Porsche 959
Porsche
Porsche 959: The Technological Tour de Force
The 959 was Porsche's groundbreaking 1980s supercar, packed with advanced all-wheel drive and twin-turbo technology that redefined what a road car could do.
Built to homologate a Group B rally car, the 959 emerged in the mid-1980s as one of the most technologically advanced cars in the world. Its twin-turbocharged flat-six produced around 444 horsepower, and a sophisticated computer-controlled all-wheel-drive system could vary torque distribution in real time, technology far ahead of its rivals.
The 959 could exceed 195 mph, making it among the fastest production cars of its day, while also proving its toughness by winning the grueling Paris-Dakar Rally. Features like adjustable ride height, run-flat tires with pressure monitoring, and hollow-spoke magnesium wheels showcased Porsche's engineering ambition.
Only about 337 were built, and the 959 was so expensive to produce that Porsche reportedly sold each at a loss. It directly influenced the all-wheel-drive 911 Turbo models that followed and remains one of the most revered and significant supercars ever made.