Porsche 959 - The Godfather of All Modern Cars and Beyond
It's more historically significant than you think.
Back in the 70s, the oil crisis had taken a toll on global economy. Nobody had any interest in purchasing powerful performance cars. The 2nd generation Ford Mustang, for example, was developed based on Ford’s subcompact car Pinto. The 1975 model received a 4.9L V8 that only made a poultry 140hp. Technological advancements in the auto industry were stagnant, especially in the performance segment.
By Eddi Laumanns aka RX-Guru [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/)], from Wikimedia Common
But then Group-B happened in 1982, which changed the entire auto industry and brought with it an array of the most outrageous, technologically advanced rally cars. Arguably the most influential car of them all is the Porsche 959.
At that time, Porsche was keen to explore the potential of its classic rear-engine layout and decided to attempt fitting an all-new all wheel drive system. Eventually, Porsche set its eyes on Group B, where regulations were few and companies were free to research, explore, and innovate as long as they produce 200 homologation cars. What Porsche eventually came up with was nothing shy of a true technological marvel.
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Water-Cooled or Air-Cooled? I Know, Let's Have Both!
The engine was based on Porsche's existing air-cooled 3.2L flat 6 found in the then-new 911. Yet because Porsche fitted a sequential twin-turbo setup for this new powerplant, regulations require that it had to be downsized to 2.85L. It also had 4 valves per cylinder, a remarkable feat that resulted in one of the most bizarre engine cooling solutions. The 4-valve setup required extra cooling, while all production 911 engines were air-cooled up until then. The company was divided in half, with one half siding for water-cooling and the other half sticking to their air-cooling roots. The solution? Water-cooled cylinder heads with air-cooled block. The result was 444 hp at 6,500 rpm and 500 N⋅m (369 lb⋅ft) of torque at 5,000 rpm. The sequential-turbo setup also meant a relatively linear power delivery, in contrast with the contemporary Carrera Turbo’s sudden kick in the back as if one’s strapped to a rocket launcher.
Great, But How to Harness Such Colossal Firepower then?
The 959’s other party trick was its Porsche-Steuer Kupplung (PSK) AWD system, which allowed the on-board computer to send up tot 80% of the power to the rear wheels, depending on the road conditions. This allowed the 959 to gain traction in the toughest terrain, crucial for rally racing conditions.
© M 93 / Wikimedia Commo
To further improve stability, Porsche fitted the 959 with automatic adjustable ride height. That was more than 30 years ago, people.
When in Doubt, "Gelände"!
And then there's the biggest quirk on this car: it has a 6-speed manual but the highest gear is only fifth. Why? The lowest gear isn't 1st; it's "G", which stands for "Gelände" in German and "Terrain" in English. This gear is shorter than any other gear, thus capable of providing more wheel torque when driver's in the toughest conditions.
Despite being packed with all these cutting-edge technologies, the 959 still only weighed in at a healthy 1,450 kg (3,179 lbs) due to Porsche’s extensive use of a composite of aluminium and Kevlar in body and chassis construction.
By Rick W. Dryve (Flickr) [CC 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/)], via Flickr
Eventually, Porsche’s hard work paid off. In 1986, 3 959s competed in Dakar in Africa, where they finished first, second, and sixth.
Michael Barera [CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0), CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0) or GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html)], from Wikimedia Commons
Porsche also built a circuit variant of the 959, dubbed the 961, to compete in Porsche’s “home away from home”, Le Mans. Originally designed for Group B, the 961 finished 7th overall, an incredible feat for a “not purposefully built” circuit racer.
Sadly, however, Porsche never had the chance to bring the 959 to Group B, which was banned in 1987 after a series of fatal crashes involving drivers and spectators. And it was a shame because in Group B lie 959's roots. If not for Group B, 959 would not have existed.
Godfather of All Modern Cars. And More.
So yes, the 959 brought fourth a host of new technologies that paved path for countless future sports cars to come. The AWD system that varies power split depending on road conditions, the sequential turbo setup, and the automatic adjustable ride height were all inspirations for other manufacturers and have trickled down to our modern daily drivers. Without the 959, it would be hard to say what the Ferrari F40 would’ve been. No, it wouldn’t have a top speed of 201 mph (324km/h) just to beat the 959 for sure. Thus, the 959 is quite literally the godfather of all modern sports cars.
"Peter Schutz" by Marcel Antonisse / Anefo (Nationaal Archief) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
But there’s one more thing it achieved that’s just as valuable yet often overlooked. Before the development of the 959, 911 development was largely halted because Ernst Fuhrmann, chairman of Porsche till 1980, believed that the front-engined 928 would be the company’s future. Luckily, however, as Peter Schutz took over, he decided to keep the 911 bloodline and sell it alongside 928. The first 959 concept was believed to have been based on the 928’s front-engine layout, yet it was quickly scrapped after realizing the potential in 911’s rear-engine layout.
In other words, without the 959, the rear-engined 911 would probably not have been what we know of today. The distinctive rear-engine handling feel would’ve been long lost. There would not have been a frog-shaped sports car claiming the Nurburgring production car record. There would be no 911 R, no 911 GT3, no flat-6 screaming to 9,000 rpm and making every hair of yours stand up.
© [Rennauto siebziger Jahre] / Adobe Stock
Heck, would there still be Porsche, if not for the 959?
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Comments (7)
Fantastic post Frank!
Thanks Jason! Glad you liked it!
Although I'd like to say "and then Ferrari smacked its face in with the F40", this was a great article. Keep going Frank!
Thanks man I appreciate it! Will keep learning and writing!:)
And there's one more thing. It looks really really good.
Great read.
One of maybe 3 Porsches id actually pay for...what a fantastic car!
I think it’s great that Porsche makes something that is different than just a 911. Just look at its successors like the Carrera GT and the 918 Spyder