Porsche – 959 Komfort (1988)

At the beginning of the 1980s, the racing classifications of Groups 1 – 8 were simplified to form Groups A, B and C. Porsche presented a ‘concept car’ entitled ‘Group B’ in the public domain at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 1983. This show car went on to become the Porsche 959, the racer Porsche produced to compete in this new racing formula series. The aim was to create no less than the world’s most advanced supercar. The 959 was indeed a technical tour de force. It showcased a number of features that would become future industry standards. This machine was a veritable paradigm-shifter with an intelligent four-wheel-drive system, adjustable suspension, lightweight Kevlar composite and aluminium body panels, and iconic hollow-spoke magnesium wheels. The mind-warpingly powerful, rear-mounted engine with a displacement of 2.85 litres and generating 450 hp was Porsche’s race-bred air-cooled flat-six. The many innovations included adjustment of the suspension by a knob on the dashboard. The ride height and shock damping could be regulated electronically. The 959’s breath-taking performance capabilities were surpassed only by its development costs – which brought Porsche to the brink of bankruptcy. 200 identical roadable cars had to be built to achieve homologation in Group B. Notwithstanding the eye-watering list price of DM 420,000, a total of 292 examples were sold, with Porsche still losing money on every single one of those cars. Most buyers chose the Komfort trim, which included, air conditioning, leather upholstery and adjustable suspension system. The lighter 959S was only selected by 29 customers. All 959s left the factory gates in 1987 and 1988. This 959 was delivered new to the German pianist and international conductor Professor Justus Frantz in Hamburg in 1988. It is believed to be the only one with the exterior factory finished in Dark Blue K5 and the interior trimmed in Navy Blue.