The Porsche 959 was the company’s first true supercar and was the fastest road car of its time, with groundbreaking technology far ahead of its rivals. It featured a powerful engine inspired by Porsche’s racing prototypes, a lightweight composite chassis, adjustable suspension, advanced all-wheel drive, ABS brakes, run-flat tires, and other innovations.
Due to significant financial losses, Porsche chose not to modify or test the 959 to meet U.S. safety regulations, making it illegal for road use there. Although a few found their way into the country, the 959 became a key model in the push for the “Show or Display” rule, passed in 1999. This legislation allowed limited use of historically or technologically significant cars, enabling owners like Bill Gates to register their long-stored 959s finally.
Bruce Canepa, a longtime advocate for the model, eventually created the “959 SC Reimagined by Canepa” program in 2015. Drawing from years of driving and maintaining the 959, Canepa and his team developed a complete, meticulous restoration process in California. Each build starts by stripping the car to its steel frame and refinishing every panel and part.
Custom paint choices, including Porsche’s Paint-to-Sample options, are available, while the interior is completely reupholstered with over 400 hours of hand-stitched leather work and modern tech upgrades. More than 4,000 mechanical components are restored or improved. The 959 SC swaps its complex hydraulic suspension for lightweight coil-over shocks, gets upgraded brakes, and gets custom 18-inch wheels. Canepa’s engine upgrades push output to over 800 horsepower using modern components like BorgWarner turbos and a MoTec ECU.
This 1988 Porsche 959 originally left the factory as one of 266 “Komfort” models, finished in Polar Silver Metallic with a Dark Grey Metallic leather interior. After over 4,000 hours of meticulous work, it was completed in 2022 and assigned Canepa 959 SC serial #009. Now finished in a custom “Irish Green Plus” with ceramic-coated PPF and gun-metal grey 18-inch wheels, it features a stunning bespoke interior in tobacco brown leather and velour. The odometer reads just 2,130 miles since restoration.
Now offered for sale on Broad Arrow Private Sales, this Porsche 959 SC Reimagined by Canepa offers a rare opportunity to acquire an exceptional 1980s supercar configured and upgraded to modern standards.
Source: Broad Arrow Private Sales