A Luxury '80s Classic: the Porsche 959
The Porsche 959 is an iconic 1980s supercar that was way ahead of its time.
Written by Andrew Kidd
Reviewed by Kathleen Flear
Table of Contents
One of
Porsche
's most memorable luxury vehicles debuted at a time when big hair and David Byrne's giant suits were all the rage.The
Porsche 959S
was a sensation in the mid-1980s—but its appeal and general sexiness still hold up after all these years.A follow-up to the 911
Per
Hagerty
, the development of the 959 began in 1981 and it was introduced for the 1986 model year.It featured adjustable suspension, a unique all-wheel drive system, anti-lock brakes, and a zero-lift aluminum/carbon body.
Its air- and water-cooled 2.85-liter flat-six, a twin-turbo engine produced 444 horsepower and 359 lb.-ft of torque, which gave it a 0-to-60 time of less than four seconds and a top speed near 200 mph.
It was also somewhat limited in its production, with production estimates between 200 and 337. It came in two trim levels—Komfort and Sport—which offered more luxurious trappings or a spartan weight-saving configuration, respectively.
According to
TopSpeed.com
, Porsche made an even more exclusive, sportier model of its 959 called the 959 S, which was limited to just 29 units. This iteration featured a roll cage, sport seating, racing seat belts, and race-tuned suspension and was capable of a 3.5-second 0-to-60 time with a top speed of 198 mph.
It still holds its value
While its aesthetic appeal holds up, so does its value, apparently.
According to Hagerty, a 1988 Porsche 959 Komfort coupe—with a flat-six 450 horsepower twin-turbo engine—is worth nearly $1 million in good condition, while the most pristine examples have gone for more than $2 million in the past.
If you're lucky, you can find one in questionable condition for $8,250. When launched for the 1986 model year, you could snag a Porsche 959 for $225,000-$250,000—which would be more than $600,000 in today's currency.
Modified for import
The Porsche 959 wasn't road legal—initially. According to TopSpeed.com, Porsche did not allow government regulators to crash four of its vehicles for crash ratings, so it wasn't allowed on U.S. roads in its original form, though there is some debate on whether or not this is completely accurate, as import laws had changed at the time.
Canepa Design modified the 959's turbocharger and emissions systems to help it pass U.S. emissions requirements to become street-legal in the U.S.
These modifications also made it more powerful; the Canepa-tuned Porsche 959 had an output of 575 horsepower and 540 lb.-ft. of torque, with a 3.2-second 0-to-60 time and a top speed of 220 mph.
Famous drivers of this particular Porsche include multi-billionaire Microsoft founder
Bill Gates
, who famously included a Porsche 959 among his stable of hot cars.C
lassic car coverage
for a Porsche 959 can’t be cheap, and according to Forbes
, the average policy for a vehicle like a Porsche Taycan is almost $4,700 a year.If you're looking to save on your car insurance, give
Jerry
a try. Jerry customers save an average of over $800 annually to insure their vehicle. If you hate gathering quotes and you’d rather leave it to someone else, the Jerry app sources quotes from 55+ insurance companies, like Nationwide, Safeco, Progressive, and Travelers. Jerry even helps cancel your old policy once you’ve made your pick.
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