Porsche 959
There are fast cars, and then there are consequential fast cars. The distinction matters because speed alone does not guarantee significance. Plenty of machines arrive with huge numbers, heroic styling, and enough scarcity to make collectors weak in the knees. Some are brilliant. Some are beautiful. Some are terrifying. But...
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...
The idea for 959 was born as early as 1983 when this so-called Guppe B prototype was displayed at Frankfurt Motor Show. While there were glimpses of the contemporary 911 in the Gruppe B – the wheelbase, the roofline, the windows and doors, much of the interior – in truth the new model had little in common with Porsche’s perennial sports car. The production 959 ended up being launched in 1987.