Before paving the way for modern supercars, the Porsche 959 started as a rally car but later got into production because the FIA (the governing body for many auto racing events) required that competition cars had to be homologated with at least 200 units made for road use. Porsche produced 345 of these cars, and now, there's one for sale at Hemmings, although you probably can't afford it.
The 959
Porsche manufactured this two-door coupe from 1986 to 1993, in two trim levels, 'Sport' and' Komfort,' the first with track-focused mods and finishings, and the other one more focused on cruising and comfort. When this car came out, it was the fastest street-legal production car ever made (197mph), and it wasn't street legal in the United States until the "show or display" law was passed in 1999.
This law allowed privately imported vehicles to be exempted of meeting regulations if the car meets standards of "historical or technological significance." Microsoft's founder and Porsche enthusiast, Bill Gates, bought a 959 but got stuck at customs for 13 years until the show or display law passed.
Under The Hood
Under the hood, the 959 sports a 2.9 liter flat-6. This engine's block, heads, and pistons are made from aluminum and titanium, and it features a dry-sump oiling system meaning the engine is very light and compact. The engine had two sequential turbochargers, allowing this engine to deliver 444 horsepower, 369 pound-feet of torque, and performance numbers such as 0-62 mph in 3.7 seconds and a top speed of 197 mph. The 959 is known for its state of the art AWD system, which is considered to be one of the most advanced AWD systems ever made.
If You Have To Ask
You can get this white with the burgundy/grey cloth interior 959, which belonged to the Earl of Mexborough, with a 6-speed manual transmission and only 34,449 miles for $1,250,000. What do you think?
Source: Hemmings