Eric Minoff
Vice President, Head of Department - US
LOT 162P
1993 Porsche 959 Komfort 'Series II' VIN. WPOZZZ95ZJS900291 Engine no. 65H00006
Sold
Lot 162P
One of the final 959s built
1993 Porsche 959 Komfort 'Series II'
1993 Porsche 959 Komfort 'Series II'
1993 Porsche 959 Komfort 'Series II'
VIN. WPOZZZ95ZJS900291
Engine no. 65H00006
VIN. WPOZZZ95ZJS900291
Engine no. 65H00006
2,850cc DOHC Opposed 6-Cylinder Engine
Twin Turbochargers with Bosch MP-Jetronic Fuel Injection
542bhp at 6,100rpm
6-Speed Manual Transaxle - All-wheel Drive
4-Wheel Independent Suspension with adaptive dampers
4-Wheel Disc Brakes
*One of the exceedingly rare 'Series II' models assembled by Porsche in 1992/93
*Previous custodians include Anthony Maclean, Peter Livanos, and Juan Barazi
*Serviced by Porsche Classic Factory Restoration department
*Accompanied by stamped service booklet, owner's manual, and tools
*71,941km shown at cataloguing
*Upgraded with non-sequential, Stage II turbos
*Offered from the care of a passionate Porsche collector
*Striking Polar Silver Metallic over full black leather
THE PORSCHE 959
Porsche's incredible Type 959 was the company's first true supercar. The world's fastest and quickest road car in its day, it realized a mind-boggling array of advanced features that other automakers were only beginning to dream about. The 959 had it all: A powerful engine derived from the world-beating 956/962 prototypes, a high-tech composite body and lightweight chassis, adjustable ride height, huge ABS brakes, run-flat tires with pressure monitors, hollow-spoke wheels, all-wheel drive, selectable drive modes, and much more.
Chief Engineer Helmuth Bott convinced the company's new CEO, Peter Schutz, to approve a program that would include a four-wheel-drive system, and Bott felt that the best place to demonstrate that technology would be the FIA's new Group B category – a two-pronged racing and rallying formula conceived for highly-modified production cars in which there were virtually no rules other than a minimum production number. Manufacturers had to produce at least 200 street-legal units, so in 1981 Porsche set to work developing their contender, assigned the project number Type 961. The homologation version would be named the Type 959.
Porsche was always known for clever interpretation of rule books, and the 959 program was no exception. Sharing its familiar roofline with the production 911, the monocoque body shell, built on the Carrera's 89.4-inch wheelbase, was constructed of aluminum, carbon-fiber, and Aramid (Kevlar)-reinforced plastic. The floor panels were made of Nomex. To take maximum aerodynamic advantage, the body was stretched lengthwise nearly a foot and widened to a full six feet. The rather blunt nose was molded of polyurethane, and the tail section contained various air inlets and vents and a full-width spoiler. Careful attention to smoothing airflow around the body, including a full under-tray, helped the car achieve a relatively good drag coefficient of 0.31, and the lightweight materials kept the car's weight to less than 3,200 lbs., despite its tech-laden underpinnings.
Unveiled as the "Gruppe B" concept at the 1983 Frankfurt auto show, the 959 was, without doubt, a technological tour de force, and would-be customers flooded Porsche with orders for the production versions. But before the 959 could be proven in competition, the FIA abruptly canceled Group B in the wake of serious crashes and fatalities on the rally stages. Porsche had no choice but to continue the project so it could recover the staggering development costs. Full-scale production began in 1987, and a total of 292 examples – plus29 lighter-weight "Sport" versions - would be constructed. Despite being a massive financial drain, Porsche later justified the costs as the car's technology later trickled down to the standard 911 line.
A hero car of the 1980s and beyond, images of the 959 have graced the bedroom walls of many a budding car enthusiast. It remains – along with its antithesis and nemesis, the Ferrari F40 – one of the greatest supercars ever conceived.
THE CAR OFFERED
By all official accounts 959 production ended in 1988, with the final Komfort model leaving the works bearing serial number 288. However, the reality is slightly murkier, as a few years later, Porsche received a request from a very special client for a new 959, despite the car being long out of production. The company had lost money on every 959 built, and was eager to move forward, but they also had a sufficient supply of parts and shells to build a few more cars. According to 959 expert Bruce Canepa, speaking to Road & Track, in the early 1990s, a mysterious collector from Macau and his friend from Hong Kong convinced Porsche to complete six (some sources say eight) more 959s. Porsche was happy to oblige, but at a price – 750,000DM vs 420,000DM. These so-called "Series II" were built at more than double the price of the original run. These cars go up to serial number 294, and include our featured car, bears serial number 291, which some experts say is actually the second from last 959 ever produced.
Expert opinions vary on the details, as Mr. Canepa and Porsche North America's historian Dave Engleman agree that the cars are technically identical to the 1988 models, though others suggest detail differences such as the all-black interior and improvements to the adaptive damping system. All, however, are built to Komfort specifications.
Chassis 291 has a colorful history in the stewardship of well-known and enthusiastic collectors and dealers. It is not known if this car went to Macau or Hong Kong initially, but by 1998, it was sold to the Anglo-Swiss collector, Anthony Maclean, via the respected dealer Lukas Hüni. Bringing it to the UK, Maclean entrusted Porsche GB in Reading to maintain the 959, and he racked up respectable mileage in it, traveling between his homes in the UK, Geneva, and the South of France – perhaps the best way to properly enjoy a 959! It has been with confidence regardless of conditions, just as Porsche engineers envisioned when creating their masterpiece.
After vacillating about selling the car for years, Mr. Maclean eventually entrusted Simon Kidston, then of Bonhams & Brooks, to sell the 959 at the 2001 Les Grande Marques à Monaco auction. He ultimately regretted it and owned two additional 959s in the ensuing years. In Monaco, chassis 291 was acquired by fellow collector Peter Livanos, who later sold it to yet another serial 959 owner, Juan Barazi.
In 2005, and showing 45,000 km at the time, a UK-based collector acquired this 959 directly from Barazi. During his tenure, the car was maintained without regard to cost by Porsche GB, and the service book shows stamps from 1993, 1995, 1999, 2001, and 2004. Considering the car's exceptional condition, Porsche GB selected it to represent the model at the 2008 and 2009 Goodwood Revival Earls Court Motor Show displays, as well as part of the official launch of the 997 Turbo.
Simon Kidston was again selected to represent the car, who sold it to Dutch collector, Floris Dullaart, who handed it over to Porsche Classic for extensive service and refurbishment. The current owner acquired the car from Dullaart and continued the tradition by enjoying it to the fullest on the road – taking it from 54,000km to over 71,000km with journeys across the UK and Europe, including driving back to Porsche Classic for additional service work in 2021. A 959 historian familiar with this car's history reports that it benefits from a 'Stage II' turbo upgrade, which fits non-sequential units from the 959 Sport, upping power to a heady 542bhp.
Driven with great enthusiasm over the years, this 959 has been expertly maintained by a string of passionate owners who have spared no expense in its upkeep, including the consignor – a UK-based enthusiast with an extensive Porsche collection. The culmination of that care makes this a superlative example of Porsche's eminently collectible debut supercar.
Footnotes
Please note that online bidding will not be available for Premium Lots, indicated with a "P" next to the lot number. If you wish to bid on a Premium Lot, Bonhams will require that you obtain a bank letter of reference confirming your ability to remit payment for any and all purchases. Please contact the specialist department at least one business day in advance of the auction date to arrange a telephone bid or an absentee bid by contacting [email protected], or our Client Service Office by emailing [email protected] or calling +1 (212) 644 9001.
Please note, due to California emissions laws, this vehicle may only be sold to an out-of-state resident for use outside the state of California or to a licensed automotive dealer.
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