Automotive Shotime: Dec 14–Porsche 959
Introduction
Hello there. Welcome back to Automotive Shotime, the article series made for automotive gearheads. We are now in the middle of December, and that means Christmas and the year 2023 are just weeks away. Be sure to take good care of your health and prepare for your Christmas celebrations with your family and friends.
That aside, in today’s episode, we will be taking a look at one of Porsche’s most famous vehicles. No, it isn’t the Porsche 911. While the 911 is the prestige icon for Porsche and is famous across the globe, the Porsche 959 was groundbreaking back in the 1980s. It is one of the most technologically advanced cars of its day, and if you’re a big fan of rallying, the 959 is one of the most elite cars in Group B, the most lunatic and brutal era of rally racing.
The origins of the 959 in the late 1970s
Although the 911 series was a big success when it debuted in the mid-60s, it started to seem outdated by the end of the 70s. Porsche wasn’t so pessimistic, however, and they started to develop the initial idea for the 959, acting as an exercise in seeing how far the 911 series can be developed. And in 1981, an all-wheel-drive, one-off 911 was shown at the Frankfurt Motor Show. And 2 years later, they announced ‘Gruppe B’.
Group B Rally and the debut of the 959
In some people’s eyes, Group B was probably the most memorable era of Rallying. The main reason is that there are no limits to how much horsepower to the rally cars, have as long as the manufacturers can produce 200 road-going versions of their vehicle. As a result of this regulation, marques like Lancia, Audi, Peugeot, etc.., went completely nuts in creating their Group B rally behemoths. Porsche’s ‘Gruppe B’ 911 was designed particularly for Group B and it sparked the hint for the debut of the 959.
However, like their 917 ten years ago, the 959 suffered a very difficult gestation period. The technical demands and legislation by America were challenging, and the car wasn’t officially unveiled to the public until 1985. By the time the actual deliveries had begun in 1987, Group B Rallying had already been abandoned. Despite that, people were still willing to buy this revolutionary Porsche, even with an eye-watering price of 140,000 pounds, which is quintuple the price of a standard 911 in the 2010s.
The 959’s outstanding performance and tech advancements
The Porsche 959 is equipped with a flat-6 engine generating 450 brake-horsepower mounted in the rear, like the mainline 911s. The engine was also fitted with 2 KKK turbochargers that work sequentially to provide a more progressive boost rather than a neck-breaking punch. Even so, the 959 can do 0–60 in under 4 seconds, and reach a top speed of 196 miles per hour. It is also the first Porsche to feature water cooling, and it combines both air and water for its cooling system.
But the reason why this car is so technologically advanced at its time is because of its many computer-controlled systems. To start, its four-wheel-drive system features 4 different settings for varying road conditions, and the car would adjust its power output to the front and rear wheels depending on the setting and driving demands. This was later known as ‘torque vectoring, and it created a massive scene at the time. Even though the Audi Quattro(and I believe many SUVs like Bronco for example)was already using 4-wheel-drive systems beforehand, many people consider the 959 the first supercar to use the technology(this is also why I have to use the word ‘supercar’ instead of the word ‘car’ for the sub-heading).
Apart from the drivetrain, the 959 is fitted with many other driving assists that are seen in every vehicle nowadays. For instance, it has computer-controlled brakes as well as an ABS, the steering had servo-assist(which is what we now know as power-steering), and both its ride height and suspension stiffness were variable. If we think about it, the Porsche 959 has made driving a car much easier by introducing all the technology listed above. These were considered to be space technology back then, but they were common and extremely crucial in modern vehicles.
Glory and success of the 959?
Porsche had a long history of motorsport success. Ironically, their 959 — their most advanced car to date, did not partake in road racing. Instead, it achieved an impressive 1–2 result at the 1986 Paris-Dakar Rally and came 7th in Le Mans(first in its class), but that was it. As I mentioned earlier, the 959 was made for Group B Rallying, but due to it being abandoned after tragic fatalities, the 959 never got a chance to race in it. In terms of racing, the 917, which helped Porsche to get its first win in Le Mans, would probably be more iconic than the 959.
Moreover, even though it is an extremely rare car due to having a limited production run, and customers are willing to pay as much as 1 million dollars for one of these, rumours say that Porsche was losing between $150,000 and $300,000 on each sale. And for petrol heads, other Porsches such as the old 911 Carreras may even be more fun to drive while sharing the same interior.
My thoughts on the Porsche 959
The Porsche 959 is different. It revolutionized the world of supercars with its state-of-the-art technology everyone has seen on a car. The 959, unlike any other supercar before its birth, is easy to drive thanks to all its driving assists and all-wheel-drive system, and it’s very quiet as well, even at high speeds. It set itself as the mother of all modern Porsches: An example of what the Porsches from this point onward should be like.
No. It didn’t just change the world of supercars. It completely changed what cars should be like, and contributed massively to the cars we see every day. Think about it: If ABS did not exist, people would have to learn how to slow their car down while making sure to not lock up the brakes; If there weren’t power steering on every car manufactured in the 21st century, every person would need very strong arms just to steer the car; If all-wheel-drive and different driving modes wasn’t made popular because of the 959, maybe fewer people would buy supercars because they would be much less useful and convenient for daily driving.
To me, the 959 is not the best supercar by any means. Even when we are comparing to other supercars made in the 80s only, some cars were much more exciting and look much cooler. The Ferrari F40 alone would probably be good enough to make everyone forget about the 959. However, the 959 isn’t special as a supercar. It is special because of its technological impact on the modern-day automotive industry. It made cars, including most supercars, from its debut onward much easier for people to drive, and it probably indirectly made cars more popular among common people, especially those who want a car only as private transport.
Conclusion
And that is the end of today’s Automotive Shotime on the Porsche 959. For our next episode, we will cover a car from the modern era, fitted with not just many Formula 1 technology, but with an engine from a Formula 1 car as well. However, the car itself is not a Formula 1 car. Be sure to stay tuned to find out what it is. See you all next time!
