The Porsche 959 is a sports car manufactured by Porsche from 1986 to 1993, first as a Group B rally car and later as a legal production car designed to satisfy FIA homologation regulations requiring at least 200 street legal units be built.

When it was introduced, the twin-turbocharged 959 was the world's fastest street-legal production car, boasting a top speed of 195 miles per hour (314 km/h), with the sport model capable of reaching 197 miles per hour (317 km/h). During its production run it was hailed as the most technologically advanced road-going sports car ever built, and forerunner of all future super cars. It was one of the first high-performance vehicles with all-wheel drive, providing the basis for Porsche's first all-wheel drive Carrera 4 model. Its performance convinced Porsche executives to make all-wheel drive standard on all 911 Turbos starting with the 993. In 2004, Sports Car International named the 959 number one on its list of Top Sports Cars of the 1980s.

Porsche’s deep pockets and never-ending desire to explore possibilities drove the near-endless list of innovations that make up the Porsche 959. Some call the 959 Porsche’s supercar. Technologically speaking, the car is worlds away from any car of the era and, with only 230 built, the term “exotic” is fitting. The estimated build cost of each 959 was more than $500,000 but the cars sold for $225,000 at the time. Porsche called it an investment, hoping components could be used in future models. However, the only technology ever used was the four-wheel drive system that was part of the Carrera 4. The 959 derives its power from the 962 Group C racecar and puts out 450 horsepower, the highest on record at the time for a road car. The car uses a sequential twin-turbo which aids responsiveness and efficiency in power delivery. The 959’s race history is both on and off-road; it even won its class in the Paris-Dakar Rally.

In 1987, Enzo would reveal the last masterpiece built under his direction, the F40. The F40 was borne from the ashes of the 288 Evoluzione, a race car which never saw a circuit. With an enlarged 2.9-litre twin-turbo V8, the F40 made 477 horsepower and weighed next to nothing, a fact imperative in its reaching its top speed of 321 km/h (199 mph) — just one mile-per-hour faster than the Porsche 959, with its 2.9-litre twin-turbo six-cylinder. Although Ferrari stated the car could do 201 miles per hour, nobody would actually reach that top speed in proper tests.

While it’s a cute anecdote that Ferrari and Porsche battled it out for the top speed record in the late 1980s, it’s actually not true. By the time the Ferrari F40 had come around in 1987, there was already another car that’d beat Porsche’s record, another RUF, this time one called the CTR “Yellowbird.” With a twin-turbocharged 3.4-litre Porsche flat-six making 463 horsepower, the Yellowbird managed to catapult over the competition.

1987 Porsche 959 (man. 6) (model since mid-year 1987 for Europe ) specifications
Model: 959 - 1987-1988
Submodel: 959 Coupe - 1987-1988
EEC segmentation: S (sport cars)
Subsegment: SUP (sport supercars, exotics)
Class: supercar
Body style: fastback coupe

Engine manufacturer: Porsche
Engine type: spark-ignition 4-stroke
Fuel type: gasoline (petrol)
Fuel system: indirect injection
Valves per cylinder: 4 / Additional features: Bosch Motronic, 2x turbo 0.9-1.0 bar, 2 intercoolers / DOHC
Charge system: 2 turbochargers (first turbo max boost 2500rpm / second turbo max boost 5500)

Cylinders alignment: Boxer 6 2.8L
Displacement: 2850 cm3 / 174 cui
Horsepower net: 331 kW / 450 PS / 444 hp (DIN) @ 6500rpm
Torque net: 500 Nm / 369 ft-lb @ 5500rpm

Curb weight (Official): 1450 kg / 3197 lbs
Curb weight (without a driver&Fuel): 1487 kg (tested by Auto Motor Unt Sport = Curb weight test car full tank 1558kg)
Weight distribution f/r 42 : 58 (autozine.org)
Fuel Tank Capacity: 90L

Traction: PSK 4-wheel drive (multiplate clutch, electronically controlled)
normal torque split between front/rear was 40 : 60, but could go up to 20 : 80 in hard acceleration
Transmission type: manual
Number of gears: 6
Gear ratios (overall):
I 3.5 (14.44)
II 2.059 (8.49)
III 1.409 (5.81)
IV 1.036 (4.27)
V 0.813 (3.35)
VI 0.639 (2.64)
Final drive ratio std: 4.125

Front brakes: disc ventilated 322 mm / 12.7 in
Rear brakes: disc ventilated 304 mm / 12 in

Original tires: 235/45 VR 17 (F); 255/40 VR 17 (R)

Factory claim
Top speed: 310 km/h / 193 mph --- OK (314 tsa)
0-100 km/h (sec): 3.9 ---- 3.92 tsa
Estimated
Top speed: 309 km/h / 192 mph (theor. without speed governor)
0-100 km/h (sec): 3.7 ---- 3.92 tsa
0-160 km/h (sec): 8.7 ---- 9.09 tsa
0-200 km/h (sec): 13.4 ---- 13.77 tsa
0-300 km/h (sec): 67.5 ---- 55.35 tsa

Drag times:
0- 1/4mile (sec): 11.9 ---- 12.15 tsa
0- 1km (sec): 21.7 ---- 22.10 tsa

Braking
100-0 kph (m): ------- 39.8 tsa