In-Depth Photos of the Porsche 959
In 1987, Porsche's 959 accurately predicted the future of the turbocharged, all-wheel-drive supercar.
The Porsche 959 was, and is, a subtle supercar, not a hair-metal extrovert like its Italian contemporaries. It accurately predicted the future, becoming the blueprint for the next three decades of any-road-anytime turbocharged all-wheel-drive 911s. Read the full story here.
The 959 looks classic but conceals a quiver of modern tech. It has an adjustable suspension (damping and ride height), anti-lock brakes, and multiple settings for the torque-biasing all-wheel-drive system.
This 1988 model is owned and maintained by the Porsche Museum in Stuttgart, who flipped us the keys for a recent drive and photo shoot.
1988 Porsche 959
During our initial 959 test in 1987, we clocked 190 mph on a two-lane-wide stretch of unrestricted German autobahn. At night, of course. Porsche said with enough space it would do 195 mph.
We clocked the 959 at 3.6 seconds to 60 mph, which was mind-blowing back in 1987. Here's how we achieved it: switch the 959's programmable four-wheel-drive system into its locked setting, engage low gear, wind the engine to 7000 rpm, and drop the clutch. The result was a cloud of rubber dust from four spinning Bridgestone RE71 gumballs, and a car that disappeared as if shot from a cannon.
1988 Porsche 959
1988 Porsche 959
1988 Porsche 959
1988 Porsche 959
1988 Porsche 959
1988 Porsche 959
If the 959 instead had an automatic transmission, it would have really nailed today's supercar formula.
1988 Porsche 959
1988 Porsche 959
1988 Porsche 959
1988 Porsche 959
1988 Porsche 959
1988 Porsche 959
1988 Porsche 959
1988 Porsche 959
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