Porsche 959
1986–1988 (+8 cars 1992–93) · Porsche 959 — Supercar, Flat-6 Twin-Turbo, designed by Benjamin Dimson.
The Story
Conceived in 1981 as Porsche’s Group B homologation weapon and its technological manifesto, the 959 arrived in 1986 as, arguably, the most advanced car on Earth. Helmuth Bott’s brief was simple and impossible: build the supercar to end all supercars. The result paired a 2.85-litre SEQUENTIAL twin-turbo flat-six (450 PS, water-cooled heads on air-cooled cylinders, lifted from the 956/962 Le Mans program) with the computer-controlled PSK all-wheel-drive system that could shuffle up to 80% of torque rearward on demand — the great-grandfather of every modern 911 Turbo’s driveline. It hit 197 mph (the Sport, 211), the fastest road car of its day. Porsche reportedly lost ~$200,000 on every one it sold. It also won the Paris-Dakar. There has never been a clearer statement of intent.
The Numbers
Benchmarked against its class
Each dial ranks this car within its Supercar class — fuller means higher, and the tick marks the class midpoint.
Signature Colors
The Designer
Benjamin Dimson
A Filipino designer (Adamson University, Manila; ArtCenter, Pasadena), Dimson became exterior lead on the 964 under Style Porsche before moving to Mercedes-Benz, where he rose to chief designer of its California advanced studio.
Studio Motors POV
The most important Porsche ever built that almost nobody drove. The 959 is where the modern Porsche — turbocharged, all-wheel-drive, computer-managed — was invented; own one as the blue-chip cornerstone it is.
The Engine
959 flat-six (Type 959/50)
Lineage
Where it sits in the bloodline
Market & Value
Values on cars like this move monthly. Our brokers price from real transactions.
What Reviewers Said About 959
Worth Knowing About the 959
3 Things You Didn’t Know
- 1) Porsche LOST money on every 959 — roughly $200k per car, on the exchange rate and the cost of its bleeding-edge tech. 2) Its hollow-spoke magnesium wheels carried built-in tyre-pressure monitoring — in 1986. 3) The 959's US-import saga literally changed federal law: Bill Gates's car sat impounded by Customs for 13 years until he, Otis Chandler and Bruce Canepa lobbied Congress into the 'Show or Display' exemption.
5 Fast Facts
- • ~292 completed (337 incl. prototypes), 1986–88. • 2.85L sequential twin-turbo flat-six, 450 PS; 197 mph (Sport 211). • 0–60 in ~3.6 s — supercar-humbling in the 1980s. • The 961 race version won its class at Le Mans 1986. • A blue-chip grail today: ~$1.4M–$2M+, Sport and special cars higher.
Provenance
Owners & what to look for
Famous Owners
Bill Gates (the 13-year-impounded car that helped trigger the 2001 ‘Show or Display’ law) and Paul Allen; Otis Chandler and Bruce Canepa (co-lobbyists for the law — Canepa is the marque’s foremost 959 specialist); Jerry Seinfeld (sold a 1986 959 at Gooding’s Amelia Island sale, March 2016). [Wikipedia / Gooding & Company]
Studio Buyer’s Brief
Komfort (the civilised road car, the vast majority) versus the lighter, rarer, faster Sport. The later 1992–93 cars and the ‘Canepa Generation’ (Bruce Canepa’s modern reliability/power upgrades) are sought-after. Originality and full Porsche service history are paramount — the bespoke tyres and complex AWD/hydraulics make a known, specialist-maintained car worth the premium. Clean US ‘Show or Display’ / 25-year import status adds real value Stateside.
Full Specifications
- Make / Model
- Porsche 959
- Class
- Supercar
- Production years
- 1986–1988 (+8 cars 1992–93)
- Units built
- 292 completed (337 incl. prototypes)
- Variants
- 959 Komfort, 959 Sport; ~337 built
- Engine layout
- Rear
- Engine
- Flat-6 Twin-Turbo
- Engine family
- 959 flat-six (Type 959/50)
- Displacement
- 2.85L / 2849 cc
- Power
- 444 hp
- Torque
- 369 lb-ft
- 0–60 mph
- 3.6 s
- Top speed
- 197 mph
- Power-to-weight
- 306 hp/tonne · 7.2 lb/hp
- Transmission
- 6-speed manual
- Drivetrain
- AWD · Petrol
- Curb weight
- 3197 lb
Questions
959 FAQ
What engine does the Porsche 959 use?
The 959 uses a Type 959/50 2.85-litre twin-turbocharged flat-six with air-cooled cylinders and water-cooled heads, producing 444 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque through a 6-speed manual and permanent all-wheel drive. Two sequential turbochargers stage boost delivery to reduce lag.
Why is the Porsche 959 historically significant?
The 959 (1986-1988) was the most technologically advanced road car of its era, introducing sequential twin-turbocharging, a sophisticated torque-splitting AWD system, hollow-spoke magnesium wheels, and Kevlar-reinforced bodywork to production. Developed as a Group B rally and Le Mans homologation car, it previewed technology that would appear across the Porsche range over the following two decades.
What is a Porsche 959 worth today?
The 959 Komfort trades in the $1,400,000-$2,000,000-plus range in 2025-2026 markets, with the rarer 959 Sport commanding a substantial premium above Komfort examples. Only 292 production cars were completed, and the model’s status as the definitive technology flagship of the 1980s keeps it firmly in blue-chip territory. RM Sotheby’s and Gooding handle the majority of 959 consignments.
How does the Porsche 959 compare to the Ferrari F40?
The 959 and Ferrari F40 are the defining supercar rivals of the late 1980s. The 959 (444 hp, AWD, sequential twin-turbo) prioritised technology and sophistication — its AWD gave it a traction advantage in poor weather and mixed-surface conditions. The lighter F40 offered higher raw speed and more direct circuit potential.
Can Studio Motors source a Porsche 959?
Yes.
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