Porsche’s 961: Close, But No Cigar

The Gruppe B rally class was short-lived, effectively only seeing action between 1982 and 1986. Porsche’s design study intended for this class, its technological powerhouse, the Type 959, was introduced at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 1983, showcasing the Stuttgart manufacturer’s capabilities to the motorsport world. But preparing such a sophisticated car for production would take another two years, as the Gruppe B class called for the production of two hundred units to meet homologation requirements.

(From left to right) Group shot of the Porsche 959 Paris-Dakar, 959 Coupé road car and 961 racer (1986).

Such a low production number was difficult for the automotive industry to get its head around, as it was too small for the bigger manufacturers to plan for and too large for a special limited run. But for Porsche, this was something that they specialized in, even relished, but with the four-wheel-drive layout, the 959 became the manufacturer’s most ambitious project yet. With Porsche’s intention to use the four-wheel-drive in other applications, the 959 project was delayed as the company’s commitment to Group C racing was paramount.