1987 Porsche 959

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.