The One-Off 1987 Porsche 959 Speedster

Scouring the web for brand spanking new car-related content material to be featured in our Petrolhead Nook can result in surprising surprises. Tales which have infrequently been informed earlier than, producers which can be lengthy gone and just about forgotten about, uncommon and even distinctive automobiles that just a few folks know of. Whereas I’m a self-proclaimed automobile nerd, I have no idea nor have I seen every part there’s about automobiles. That’s merely not possible. So when an e mail popped in with the title “one-off Porsche 959 Speedster”, it raised my eyebrows greater than just a bit. And after I noticed the automobile in query, I had a typical “What?!?!” response! Essentially the most logical factor to do is share the story of this one-of-a-kind Über-Porsche with you lot! And talking of “lot”, it’s arising for public sale quickly at RM Sotheby’s, in case you’re !

The Über-Porsche

Again within the late Eighties, bedroom-poster house was a battle between three automobiles: the Lamborghini Countach, the Ferrari F40 and this, the Porsche 959. The place the Lamborghini rewrote the rulebook on automobile design, and the Ferrari went for brutalist pace, the Porsche 959 was the luxurious super-athlete. All three have been contenders for the title of being the quickest automobile in manufacturing at one level, with the Countach LP 500 S hitting 293kph in 1982, the Porsche 959 reaching 317kph in 1986, and the Ferrari F40 being able to going 321kph (1988). Okay, the later 959 S and RUF CTR would go on to be even quicker, however the three shaped the top of supercars of the Eighties. The 959 S’ high pace of 339kph would solely be bested years later, by a bit of one thing known as McLaren F1.

The Porsche 959 began growth in 1981 as a homologation particular to tackle the Group B World Rally Championship proper earlier than that obtained cancelled, and thus, Porsche turned it right into a highway automobile as an alternative. It was even known as ‘Gruppe B’ throughout the early levels of its developmental life, earlier than being named the 959. It might be a testbed for Porsche to see how far they may push the 911’s platform. The outcome was a real Über-Porsche, with an entire vary of modern new techniques to spice up efficiency. The 450bhp 2.8-litre flat-six engine, largely based mostly on these discovered discover the 956 and 962 race automobiles, got here with sequential twin-turbocharging to scale back turbo lag. It had a high-tech, dynamic all-wheel-drive system able to tackling even snow and ice if wanted.

To maintain the burden down as a lot as attainable, the chassis was a mixture of aluminium, Aramid Kevlar and Nomex as an alternative of the extra standard metal alloys Porsche used again then. The wheels have been additionally fairly particular, as they have been comprised of magnesium with hole spokes and a tyre-pressure monitoring system. The physique was designed to optimise airflow and enhance stability, ensuing within the signature built-in wing within the prolonged rear-end. The automated ride-height system additionally helped to maintain the automobile planted at pace. Total, it was a severely superior automobile, and it got here full circle when it entered and received the 1986 Paris-Dakar rally. It might additionally spawn the 961 race automobile, geared toward tackling the IMSA Championship, in addition to the Le Mans 24 Hours, the place in 1986 it got here first at school and seventh total (All however one automobile within the total top-10 was a Porsche that yr).

The 959 was in manufacturing from 1986 to 1988, throughout which a complete of 337 automobiles have been constructed. The usual 959 got here in Komfort or Sport trim ranges, which had a zero-to-100kph time of below 4 seconds and an acclaimed high pace of 317kph. Porsche additionally constructed 29 959 S fashions, with much more energy and efficiency thanks to greater turbochargers, in alternate for air-conditioning, central locking, electrical window elevate and the chassis levelling system. With 515 bhp on faucet, the 959 S may hit a staggering 339 kph. In 1993, lengthy after it formally went out of manufacturing, Porsche constructed 8 extra 959 Komforts utilizing spare chassis and engines.

The chop-top 959

It goes to say that this one-of-a-kind Porsche 959 Speedster didn’t roll off Porsche’s meeting line in 1987, however was really transformed from a coupe to a convertible two years after it was constructed. It was first delivered to Jürgen Lässig, a Porsche manufacturing facility driver who got here in second on the Le Mans 24 Hours in 1987, and later would win the 1995 Daytona 24 Hours race. Lässig crashed the automobile and determined to promote it in 1988, upon which it was acquired by a gentleman known as Karl-Heinz Feustel. Feustel, a fellow Porsche racing driver and export, who additionally ran a specialist workshop with two associates, determined to do one thing radical.

To some, chopping the roof off a 959, even when it was concerned in a crash, would possibly sound like blasphemy for one of many biggest Porsches ever made. It is also seen because the saving grace for a automobile that might in any other case have been stripped for components and despatched to the junkyard with no outlook for a future on the highway. And for the reason that specialist work took round 4,000 hours to finish, I’m comfortable they didn’t rush the job! It appears to be like equal components surprising, wild and funky if I’m trustworthy!

In accordance with RM Sotheby’s particulars, there was an incredible deal with getting the match and end of the chop-top conversion good. It’s a Porsche in any case, so engineering-wise, it needed to be executed as near excellent as might be. An electrically operated soft-top was put in, and a detachable hard-top was constructed. The crew even made a low-level ‘Speedster’ entrance windshield, which may very well be exchanged for the usual 959 windshield you see within the pictures. Together with the onerous high, this windshield can also be included within the lot.

The automobile modified paint from Silver Metallic to Grand Prix white, one of many extra fashionable (and presumably greatest) colors for the 959. The inside modified from two-tone Cashmere beige and black leather-based to blue. And in typical Eighties trend, the seats had multi-coloured inserts, in fact. For the remainder, the 959 has been returned to operating, driving factory-fresh situation, and it nonetheless appears to be in wonderful situation even in the present day. That may be right down to having pushed simply 8,300 kilometres and the current service it has had, however it’s additionally a testomony to the work of each Porsche and Karl-Heinz Feustel.

It’s arising for public sale at RM Sotheby’s throughout their Milan occasion, which is held on Might twenty second, together with the hard-top, the speedster windshield and different extra components. The estimate for this distinctive 959 Speedster is about at EUR 1,100,000 to EUR 1,500,000, which is on the low finish of what Porsche 959s go for as of late. This one, although, offers you the enjoyment of feeling the wind by way of your hair whenever you step on the loud pedal and let unfastened the twin-turbo flat six’s 450 rampant horses!

For extra info, please go to RMSothebys.com.

Editorial Observe: The data used and pictures portrayed on this article are sourced from and used with permission of RM Sotheby’s except acknowledged in any other case.