the vanity plate 'MYK E 959.' It was finished in the color combination of Polar Silver over a full Dark Grey leather interior and fitted with a pair of heated, electronically adjustable sport seats.

After spending time in Japan, this Porsche was acquired by its current caretaker approximately three decades ago (around 2003). Currently, the car has fewer than 9,500 kilometers (5,900 miles) on its odometer.

By Daniel Vaughan | Jan 2024