In the 1980s the world was just coming off the gas-crunch of the `70s, and it had a taste for insanely fast machinery thanks to the Group B racing boom in rally and road cars. Porsche decided it wanted to use the racing regulations as a test bed for future models, so it took a 911 and used it as a rough base to create the 959, one of the greatest cars the world had ever seen. Originally codenamed the Gruppe B, the 959 would make use of an incredibly advanced electronic all-wheel drive system, some of the most advanced body materials available in the world, and a whole host of electronic aids that set the blueprint for today’s supercars. When the car finally hit showrooms in 1986, the Porsche 959 was the fastest street-legal car in the entire world.
While its bones are a 911 underneath, the 959 is a completely separate model of car that shares very little with its donor. The engine used a hybrid air- and water-cooled design, came with a pair of turbochargers, and it produced 444 horsepower. The 959 is the template for the modern supercar in almost every way. As a road car, it was the first to ship with tire pressure sensors, magnesium wheels (with hollow spokes no less), and an active differential. On top of all of its other accolades, it was also the first mass-produced car to come with a six-speed manual. Even today there are few cars on sale that can match the speed, pace and excitement provided by this incredible Porsche.
Continue reading to learn more about the Porsche 959
Porsche 959 originally appeared on topspeed.com on Monday, 5 January 2015 15:00 EST.
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