---
title: Porsche 959 · HICONIUM
description: "A cancelled Group B destination turned into a road-car technology programme: 2'849 cc, two sequential turbochargers, 450 PS and an electro-hydraulic centre coupling that could send up to eighty per cent rearward."
canonical_url: https://hiconium.dev/vehicles/porsche/959
image: https://hiconium.dev/og/vehicle/porsche/959.png
market_as_of: "2026-09-01"
---

> HICONIUM · Index: https://hiconium.dev/llms.txt · Every page: append `.md` or send `Accept: text/markdown`.
> Path: [Home](https://hiconium.dev/) › [Vehicles](https://hiconium.dev/models) › [Porsche](https://hiconium.dev/manufacturers/porsche) › 959
> On this page: [The price and the proof](#the-price-and-the-proof) · [Model readouts](#model-readouts) · [Documented sales](#documented-sales) · [A competition brief that outlived its category.](#overview-heading) · [Technical specifications](#technical-specifications) · [Powertrain](#powertrain) · [Performance](#performance) · [Body & dimensions](#body-dimensions) · [Komfort & Sport](#komfort-sport) · [Paris-Dakar specification](#paris-dakar-specification) · [Production & price](#production-price) · [Five 959s, five different jobs](#variants-heading) · [959 Vorserie](#vorserie) · [The 959 Vorserie register](#the-959-vorserie-register) · [959 Komfort](#komfort) · [The 959 Komfort register](#the-959-komfort-register)

![A silver Porsche 959, front three-quarter view on a silver field with a cool sweep of light](https://hiconium.dev/images/cars/porsche-959/hero-wide-2560.jpg)

# 959

The Group B brief, delivered to the road

A cancelled Group B destination turned into a road-car technology programme: 2'849 cc, two sequential turbochargers, 450 PS and an electro-hydraulic centre coupling that could send up to eighty per cent rearward.

1986–1988 · deliveries from 1987 · late cars 1992–1993

## The price and the proof

Indicative road-car band $1.6M–$2.3M · typical $1.8M · 62 documented road sales · 62 recorded sales on file · market as of 2026-09-01. Modeled values are not observed sales. Nothing here is investment advice.

Confidence: low. A cautious secondary-guide range for sound Komfort road cars, checked against dated public results from $1.05M to $2.535M. Sports and works rally cars sit outside it; this is not an appraisal.

US dollars, sound Komfort road cars. The band is guide-derived and checked against public auctions; Sports, Canepa conversions and works cars stay separate.

The road-car file is thin enough that condition, legal status and specification move the visible range. The two headline results are category markers: a $5.505M Sport and a $5.945M Paris-Dakar works car, not one continuous 959 price curve.

| Record | Amount | What | Venue | Date |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Road record | $5'505'000 | 959 Sport · WP0ZZZ95ZJS905011 | Broad Arrow, Amelia Island | 2026 |
| Road record | $5'945'000 | 959 Paris-Dakar · WP0ZZZ93ZFS010015 | RM Sotheby’s, Atlanta | 2018 |

Valuation method and source rules: [HICONIUM standards](https://hiconium.dev/standards). Observed auction results across the wider market: [Market terminal](https://hiconium.dev/market).

### Model readouts

62 documented anchors. model v1 · seed porsche-959. Compound annual growth is modeled price CAGR; S&P 500 is a price index without dividends. Forecast quantiles are not investment advice.

| Window | This car* | S&P 500 | Gold |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1Y | +1.4% | +18.8% | +21.9% |
| 5Y | +11.0% | +11.4% | +17.6% |
| 10Y | +5.3% | +13.3% | +11.8% |

| Series | Deepest drawdown | Window |
| --- | --- | --- |
| This car* | -71.1% | Oct 2018 → Jun 2021 · recovered Feb 2026 |
| S&P 500 | -50.8% | Oct 2007 → Mar 2009 · recovered Mar 2013 |
| Gold | -39.3% | Sep 2011 → Dec 2015 · recovered Jul 2020 |

| Horizon | P10 | P50 | P90 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| +6M | $1'563'082 | $1'896'212 | $2'300'341 |
| +12M | $1'502'463 | $1'962'261 | $2'562'771 |
| +24M | $1'442'703 | $2'101'340 | $3'060'667 |

### Documented sales

62 recorded. Every public sale on this file, newest first. Amounts keep the recorded currency. Source links appear only when the catalog stores a public auction-lot URL.

| Date | Chassis / label | Class | House | Venue | Amount | Currency | Basis | Source |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-05-16 | 2026 | Road | Mecum | Indy 2026 - Highlights, Indianapolis, USA | $2'310'000 | USD | incl. buyer's premium | [https://www.mecum.com/lots/1170366/1987-porsche-959-komfort/](https://www.mecum.com/lots/1170366/1987-porsche-959-komfort/) |
| 2026-03-07 | Broad Arrow Auctions · The Amelia Auction, Amelia Island, USA · incl. buyer's premium | Road | Broad Arrow Auctions | The Amelia Auction, Amelia Island, USA | $5'505'000 | USD | incl. buyer's premium | [https://www.broadarrowauctions.com/vehicles/am26_r0188/1988-porsche-959-sport](https://www.broadarrowauctions.com/vehicles/am26_r0188/1988-porsche-959-sport) |
| 2026-01-23 | RM Sotheby's · Arizona, USA · incl. buyer's premium | Road | RM Sotheby's | Arizona, USA | $2'535'000 | USD | incl. buyer's premium | [https://rmsothebys.com/auctions/az26/lots/r0050-1988-porsche-959-komfort/](https://rmsothebys.com/auctions/az26/lots/r0050-1988-porsche-959-komfort/) |
| 2025-08-16 | RM Sotheby's · Monterey, USA · incl. buyer's premium | Road | RM Sotheby's | Monterey, USA | $2'040'000 | USD | incl. buyer's premium | [https://rmsothebys.com/auctions/mo25/lots/r0153-1987-porsche-959-komfort/](https://rmsothebys.com/auctions/mo25/lots/r0153-1987-porsche-959-komfort/) |
| 2025-05-22 | RM Sotheby's · Milan, Italy · incl. buyer's premium | Road | RM Sotheby's | Milan, Italy | €1'298'750 | EUR | incl. buyer's premium | [https://rmsothebys.com/auctions/ml25/lots/r0018-1987-porsche-959-speedster/](https://rmsothebys.com/auctions/ml25/lots/r0018-1987-porsche-959-speedster/) |
| 2025-03-06 | 2025 | Road | gooding | Amelia Island Auctions 2025 | $2'205'000 | USD | incl. buyer's premium | [https://www.goodingco.com/lot/1988-porsche-959-komfort-1](https://www.goodingco.com/lot/1988-porsche-959-komfort-1) |
| 2025-02-28 | RM Sotheby's · Miami, USA · incl. buyer's premium | Road | RM Sotheby's | Miami, USA | $2'865'000 | USD | incl. buyer's premium | [https://rmsothebys.com/auctions/mi25/lots/r0030-1988-porsche-959-sc-reimagined-by-canepa/](https://rmsothebys.com/auctions/mi25/lots/r0030-1988-porsche-959-sc-reimagined-by-canepa/) |
| 2025-01-26 | 2025 | Road | Barrett-Jackson | Scottsdale 2025 - Highlights, Scottsdale, USA | $1'457'500 | USD | incl. buyer's premium | [https://www.barrett-jackson.com/scottsdale-2025/docket/vehicle/1987-porsche-959-komfort-285123](https://www.barrett-jackson.com/scottsdale-2025/docket/vehicle/1987-porsche-959-komfort-285123) |
| 2024-08-17 | RM Sotheby's · Monterey, USA · incl. buyer's premium | Road | RM Sotheby's | Monterey, USA | $1'655'000 | USD | incl. buyer's premium | [https://rmsothebys.com/auctions/mo24/lots/r0200-1985-porsche-959-vorserie/](https://rmsothebys.com/auctions/mo24/lots/r0200-1985-porsche-959-vorserie/) |
| 2024-08-16 | bonhams · Carmel, Quail Lodge & Golf Club · hammer | Road | bonhams | Carmel, Quail Lodge & Golf Club | $1'250'000 | USD | hammer | [https://cars.bonhams.com/auction/29263/lot/162P/1993-porsche-959-komfort-series-ii-vin-wpozzz95zjs900291-engine-no-65h00006/](https://cars.bonhams.com/auction/29263/lot/162P/1993-porsche-959-komfort-series-ii-vin-wpozzz95zjs900291-engine-no-65h00006/) |
| 2024-06-01 | RM Sotheby's · Dare to Dream Collection, Toronto, Canada · incl. buyer's premium | Road | RM Sotheby's | Dare to Dream Collection, Toronto, Canada | $1'682'500 | USD | incl. buyer's premium | [https://rmsothebys.com/en/auctions/dd24/dare-to-dream-collection/lots/r0096-1987-porsche-959-komfort/1446537](https://rmsothebys.com/en/auctions/dd24/dare-to-dream-collection/lots/r0096-1987-porsche-959-komfort/1446537) |
| 2024-04-27 | Broad Arrow Auctions · The Porsche Auction in Partnership with Air\\|Water, Costa Mesa, USA · incl. buyer's premium | Road | Broad Arrow Auctions | The Porsche Auction in Partnership with Air\\|Water, Costa Mesa, USA | $1'930'000 | USD | incl. buyer's premium | [https://www.broadarrowauctions.com/vehicles/po24_r032/1988-porsche-959-komfort](https://www.broadarrowauctions.com/vehicles/po24_r032/1988-porsche-959-komfort) |
| 2024-03-02 | 2024 | Road | Broad Arrow Auctions | The Amelia Auction 2024, Amelia Island, USA | $3'085'000 | USD | incl. buyer's premium | [https://www.broadarrowauctions.com/vehicles/am24_r064/1988-porsche-959-sc-reimagined-by-canepa](https://www.broadarrowauctions.com/vehicles/am24_r064/1988-porsche-959-sc-reimagined-by-canepa) |
| 2024-01-14 | 2024 | Road | Mecum | Kissimmee 2024 - Highlights, Kissimmee, USA | $1'870'000 | USD | incl. buyer's premium | [https://www.mecum.com/lots/1106284/1987-porsche-959-komfort/](https://www.mecum.com/lots/1106284/1987-porsche-959-komfort/) |
| 2023-11-17 | RM Sotheby's · Las Vegas, USA · incl. buyer's premium | Road | RM Sotheby's | Las Vegas, USA | $1'765'000 | USD | incl. buyer's premium | [https://rmsothebys.com/en/auctions/lv23/las-vegas/lots/r0012-1988-porsche-959-komfort/1424807](https://rmsothebys.com/en/auctions/lv23/las-vegas/lots/r0012-1988-porsche-959-komfort/1424807) |
| 2023-08-19 | RM Sotheby's · Monterey, USA · incl. buyer's premium | Road | RM Sotheby's | Monterey, USA | $1'710'000 | USD | incl. buyer's premium | [https://rmsothebys.com/en/auctions/mo23/monterey/lots/r0113-1988-porsche-959-komfort/1361444](https://rmsothebys.com/en/auctions/mo23/monterey/lots/r0113-1988-porsche-959-komfort/1361444) |
| 2023-03-04 | Broad Arrow Auctions · The Amelia Auction, Amelia Island, USA · incl. buyer's premium | Road | Broad Arrow Auctions | The Amelia Auction, Amelia Island, USA | $1'710'000 | USD | incl. buyer's premium | [https://www.broadarrowauctions.com/vehicles/am23_044/1987-porsche-959-komfort](https://www.broadarrowauctions.com/vehicles/am23_044/1987-porsche-959-komfort) |
| 2023-02-04 | Artcurial · Rétromobile, Paris, France · incl. buyer's premium | Road | Artcurial | Rétromobile, Paris, France | €1'037'040 | EUR | incl. buyer's premium | [https://glenmarch.com/auction-cars/show-backup-image/124940/results](https://glenmarch.com/auction-cars/show-backup-image/124940/results) |
| 2023-01-26 | RM Sotheby's · Arizona, Phoenix, USA · incl. buyer's premium | Road | RM Sotheby's | Arizona, Phoenix, USA | $1'682'500 | USD | incl. buyer's premium | [https://rmsothebys.com/en/auctions/az23/arizona/lots/r0083-1987-porsche-959-komfort/1317536](https://rmsothebys.com/en/auctions/az23/arizona/lots/r0083-1987-porsche-959-komfort/1317536) |
| 2022-12-10 | RM Sotheby's · Miami, USA · incl. buyer's premium | Road | RM Sotheby's | Miami, USA | $2'920'000 | USD | incl. buyer's premium | [https://rmsothebys.com/en/auctions/mi22/miami/lots/r0061-1988-porsche-959sc-reimagined-by-canepa/1309847](https://rmsothebys.com/en/auctions/mi22/miami/lots/r0061-1988-porsche-959sc-reimagined-by-canepa/1309847) |
| 2022-08-18 | Broad Arrow Auctions · The Monterey Jet Center Auction, Monterey, USA · incl. buyer's premium | Road | Broad Arrow Auctions | The Monterey Jet Center Auction, Monterey, USA | $1'875'000 | USD | incl. buyer's premium | [https://www.broadarrowauctions.com/vehicles/jc22_042/1987-porsche-959-komfort](https://www.broadarrowauctions.com/vehicles/jc22_042/1987-porsche-959-komfort) |
| 2022-05-13 | bonhams · Monaco, Fairmont Hotel · hammer | Road | bonhams | Monaco, Fairmont Hotel | €1'250'000 | EUR | hammer | [https://cars.bonhams.com/auction/27712/lot/122/circa-26000-kilometres-from-new-1988-porsche-959-komfort-chassis-no-wpozzz95zjs900207/](https://cars.bonhams.com/auction/27712/lot/122/circa-26000-kilometres-from-new-1988-porsche-959-komfort-chassis-no-wpozzz95zjs900207/) |
| 2022-01-27 | RM Sotheby's · Arizona, Phoenix, USA · incl. buyer's premium | Road | RM Sotheby's | Arizona, Phoenix, USA | $1'600'000 | USD | incl. buyer's premium | [https://rmsothebys.com/en/auctions/az22/arizona/lots/r0026-1987-porsche-959-komfort/1189335](https://rmsothebys.com/en/auctions/az22/arizona/lots/r0026-1987-porsche-959-komfort/1189335) |
| 2021-11-06 | RM Sotheby's · London, UK · incl. buyer's premium | Road | RM Sotheby's | London, UK | £1'158'125 | GBP | incl. buyer's premium | [https://rmsothebys.com/en/auctions/lf21/london/lots/r0029-1987-porsche-959-komfort/1181612](https://rmsothebys.com/en/auctions/lf21/london/lots/r0029-1987-porsche-959-komfort/1181612) |
| 2021-06-30 | RM Sotheby's · Open Roads, June - I, Online, UK · incl. buyer's premium | Road | RM Sotheby's | Open Roads, June - I, Online, UK | €924'000 | EUR | incl. buyer's premium | [https://rmsothebys.com/en/auctions/0621/open-roads--june/lots/r0018-1987-porsche-959-komfort/1103640](https://rmsothebys.com/en/auctions/0621/open-roads--june/lots/r0018-1987-porsche-959-komfort/1103640) |
| 2020-03-07 | RM Sotheby's · Amelia Island, USA · incl. buyer's premium | Road | RM Sotheby's | Amelia Island, USA | $1'050'000 | USD | incl. buyer's premium | [https://rmsothebys.com/en/auctions/am20/amelia-island/lots/r0133-1987-porsche-959-komfort/852843](https://rmsothebys.com/en/auctions/am20/amelia-island/lots/r0133-1987-porsche-959-komfort/852843) |
| 2018-10-27 | RM Sotheby's · The Porsche 70th Anniversary Sale, Atlanta, USA · incl. buyer's premium | Road | RM Sotheby's | The Porsche 70th Anniversary Sale, Atlanta, USA | $1'000'000 | USD | incl. buyer's premium | [https://rmsothebys.com/en/auctions/po18/the-porsche-70th-anniversary-auction/lots/r0008-1985-porsche-959-prototype/693238](https://rmsothebys.com/en/auctions/po18/the-porsche-70th-anniversary-auction/lots/r0008-1985-porsche-959-prototype/693238) |
| 2018-10-27 | RM Sotheby's · The Porsche 70th Anniversary Sale, Atlanta, USA · incl. buyer's premium | Road | RM Sotheby's | The Porsche 70th Anniversary Sale, Atlanta, USA | $5'945'000 | USD | incl. buyer's premium | [https://rmsothebys.com/en/auctions/po18/the-porsche-70th-anniversary-auction/lots/r0016-1985-porsche-959-paris-dakar/696785](https://rmsothebys.com/en/auctions/po18/the-porsche-70th-anniversary-auction/lots/r0016-1985-porsche-959-paris-dakar/696785) |
| 2018-08-04 | Coys · Schloss Dyck, Jüchen, Germany · incl. buyer's premium | Road | Coys | Schloss Dyck, Jüchen, Germany | €886'425 | EUR | incl. buyer's premium | [https://glenmarch.com/auction-cars/show-backup-image/46396/results](https://glenmarch.com/auction-cars/show-backup-image/46396/results) |
| 2018-06-30 | Coys · Blenheim Palace, Woodstock, UK · incl. buyer's premium | Road | Coys | Blenheim Palace, Woodstock, UK | £787'500 | GBP | incl. buyer's premium | [https://glenmarch.com/auction-cars/show-backup-image/45103/results](https://glenmarch.com/auction-cars/show-backup-image/45103/results) |
| 2018-05-12 | RM Sotheby's · Monaco · incl. buyer's premium | Road | RM Sotheby's | Monaco | €837'500 | EUR | incl. buyer's premium | [https://rmsothebys.com/en/auctions/MC18/Monaco/lots/r0095-1987-porsche-959-komfort/674968](https://rmsothebys.com/en/auctions/MC18/Monaco/lots/r0095-1987-porsche-959-komfort/674968) |
| 2018-03-24 | Coys · Techno Classica, Essen, Germany · incl. buyer's premium | Road | Coys | Techno Classica, Essen, Germany | €901'250 | EUR | incl. buyer's premium | [https://glenmarch.com/auction-cars/show-backup-image/39995/results](https://glenmarch.com/auction-cars/show-backup-image/39995/results) |
| 2018-03-09 | 2018 | Road | Gooding Christie's | The Amelia Island Auction 2018, Amelia Island, USA | $1'100'000 | USD | incl. buyer's premium | [https://glenmarch.com/auction-cars/show-backup-image/39005/results](https://glenmarch.com/auction-cars/show-backup-image/39005/results) |
| 2018-01-19 | RM Sotheby's · Arizona, Phoenix, USA · incl. buyer's premium | Road | RM Sotheby's | Arizona, Phoenix, USA | $1'160'000 | USD | incl. buyer's premium | [https://rmsothebys.com/en/auctions/AZ18/Arizona/lots/r221-1987-porsche-959-komfort/618536](https://rmsothebys.com/en/auctions/AZ18/Arizona/lots/r221-1987-porsche-959-komfort/618536) |
| 2017-08-19 | 2017 | Road | Gooding Christie's | The Pebble Beach Auctions 2017, Pebble Beach, USA | $1'056'000 | USD | incl. buyer's premium | [https://glenmarch.com/auction-cars/show-backup-image/31729/results](https://glenmarch.com/auction-cars/show-backup-image/31729/results) |
| 2017-08-19 | 2017 | Road | Mecum | Monterey 2017 - Highlights, Monterey, USA | $950'000 | USD | incl. buyer's premium | [https://www.mecum.com/lots/CA0817-300249/1988-porsche-959-komfort/?PageSpeed=noscript](https://www.mecum.com/lots/CA0817-300249/1988-porsche-959-komfort/?PageSpeed=noscript) |
| 2017-04-08 | Coys · Techno Classica, Essen, Germany · incl. buyer's premium | Road | Coys | Techno Classica, Essen, Germany | €1'032'750 | EUR | incl. buyer's premium | [https://glenmarch.com/auction-cars/show-backup-image/27208/results](https://glenmarch.com/auction-cars/show-backup-image/27208/results) |
| 2017-02-10 | 2017 | Road | Artcurial | Rétromobile 2017, Paris, France | €1'130'000 | EUR | incl. buyer's premium | [https://glenmarch.com/auction-cars/show-backup-image/24551/results](https://glenmarch.com/auction-cars/show-backup-image/24551/results) |
| 2017-02-08 | RM Sotheby's · Paris, France · incl. buyer's premium | Road | RM Sotheby's | Paris, France | €1'960'000 | EUR | incl. buyer's premium | [https://glenmarch.com/auction-cars/show-backup-image/24267/results](https://glenmarch.com/auction-cars/show-backup-image/24267/results) |
| 2017-01-21 | 2017 | Road | Gooding Christie's | The Scottsdale Auctions 2017, Scottsdale, USA | $1'089'000 | USD | incl. buyer's premium | [https://glenmarch.com/auction-cars/show-backup-image/24150/results](https://glenmarch.com/auction-cars/show-backup-image/24150/results) |
| 2017-01-20 | RM Sotheby's · Arizona, Phoenix, USA · incl. buyer's premium | Road | RM Sotheby's | Arizona, Phoenix, USA | $935'000 | USD | incl. buyer's premium | [https://glenmarch.com/auction-cars/show-backup-image/23953/results](https://glenmarch.com/auction-cars/show-backup-image/23953/results) |
| 2016-11-27 | RM Sotheby's · Duemila Ruote, Milan, Italy · incl. buyer's premium | Road | RM Sotheby's | Duemila Ruote, Milan, Italy | €1'008'000 | EUR | incl. buyer's premium | [https://glenmarch.com/auction-cars/show-backup-image/22352/results](https://glenmarch.com/auction-cars/show-backup-image/22352/results) |
| 2016-08-21 | 2016 | Road | Gooding Christie's | Pebble Beach 2016, Pebble Beach, USA | $1'320'000 | USD | incl. buyer's premium | [https://glenmarch.com/auction-cars/show-backup-image/5001/results](https://glenmarch.com/auction-cars/show-backup-image/5001/results) |
| 2016-05-14 | RM Sotheby's · Monaco · incl. buyer's premium | Road | RM Sotheby's | Monaco | €896'000 | EUR | incl. buyer's premium | [https://glenmarch.com/auction-cars/show-backup-image/12255](https://glenmarch.com/auction-cars/show-backup-image/12255) |
| 2016-05-13 | bonhams · Monte Carlo, Fairmont Hotel · hammer | Road | bonhams | Monte Carlo, Fairmont Hotel | €430'000 | EUR | hammer | [https://cars.bonhams.com/auction/23591/lot/135/1988-porsche-959-komfort-chassis-no-wpozzz95zhs900082-engine-no-9595065h/](https://cars.bonhams.com/auction/23591/lot/135/1988-porsche-959-komfort-chassis-no-wpozzz95zhs900082-engine-no-9595065h/) |
| 2016-03-11 | 2016 | Road | Gooding Christie's | The Amelia Island Auction 2016, Amelia Island, USA | $1'120'000 | USD | incl. buyer's premium | [https://glenmarch.com/auction-cars/show-backup-image/18061/results](https://glenmarch.com/auction-cars/show-backup-image/18061/results) |
| 2015-08-16 | 2015 | Road | Gooding Christie's | Pebble Beach 2015, Pebble Beach, USA | $1'732'500 | USD | incl. buyer's premium | [https://glenmarch.com/auction-cars/show-backup-image/18422/results](https://glenmarch.com/auction-cars/show-backup-image/18422/results) |
| 2015-08-15 | RM Sotheby's · Monterey, USA · incl. buyer's premium | Road | RM Sotheby's | Monterey, USA | $1'210'000 | USD | incl. buyer's premium | [https://glenmarch.com/auction-cars/show-backup-image/11936](https://glenmarch.com/auction-cars/show-backup-image/11936) |
| 2015-08-14 | bonhams · Carmel, Quail Lodge & Golf Club · hammer | Road | bonhams | Carmel, Quail Lodge & Golf Club | $1'325'000 | USD | hammer | [https://cars.bonhams.com/auction/22792/lot/72/offered-from-the-tony-hart-collection1987-porsche-959-komfortvin-wpozzz95zhs900125-engine-no-65h00117/](https://cars.bonhams.com/auction/22792/lot/72/offered-from-the-tony-hart-collection1987-porsche-959-komfortvin-wpozzz95zhs900125-engine-no-65h00117/) |
| 2015-05-24 | bonhams · Brussels · hammer | Road | bonhams | Brussels | €700'000 | EUR | hammer | [https://cars.bonhams.com/auction/22722/lot/124/1988-porsche-959-coupe-chassis-no-wpozzz95zjs900191/](https://cars.bonhams.com/auction/22722/lot/124/1988-porsche-959-coupe-chassis-no-wpozzz95zjs900191/) |
| 2015-04-18 | 2015 | Road | Coys | Techno Classica 2015, Essen, Germany | €904'500 | EUR | incl. buyer's premium | [https://glenmarch.com/cars/results](https://glenmarch.com/cars/results) |
| 2015-01-17 | 2015 | Road | Gooding Christie's | The Scottsdale Auctions 2015, Scottsdale, USA | $1'705'000 | USD | incl. buyer's premium | [https://glenmarch.com/auction-cars/show-backup-image/18619/results](https://glenmarch.com/auction-cars/show-backup-image/18619/results) |
| 2015-01-16 | RM Sotheby's · Arizona, Phoenix, USA · incl. buyer's premium | Road | RM Sotheby's | Arizona, Phoenix, USA | $1'045'000 | USD | incl. buyer's premium | [https://glenmarch.com/auction-cars/show-backup-image/12313](https://glenmarch.com/auction-cars/show-backup-image/12313) |
| 2014-11-30 | bonhams · London, New Bond Street · hammer | Road | bonhams | London, New Bond Street | £450'000 | GBP | hammer | [https://cars.bonhams.com/auction/21904/lot/9/one-owner-27255-kilometres-from-new1988-porsche-959-komfort-coupe-chassis-no-wpozzz95zj5900210/](https://cars.bonhams.com/auction/21904/lot/9/one-owner-27255-kilometres-from-new1988-porsche-959-komfort-coupe-chassis-no-wpozzz95zj5900210/) |
| 2014-08-17 | 2014 | Road | Gooding Christie's | Pebble Beach 2014, Pebble Beach, USA | $1'485'000 | USD | incl. buyer's premium | [https://glenmarch.com/auction-cars/show-backup-image/56425/results](https://glenmarch.com/auction-cars/show-backup-image/56425/results) |
| 2014-03-08 | RM Sotheby's · Amelia Island, USA · incl. buyer's premium | Road | RM Sotheby's | Amelia Island, USA | $687'500 | USD | incl. buyer's premium | [https://rmsothebys.com/en/auctions/am14/amelia-island/lots/r180-1986-porsche-959-vorserie/181871](https://rmsothebys.com/en/auctions/am14/amelia-island/lots/r180-1986-porsche-959-vorserie/181871) |
| 2014-03-07 | 2014 | Road | Gooding Christie's | The Amelia Island Auction 2014, Amelia Island, USA | $1'100'000 | USD | incl. buyer's premium | [https://glenmarch.com/auction-cars/show-backup-image/56546/results](https://glenmarch.com/auction-cars/show-backup-image/56546/results) |
| 2014-01-17 | RM Sotheby's · Arizona, Phoenix, USA · incl. buyer's premium | Road | RM Sotheby's | Arizona, Phoenix, USA | $759'000 | USD | incl. buyer's premium | [https://rmsothebys.com/en/auctions/az14/arizona/lots/r173-1988-porsche-959-komfort/182290](https://rmsothebys.com/en/auctions/az14/arizona/lots/r173-1988-porsche-959-komfort/182290) |
| 2013-08-17 | RM Sotheby's · Monterey, USA · incl. buyer's premium | Road | RM Sotheby's | Monterey, USA | $737'000 | USD | incl. buyer's premium | [https://www.rmsothebys.com/en/auctions/MO13/Monterey/lots/r225-1985-porsche-959-vorserie/293753](https://www.rmsothebys.com/en/auctions/MO13/Monterey/lots/r225-1985-porsche-959-vorserie/293753) |
| 2013-04-27 | RM Sotheby's · The Don Davis Collection, Fort Worth, USA · incl. buyer's premium | Road | RM Sotheby's | The Don Davis Collection, Fort Worth, USA | $770'000 | USD | incl. buyer's premium | [https://rmsothebys.com/en/auctions/dd13/the-don-davis-collection/lots/r147-1988-porsche-959-komfort/296075](https://rmsothebys.com/en/auctions/dd13/the-don-davis-collection/lots/r147-1988-porsche-959-komfort/296075) |
| 2010-08-20 | bonhams · Geneva, Av. Pictet-de-Rochemont · hammer | Road | bonhams | Geneva, Av. Pictet-de-Rochemont | CHF 200'000 | CHF | hammer | [https://cars.bonhams.com/auction/18648/lot/19/1988-porsche-959-chassis-no-wp0zzz95zjs90015/](https://cars.bonhams.com/auction/18648/lot/19/1988-porsche-959-chassis-no-wp0zzz95zjs90015/) |
| 2004-05-15 | bonhams · Monaco, Fairmont Hotel · hammer | Road | bonhams | Monaco, Fairmont Hotel | €155'000 | EUR | hammer | [https://cars.bonhams.com/auction/11230/lot/263/one-owner-from-new1988-porsche-959-chassis-no-wpozzz9szjs900132/](https://cars.bonhams.com/auction/11230/lot/263/one-owner-from-new1988-porsche-959-chassis-no-wpozzz9szjs900132/) |

Published auction totals remain in their reported currencies. No currency conversion or blended all-959 index is used here.

## A competition brief that outlived its category.

RM traces the programme to Helmuth Bott and Porsche chairman Peter Schutz in 1981. The white Gruppe B study appeared at Frankfurt in September 1983 with the planned twin-turbo flat-six; Group B disappeared before the 959 could make that intended category its home.

Porsche used the desert instead. The Type 953 won Paris-Dakar in 1984, all three 959s retired in 1985, and the 400 PS 1986 cars finished first, second and sixth. Porsche launched the road car in 1986, but its own retrospective says customer deliveries began in 1987.

| Highlight | Detail |
| --- | --- |
| Torque as software | PSK continuously varies torque between the axles. Porsche says the system can send up to eighty per cent rearward as conditions change. The point is not simply four driven wheels. The electro-hydraulic centre coupling changes the split while the car is moving — the systems argument that RM places against the F40’s rear-drive minimalism. |
| Failure before the sweep | All three purpose-built 959s retired from the 1985 Paris-Dakar. One year later the turbo cars finished first, second and sixth. The win sits in a three-year sequence: the naturally aspirated Type 953 won in 1984; three 959s failed in 1985; the 400 PS 1986 team converted the programme with Metge/Lemoyne, Ickx/Brasseur and the Kussmaul/Unger service car. |
| The circuit sibling | The 961 took the same programme to Le Mans: seventh overall and first in IMSA GTX in 1986, then a gearbox retirement in 1987. Porsche calls it the first all-wheel-drive race car to finish Le Mans. RM’s seven-car development account describes one 961; Porsche and the ACO verify the result but do not independently publish a production total. |
| A loss at DM 420'000 | RM gives the list price as DM 420'000 and says Porsche lost about half the cost of each of 292 cars sold. That is auction-catalogue language, not audited unit economics. The late 1992–93 cars reportedly cost about DM 750'000 — and even their count remains disputed at six or eight. |

| Label | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Power | 450 PS |
| 0 to 100 | 3.7 s |
| Top speed | 317 km/h |
| Drive | PSK all-wheel drive |
| List price | DM 420'000 |

## Technical specifications

### Powertrain

| Label | Value | Note |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Engine | 2'849 cc flat-six | sequential twin-turbo |
| Output | 450 PS | Porsche retrospective |
| Drive | Porsche-Steuer Kupplung all-wheel drive | continuously variable front/rear torque |
| Rearward torque | Up to 80% | depending on conditions, per Porsche |

### Performance

| Label | Value | Note |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Top speed | 317 km/h | Porsche gives this for the 959, not specifically the Sport |
| 0 to 100 km/h | 3.7 s | Porsche retrospective; test protocol unstated |
| Catalogue kerb weight | 1'450 kg | Carfolio; Car and Driver’s period test lists 3'500 lb |

### Body & dimensions

| Label | Value | Note |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Length | 4'260 mm | secondary technical database; agrees with Dakar dimensions |
| Width | 1'840 mm | same secondary technical source |
| Height | 1'280 mm | RM Sotheby's Komfort description, rounded imperial prose — no exact factory metric row retrieved |

### Komfort & Sport

| Label | Value | Note |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Komfort | Leather, air-conditioning and sound insulation | conventional belts; electronically controlled adaptive suspension |
| Sport | Roll cage, cloth seats and four-point harnesses | coil-overs; air-conditioning and stereo deleted |
| Sport weight saving | About 220 lb | RM Sotheby’s description |
| Sport colours | Grand Prix White or Guards Red | RM’s Sport-specific statement, not a full 959 palette |

### Paris-Dakar specification

| Label | Value | Note |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Output | 400 PS | 1986 works rally tune |
| Ground clearance | 290 mm |  |
| Fuel capacity | 330 L |  |
| Front damping | Double dampers | all-terrain tyres and reinforced lightweight structure |
| Centre differential | Variable electro-hydraulic |  |

### Production & price

| Label | Value | Note |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Series production | 292 claimed by Porsche | 1987–88; relationship to the 29 Sports is unexplained |
| Other main claims | 292 + 29 or 294 + 29 | Bonhams and Road & Track; incompatible scopes |
| Late 1992–93 cars | Six to eight reported | Bonhams gives the disagreement; Kidston says eight |
| List price | DM 420'000 | RM says Porsche lost about half the cost of each of 292 sold cars |
| Late-car price | About DM 750'000 | Bonhams DM 750'000; Kidston DM 747'500 |

## Five 959s, five different jobs

Vorserie proved the package; Komfort carried it into a leather road car; Sport removed weight and comforts; Paris-Dakar crossed the desert; the 961 took the programme to Le Mans. The production arithmetic and markets are not shared.

| Variant | Years | Built | Rarity | Indicative value | Documented cars | File |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 959 Vorserie | 1985–1986 | 21 | Works / very rare |  | 1 | [Open variant file](https://hiconium.dev/vehicles/porsche/959/vorserie) |
| 959 Komfort | 1987–1988 · 1992–1993 | 207 | Limited |  | 14 | [Open variant file](https://hiconium.dev/vehicles/porsche/959/komfort) |
| 959 Sport | 1988 | 29 | Works / very rare |  | 2 | [Open variant file](https://hiconium.dev/vehicles/porsche/959/sport) |
| 959 Paris-Dakar works car | 1985–1986 | 6 | Works / very rare |  | 1 | [Open variant file](https://hiconium.dev/vehicles/porsche/959/paris-dakar) |
| Porsche 961 | 1986–1987 | 1 | One of one |  | 0 | [Open variant file](https://hiconium.dev/vehicles/porsche/959/961) |

The Komfort bar follows RM’s 207 standard-production claim; Porsche’s 292 series-production total and the 29 Sports do not reconcile cleanly with wider published arithmetic. Twenty-one Vorserie cars and the single 961 remain separate programme files.

### 959 Vorserie

1985–1986 · Works / very rare · 21 · [Open as its own file](https://hiconium.dev/vehicles/porsche/959/vorserie)

The 21 pre-series cars used in part as factory demonstrators before regular 959 production.

RM documents 21 Vorserie cars. Chassis 010063 was converted to Komfort production specification before entering private ownership; its 2014 sale remains a documented pre-series market reference.

- 21 pre-series cars documented by RM Sotheby’s
- Used in part as factory demonstrators
- 010063 converted to Komfort specification before private ownership
- US$687,500 for 010063 in 2014

| Label | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Engine | 2'849 cc sequential-twin-turbo flat-six |
| Power | 450 PS |

### The 959 Vorserie register

1 documented · public records only. Private, unpublished and member-only chassis files are omitted.

| Year | Chassis | Colour | Provenance | Last public sale | File |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1985 | WP0ZZZ93ZFS010065 | Not published | One of five surviving V prototypes in RM’s account; driven by Ferry Porsche and owned by Ferdinand Piëch in 1986–87, then sold through Michael Unterberger. RM sold it at Monterey in 2024; the result was not published. |  | [Chassis file](https://hiconium.dev/vehicles/porsche/959?file=WP0ZZZ93ZFS010065) |

### 959 Komfort

1987–1988 · 1992–1993 · Limited · 207 · [Open as its own file](https://hiconium.dev/vehicles/porsche/959/komfort)

The road 959 with leather, air-conditioning, sound insulation, conventional belts and electronically controlled adaptive suspension.

RM reports 207 standard-production Komforts, but this is not a settled total. Porsche states 292 series-production cars overall, while other published Komfort/Sport arithmetic produces incompatible totals. Six to eight late Komforts were reportedly assembled in 1992–93.

- PSK all-wheel drive can send up to 80% of torque rearward
- DM 420'000 list price in RM’s factory-history account
- Secondary guide range for sound road cars: US$1.5M–2.4M
- Six to eight late cars reported for 1992–93

| Label | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Engine | 2'849 cc sequential-twin-turbo flat-six |
| Power | 450 PS |
| Weight | 1'450 kg catalogue kerb |
| Top speed | 317 km/h |
| 0–100 km/h | 3.7 s |

### The 959 Komfort register

14 documented · public records only. Private, unpublished and member-only chassis files are omitted.

| Year | Chassis | Colour | Provenance | Last public sale | File |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1987 | WP0ZZZ95ZHS900081 | Not published | First delivered to Bernd Schwebel, preserved through later U.S. ownership and offered with 5'822 miles at RM Sotheby’s Amelia Island 2020. | $1'050'000 · RM Sotheby’s · 2020-03 | [Chassis file](https://hiconium.dev/vehicles/porsche/959?file=WP0ZZZ95ZHS900081) |
| 1987 | WP0ZZZ95ZHS900121 | Guards Red G1 | RM identifies it as the 121st of 207 standard-production Komforts. Delivered factory-direct to Ursula Boemanns in 1988, it later moved to the United States and was offered in Arizona in 2024. |  | [Chassis file](https://hiconium.dev/vehicles/porsche/959?file=WP0ZZZ95ZHS900121) |
| 1988 | WP0ZZZ95ZJS900203 | Paint-to-sample | Its first owner retained it for 25 years. Porsche Exclusive supplied the paint-to-sample finish; Gooding sold the car at Pebble Beach in 2015. | $1'732'500 · Gooding & Company · 2015-08 | [Chassis file](https://hiconium.dev/vehicles/porsche/959?file=WP0ZZZ95ZJS900203) |
| 1988 | WP0ZZZ95ZJS900247 | Polar Silver over Dark Grey leather | Direct factory sale, hidden from public view since 1993; fewer than 9,500 km. | $1'710'000 · RM Sotheby’s · 2023-08 | [Chassis file](https://hiconium.dev/vehicles/porsche/959?file=WP0ZZZ95ZJS900247) |
| 1993 | WP0ZZZ95ZJS900291 | Not published | A late Komfort / Series II. Bonhams publishes Maclean, Livanos and Barazi ownership; Kidston calls it one of eight spares-built late cars and records acquisition by its later owner in 2005. |  | [Chassis file](https://hiconium.dev/vehicles/porsche/959?file=WP0ZZZ95ZJS900291) |
| 1988 | WP0ZZZ95ZHS900149 | Graphite Metallic over dark grey | Italian delivery; specialist restoration and extensive Porsche Centre Melbourne service. | $1'765'000 · RM Sotheby’s · 2023-11 | [Chassis file](https://hiconium.dev/vehicles/porsche/959?file=WP0ZZZ95ZHS900149) |
| 1988 | WP0ZZZ95ZJS900154 | Silver with burgundy leather and tri-tone inserts | Spanish delivery; later imported to the US under Show or Display and comprehensively serviced. | $1'210'000 · RM Sotheby’s · 2015-08 | [Chassis file](https://hiconium.dev/vehicles/porsche/959?file=WP0ZZZ95ZJS900154) |
| 1988 | WP0ZZZ95ZJS900133 | Not published | Italian-delivery example retaining its original engine; fewer than 29,200 km. | €1'008'000 · RM Sotheby’s · 2016-11 | [Chassis file](https://hiconium.dev/vehicles/porsche/959?file=WP0ZZZ95ZJS900133) |
| 1988 | WP0ZZZ95ZJS900143 | Not published | Don Davis Collection example. | $770'000 · RM Sotheby’s · 2013-04 | [Chassis file](https://hiconium.dev/vehicles/porsche/959?file=WP0ZZZ95ZJS900143) |
| 1988 | 900189 | Silver with tri-tone silver/grey leather | Saudi-based original owner, later Geneva-based ownership; restored through Porsche specialists. | £308'000 · RM Sotheby’s · 2012-10 | [Chassis file](https://hiconium.dev/vehicles/porsche/959?file=900189) |
| 1988 | WP0ZZZ95ZJS900234 | Wine Red Metallic over Burgundy | One of seven said to have been ordered by Qatar's royal family; 961 km and Centre Porsche Genève recommissioning. | CHF 1'973'750 · RM Sotheby’s · 2021-09 | [Chassis file](https://hiconium.dev/vehicles/porsche/959?file=WP0ZZZ95ZJS900234) |
| 1988 | WP0ZZZ95ZJS900225 | Polar Silver over tri-tone Dark Grey leather | Canepa Phase II/SC suspension conversion; approximately 640 hp. | $2'535'000 · RM Sotheby’s · 2026-01 | [Chassis file](https://hiconium.dev/vehicles/porsche/959?file=WP0ZZZ95ZJS900225) |
| 1987 | WP0ZZZ95ZHS900051 | Silver Metallic over Interior-to-Sample Black | French delivery; California import and Canepa Stage One/SC suspension conversion. | $2'040'000 · RM Sotheby’s · 2025-08 | [Chassis file](https://hiconium.dev/vehicles/porsche/959?file=WP0ZZZ95ZHS900051) |
| 1988 | WP0ZZZ95ZJS900214 | Paint-to-sample Emerald Green over Dark Green leather | Originally a Komfort; Monte Carlo delivery, Japanese museum history, then transformed by Canepa. | $2'920'000 · RM Sotheby’s · 2022-12 | [Chassis file](https://hiconium.dev/vehicles/porsche/959?file=WP0ZZZ95ZJS900214) |

### 959 Sport

1988 · Works / very rare · 29 · [Open as its own file](https://hiconium.dev/vehicles/porsche/959/sport)

The 29-car lightweight road file: factory roll cage, cloth seats, four-point harnesses and coil-overs; air-conditioning and stereo deleted.

RM describes roughly 220 lb saved and says buyers chose Grand Prix White or Guards Red. Porsche’s 317 km/h figure applies to the 959 generally, not separately to the Sport. Chassis 905011 made $5.505M in 2026, Broad Arrow’s stated Sport auction record.

- 29 built — repeated RM and Broad Arrow claim
- Factory roll cage, cloth Recaros and Autoflug harnesses
- Grand Prix White or Guards Red, per RM
- Sport record: US$5.505M, Broad Arrow Amelia Island 2026

| Label | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Engine | 2'849 cc sequential-twin-turbo flat-six |
| Power | 515 PS |
| Weight | ≈220 lb saved versus Komfort |

### The 959 Sport register

2 documented · public records only. Private, unpublished and member-only chassis files are omitted.

| Year | Chassis | Colour | Provenance | Last public sale | File |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1988 | WP0ZZZ95ZJS905011 | Not published | Delivered through Porsche Motorsport to Vasek Polak Jr, shown at the Porsche Museum in 2014 and supported by a Jürgen Barth report confirming the matching-numbers engine and ownership history. | $5'505'000 · Broad Arrow · 2026-03 | [Chassis file](https://hiconium.dev/vehicles/porsche/959?file=WP0ZZZ95ZJS905011) |
| 1988 | WP0ZZZ95ZJS905016 | Not published | The 16th Sport, delivered factory-direct to Werner Funk in 1989 and used at a track day alongside an F40 and 288 GTO. Later provenance runs through Switzerland, Italy, Sweden and the United States; RM offered it at Miami in 2025. |  | [Chassis file](https://hiconium.dev/vehicles/porsche/959?file=WP0ZZZ95ZJS905016) |

### 959 Paris-Dakar works car

1985–1986 · Works / very rare · 6 · [Open as its own file](https://hiconium.dev/vehicles/porsche/959/paris-dakar)

Six rally cars in RM’s programme account — three for 1985 and three for 1986. The first trio all retired; the turbo cars returned to finish first, second and sixth.

The 1986 specification carried double front dampers, all-terrain tyres, 290 mm ground clearance, a 330-litre fuel tank, a reinforced lightweight structure and a variable electro-hydraulic centre differential. The $5.945M public sale belongs to the restored 1985 #186, not the 1986 winner.

- Three 1985 cars, three 1986 cars in RM’s programme account
- 1985: all three retired
- 1986: 1st, 2nd and 6th
- 290 mm clearance · 330 L fuel tank

| Label | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Engine | 959 turbo · 400 PS rally tune |
| Power | 400 PS |

### The 959 Paris-Dakar works car register

1 documented · public records only. Private, unpublished and member-only chassis files are omitted.

| Year | Chassis | Colour | Provenance | Last public sale | File |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1985 | WP0ZZZ93ZFS010015 | Rothmans livery | Metge/Lemoyne’s #186 Paris-Dakar entry: two stage wins before an oil-line failure. RM documents its later restoration and sold it at the Porsche 70th Anniversary Sale in 2018. | $5'945'000 · RM Sotheby’s · 2018-10 | [Chassis file](https://hiconium.dev/vehicles/porsche/959?file=WP0ZZZ93ZFS010015) |

### Porsche 961

1986–1987 · One of one · 1 · [Open as its own file](https://hiconium.dev/vehicles/porsche/959/961)

The one-off circuit-racing 959 — seventh overall and IMSA GTX class winner at Le Mans in 1986.

Porsche took the 959 programme to closed-circuit endurance racing with a single works car. It won its class on its 1986 Le Mans debut, then retired from the 1987 race after a fire.

- One factory circuit-racing car
- 7th overall and IMSA GTX class winner at Le Mans, 1986
- Retired after a fire at Le Mans, 1987

| Label | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Engine | 959-derived twin-turbo flat-six |
| Power | 680 PS |

## Numbers that moved

The 959’s identity problem is arithmetic, not a hidden chassis plate. Porsche, auction houses and secondary sources count different scopes; the page keeps those scopes visible instead of collapsing them into one confident number.

| Plate A | Plate B | Year | Story |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 292 | 321–323 | The main production ledger | Porsche calls 292 cars the 1987–88 series production, and RM also prints 292 as the total run. Bonhams writes 292 plus 29 Sports; Road & Track writes 294 Komforts plus 29 Sports. Those latter claims produce 321 and 323 before late cars. Separate dealer claims of 329 or 337, and Wikipedia’s 337 plus eight, remain unscoped and unresolved. |
| 6 | 8 | The 1992–93 re-run | Bonhams says six late cars were assembled and notes that some sources say eight. Kidston says eight cars from spares, four red and four silver. The safe file is six to eight reported late cars, sold at about DM 750'000 — Bonhams prints DM 750'000 and Kidston DM 747'500. |
| 29 | Sport | The lightweight file | RM Sotheby’s and Broad Arrow both state that 29 Sports were built. The specification is concrete: factory roll cage, cloth seats, four-point harnesses and conventional coil-overs, with air-conditioning and stereo deleted; RM describes roughly 220 lb saved. |
| DM 420'000 | ≈½ cost | The price Porsche charged | RM’s factory-history summary gives a DM 420'000 list price and says Porsche lost about half the cost of each of the 292 cars sold. That is the auction house’s formulation, not an audited per-car loss calculation. |

## Heritage

> Excellent original condition.
>
>
>
> Broad Arrow catalogue · 959 Sport 905011 · 2026

### A Group B car before there was a race car

1981–1983 · The brief

RM places the beginning in 1981, with research-and-development chief Helmuth Bott and Porsche chairman Peter Schutz setting the direction. The public first saw the answer in September 1983: a white Gruppe B study at Frankfurt, shaped around a planned twin-turbo flat-six and a category Porsche expected to enter.

The category would not survive long enough to receive it. The road car kept the research brief instead: sequential turbocharging, PSK all-wheel drive and 450 PS in a shape first shown as a homologation study. Published production arithmetic never became as orderly as the engineering.

![White Porsche Gruppe B study driving on an outdoor test track](https://hiconium.dev/images/cars/porsche-959/story/gruppe-b-study-iaa-1983.jpg)

![White Porsche Gruppe B study with five team members at an outdoor test facility, front-three-quarter view](https://hiconium.dev/images/cars/porsche-959/story/gruppe-b-study-rear-1983.jpg)

### Win, fail, return

1984–1986 · The desert

The first proof carried a different type number. In January 1984 the naturally aspirated Type 953 won Paris-Dakar with René Metge and Dominique Lemoyne; Porsche says all three cars finished. The purpose-built 959s arrived a year later and all three failed: oil line, rock strike, accident.

For 1986 Porsche returned with three 400 PS turbo cars. Across a prologue and eighteen stages on the organiser's 15'000-kilometre route — 7'731 kilometres of them specials — Metge and Lemoyne won. Ickx and Brasseur finished second; Kussmaul and Unger’s service car finished sixth after pulling both team-mates from mud.

![A Rothmans-liveried Porsche 959 climbing a rocky Paris-Dakar stage](https://hiconium.dev/images/cars/porsche-959/race/dakar-family-1986.jpg)

![The 1985 Porsche 959 Paris-Dakar #186, chassis 010015](https://hiconium.dev/images/cars/porsche-959/race/paris-dakar-1985-186.jpg)

![A Rothmans-liveried Porsche 959 on a snowy rally stage](https://hiconium.dev/images/cars/porsche-959/race/dakar-recommissioning.jpg)

### Launched in 1986, delivered in 1987

1986–1988 · The road

Porsche’s retrospective calls the 959 a 2'849 cc sequential-twin-turbo, 450 PS, four-wheel-drive road car launched in 1986. The same source says customer deliveries began in 1987. That establishes the delivery gap, but not a promised date or a quantified delay.

Komfort cars carried leather, air-conditioning, sound insulation, conventional belts and adaptive suspension. The 29 Sports deleted air-conditioning and stereo for a roll cage, cloth seats, four-point harnesses and coil-overs. RM describes roughly 220 lb saved; buyers were offered Grand Prix White or Guards Red.

![Porsche 959 dashboard and switchgear](https://hiconium.dev/images/cars/porsche-959/detail/interior-dashboard.jpg)

![Porsche 959 sequential-twin-turbo flat-six engine bay](https://hiconium.dev/images/cars/porsche-959/detail/engine-bay.jpg)

![Porsche 959 Sport in Grand Prix White](https://hiconium.dev/images/cars/porsche-959/stages/sport-grand-prix-white.jpg)

### Late cars and separate records

1992–2026 · The afterlife

The run did not end cleanly in 1988. Bonhams says six late cars were assembled in 1992–93 and notes that some sources say eight; Kidston says eight built from spares, four red and four silver. Their reported price is about DM 750'000. The disagreement belongs in the identity file, not under the carpet.

The market split the same way. The 1985 Paris-Dakar works car made $5.945M in 2018. In 2026 chassis 905011 made $5.505M and Broad Arrow called it a world auction record for the 959 Sport. Both claims are accurate only when the category remains attached.

![A Porsche 959 Sport with a Ferrari F40 and 288 GTO at a French track day in 1989](https://hiconium.dev/images/cars/porsche-959/story/sport-trackday-france-1989.jpg)

![Porsche 959 Sport chassis 905011, sold by Broad Arrow in 2026](https://hiconium.dev/images/cars/porsche-959/registry/905011-hero.jpg)

### Milestones

| Date | Title | What happened | Standing |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| September 1983 | Gruppe B study | The white study presents Porsche’s planned twin-turbo Group B direction. | The category disappears; the research programme becomes the road car. |
| January 1984 | Type 953 wins Dakar | The naturally aspirated all-wheel-drive prequel wins; Porsche says all three cars finish. | The desert validates the drivetrain direction before the turbo 959. |
| January 1985 | All three 959s retire | The purpose-built Dakar programme fails in public before it succeeds. | The failure chapter makes the 1986 return legible. |
| 22 January 1986 | Paris-Dakar, one–two–six | All three works cars reach Lac Rose: first, second and sixth. | The programme converts three years of desert development. |
| 1986 | The 961 at Le Mans | Metge and Ballot-Léna bring the circuit sibling home seventh overall and first in class. | Porsche calls it the first all-wheel-drive race car to finish Le Mans. |
| 1987 | Customer deliveries begin | Porsche launched the 959 in 1986; its retrospective places first customer deliveries in 1987. | A documented delivery gap, without an invented promised delivery date. |
| 1992–1993 | The late re-run | Cars assembled from spares return the 959 to production at about DM 750'000 each. | The late cars make every simple production total scope-dependent. |
| 2018 | The $5.945M works car | RM Sotheby’s sells the restored 1985 #186 at its Porsche anniversary sale. | The highest documented public 959 result belongs to a works rally car. |
| 2026 | The $5.505M Sport | The Vasek Polak Jr car sets Broad Arrow’s stated world auction record for a 959 Sport. | A Sport record, deliberately not presented as the all-959 record. |

## Three names, one programme

Published accounts identify three engineering roles without reducing the programme to one inventor.

### [Helmuth Bott](https://hiconium.dev/people/helmuth-bott)

Research and development chief · programme sponsor

RM names Bott in the 959 programme leadership and describes the technical sponsor who turned a cancelled Group B brief into Porsche’s technology flagship.

### [Hans Mezger](https://hiconium.dev/people/hans-mezger)

Engine architect · racing lineage

Porsche’s Group C history links the 956/962 twin-turbo engine family to the unit later developed for the 959; it does not identify Mezger as the sole project lead.

### Manfred Bantle

Programme engineer · prototype bridge

RM names Bantle alongside Bott in leadership of the prototype programme — the programme engineer in the bridge from study to production.

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