Gallery 1988 Porsche 959 Komfort
One cannot compile a list of late 20th century supercars without including the Porsche 959 -- many would put it at the top of said list. Zuffenhausen's technological masterpiece needs no introduction, and, lke the Ferrari F40 and the McLaren F1, the 959 remains in that special category of recent supercars too valuable to become weekend drivers for those who are lucky enough to own them.
The development of federalization modifications and the ever-creeping 25 year importation rule have made the U.S. a slightly more hospitable market for the 959 than it once was. That means American collectors can now invest in the 959 without the red tape of years past. This new reality has caused a number of 959s to come out of the woodwork (or, rather, their climate-controlled plastic bubbles), and head straight for the auction block to test the waters.
In a few days, Bonhams will be offering a 1988 example of Porsche's supercar at their Bond Street sale in the UK.
Designed to dominate Group B racing, the 959 was first shown in concept form at the 1983 Frankfurt Motor Show. Powered by a 2,849 cc six-cylinder air-cooled boxer engine featuring water-cooled double-overhead-camshaft four-valve cylinder heads, the 959 produced 450 hp sent to all four wheels via a six-speed manual transmission, and boasted a top speed north of 195 mph. That made it the world's fastest street-legal production car when it debuted in homologation form in 1986, just Group B racing itself was disbanded. Packed with technology such as electrically adjustable ride height and computer-controlled variable torque split with different programs for wet, dry, icy, and off-road conditions, the 959 was decades ahead of its time.
The example that Bonhams will be offering in a few days is a Komfort model from 1988, and has a claimed 27,255 kilometers, or 16,900 miles, on the clock. That kilometrage places it in an exclusive club of existing 959s, helped by the fact that it's a one owner car that has reportedly been used the way Porsche intended these cars to be used. Registered in Sweden, the car's sole owner used it to commute between his home in Stockholm and his business in Bologna, Italy. Finished in white over a (very) red leather interior, complete with equally red carpets, this 959 is currently registered in Sweden and bears chassis number WPOZZZ95ZJ5900210.
Bonhams says that this 959 recently received a full service at Porsche Sweden, and is said to be in generally excellent condition. The car will be offered with an owner's handbook, a tool kit, and Swedish registration papers.
Until this time last year, the very best examples of the 959 Komfort have hovered around the $500,000 mark, but a few sales in the $900,000 range have given Condition 2 examples a healthy boost as well. There aren't any really abused examples out there per se, so the difference between a Condition 1 and Condition 2 car is frequently a matter of mileage and seat wear.
Bonhams estimates that this example will bring between £400,000 and £500,000, or between $630,000 and $780,000 on auction day. Of course, the time to pick up one of these was likely a couple years ago, back when the best (and least used) examples were safely below the $500,000 mark.
Visit the Bonhams Auctions website to view the full list of lots and the auction schedule.
Jay Ramey grew up around very strange European cars, and instead of seeking out something reliable and comfortable for his own personal use he has been drawn to the more adventurous side of the dependability spectrum. Despite being followed around by French cars for the past decade, he has somehow been able to avoid Citroën ownership, judging them too commonplace, and is currently looking at cars from the former Czechoslovakia. Jay has been with Autoweek since 2013.
