Porsche 959 video

[safir]

hope you enjoy:

Porsche 959 - YouTube

[robruf]

one of my favourite cars of all time, nice little video, need some top speed runs though

[tforth]

Yeah, I'm a huge fan of the 959 as well. I actually saw them being built in the Zuffenhausen Reuterwerks in the spring of 1986. But that was a lame clip! Why did he bother blocking the licence plate if he was driving it around like a grandmother? It's almost like he didn't own it and was afraid that the owner would find out that he was posting this vid.

Anyway, a better clip (starts off very slow though) is here:

http://es.youtube.com/watch?v=2xF0kBZe0tM&eurl=http://www.motorworld.net/forum/showthread.php?t=59772

[yg60m]

I also love this car, it was in advance in a lot of points : aerodynamics, adaptive suspension, engine ... but it looks like a Porsche without doubts :thumbup:

[safir]

Yeah, I'm a huge fan of the 959 as well. I actually saw them being built in the Zuffenhausen Reuterwerks in the spring of 1986. But that was a lame clip! Why did he bother blocking the licence plate if he was driving it around like a grandmother? It's almost like he didn't own it and was afraid that the owner would find out that he was posting this vid.

Anyway, a better clip (starts off very slow though) is here:

http://es.youtube.com/watch?v=2xF0kBZe0tM&eurl=http://www.motorworld.net/forum/showthread.php?t=59772

you raise some excellent points so i apologies for posting a "lame clip".

i blocked the plate because the owner of the car asked me to and it was me driving like a granny as i did not want to have a conversation with the owner which starts "about your 959...well you see i thought i could make this turn but..."

[tforth]

Well, in that case you're most definitely excused. However, since you know that owner, is there any chance you get some better action? There is very little on the internet that I have ofund at least.

BTW, some of the technical high-lights of this machine were:

-

[tforth]

Sorry, didn't realize the 'tab' key would submit my comment...

- first commercial application of sequential turbocharging (used much later on the last generation RX7 and more importantly on BMW's first use of a turbo on a spark ignition engines - i.e. gas - since the 2002 model)

- adjustable ride hight based on speed - a la Veyron

- tire pressure sensors (I believe this was the first application)

- computer controlled AWD torque distribution

- fnever mind, it was the first supercar with AWD

- Kevlar body panels (it came out before the F40 and was much better built)

- Car & Driver recorded 0-60 mph in 3.6s (I don't think that Ferrari had one that could get much under 5s at the time - remember that the F40 came out afterwards)

I could go on; it was truly way ahead of it's time technically, and yet the F40 has gotten way more exposure, I guess because it's a more simple/raw experience. I wonder if the CGT will have the same preferential rememberence compared to it's contemporary Ferrari competitor, the Enzo, for the same reasons. However, maybe it's just a Ferrari thing...

[silentm]

to be honest (even as a lover of the 959 :) ) the F40 looks much better than the porsche.

but then again porsche is known for the technical marvel and aspect, so this car is more for the car 'nerd' maybe? haha ;)

[zeus_2011]

At least the fact that it received less exposure than the F40 kept its prices relatively reasonable.....id seen a couple for sale near on 5yrs ago in the UK, one at 100k the other at 110, a time when F40's were changing hands at near on 200+, i know which one id have, then buy a turbo with the change as a daily driver!

I dont think the ferrari is better looking.....the F40 screamed ferrari while the 959 screamed "im from the future"

[tforth]

...and remember, the F40 was Enzo's response to the 959, after it made the 288 (I think that was the model) GTO look like a 308 on steroids (I actually prefered the look of this to the F40 as well).

Anyone who has seen an F40, and who can be honest, would say that it's build quality was very much a secondary consideration, if one at all. The Ferrarista never seem to notice any of these aspects when judging the F40 though...

[safir]

few will argue that italian cars built in the mid 80s were as good as german cars of the same period, im sure most will agree that the german effort will always be the better built, however, its not about build quality or reliability when it comes to these cars, its about passion! no? with two sets of keys on the table I know i would reach for, the italian job every time.

zeus, i remember that ad for the 959, they were asking 100k and it was in the sunday times.

[tforth]

Well, I guess the father of Ferrari was concerned enough to follow-up the 288 with the F40 in a comparativley short period of time, wasn't he? Who do you think has learned more from whom?

Have Porsche's (in general) become more like Ferrari's, or have Ferrari's transformed into something more similar to Porsches. I'm NOT referring to asthetics here. I'm talking about engineering and durability/reliability excellence.

Ferrari has always had the image/allure, but look what they have added to their brand ever since the 456 and 355. I think that you can thank Montezemolo and maybe Schumacher later on.

Look at how Porsche has influenced everybody in this space. Who has always used the Nurburgring as their development grounds, way before all of the Japs, etc. Which OE has more vehicle models under 8 mins, and how long have they had them there. Ferrari has only become a recent member of this fraternity (360CS was the first according to sport auto). Look what happened to the Enzo when it was taken around the Ring recently. The e-shocks failed before they could finish one lap at speed, every time they tried it. That won't happen with any of their newer stuff.

Who was the first OE to build their cars such that they could run on track days without any mods and not have the brakes wilt, etc. Now, almost everybody is doing it.

The F40 remains part of their old guard. Mechanically simple/crude, but people clearly like it for this. The 959 is much more similar to modern cars, and pioneered many technologies that have only been adopted recently or are at least still considered current. From a technical stand point, there is no comparison between the two. Enzo understood this.

[safir]

all great points tforth and well put, we agree that porsche make better cars but which set of keys would you go for?

[tforth]

I will freely admit that I am ever more interested in Ferraris (except the California!), since they have become more of a complete car and less of just the myth.

The most memorable aspect I learned from my first car magazines (early/mid eighties) was that the Countach couldn't do 200 mph, like every lay person would have you believe. This knowledge quickly got me off of the Ferrari/Lambo poster bandwagon and dropped me straight into the comforting knowledge that Porsches were much more than odd looking sport cars. They worked and they worked (on track) far longer than any of their competitors could. That's why they have won Lemans 24 hrs so many times.

All that being said, now that Ferrari has filled in a lot of the blanks that Porsche had figured out decades prior; if you can afford the jump in price, why not go for a car that looks and sounds great as well as being fast and resonably reliable?

However, since I have not driven either a 997 GT3 RS nor a F430 Scuderia, I wouldn't be able to decide until after I had driven both at speed on road and track, but I remain open-minded...