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Re: What ever happened to the 959?!
Quote:
Fanch said:
I remember reading about those 200 models, the engineers had to align them next to eachother to prove the racing authorities that they were ready, which in fact they were not, those cars had then to go back to Werk 1 for production, cool story.
...
I guess they didn't trust them anymore after the 917 story..
The 959 became too expensive, who knows why? It brought Porsche is severe financial trouble, that's why Wiedeking was so keen to earn money instead of losing it on that car.
The 959 was a technological masterpiece, similiar outstanding as the CarreraGT in terms of transferring racing technology to the street. In terms of handling it wasn't as agile as the F40, its sophisticated AWD system made it impressive on any road surface though. Extremely stable even in the worst weather conditions.
Funny thing is that Porsche went for technology in that car and for pure racing style in the CGT, right the opposite as Ferrari did on F40/50 and the Enzo!
I'd say collectors are not willing to sell their 959s, that's why you hardly see any of them. What indeed seems to be problematic is the engine electronics, which are very complex and expensive to repair.
Besides that I doubt that you have seen a 288 GTO - they look pretty similiar to the 328/308 but have a glasfibre body.
Re: What ever happened to the 959?!
Quote:
Ferdie said:
Besides that I doubt that you have seen a 288 GTO - they look pretty similiar to the 328/308 but have a glasfibre body.
I know how to differentiate a 288 GTO from a 308/328 and I know that the 3 look similar. But the 288 GTO is much wider and it has those quad sqaure foglights, it WAS a 288 GTO I saw.
P.S I didn't take this pic, just showing you what I meant about the quad fog lights and wider body
Re: What ever happened to the 959?!
Quote:
killer said:
Very true. Wasn't Bill Gates one of the first individuals in the U.S. to get one? I heard that he had to design a crash test program that he developed with porsche (meaning software)... in order to get it to pass U.S. regulations (quite naturally, porsche wasn't going to crash a bunch of the cars just to get them to pass U.S. regulations).
-A magazine a few years back did a cracking review of an older 959. They compared it to the 996TT and said it was technically faster and everything like that, however, it just feels different. The turbo's on the 959 were not as smooth as the 996TT... the person driving the car said that when the turbo's kicked in "it felt like someone kicked you in your stomach." The writer admitted that the car was very ahead of its time, however, compared to the current 996TT... the 996TT would be his choice... simply because the TT felt safer. The 959 actually scared him to drive b/c it felt a lot more raw than any current porsche.
Both Bill Gates & Paul Allen bought 959s and they sat for years in a customs warehouse (I believe) in Oakland, CA. Don't know what eventually happened to them. I guess they were either eventually federalized or sold out of the US.
Re: What ever happened to the 959?!
Quote:
rick s. said:Quote:
killer said:
Very true. Wasn't Bill Gates one of the first individuals in the U.S. to get one? I heard that he had to design a crash test program that he developed with porsche (meaning software)... in order to get it to pass U.S. regulations (quite naturally, porsche wasn't going to crash a bunch of the cars just to get them to pass U.S. regulations).
Both Bill Gates & Paul Allen bought 959s and they sat for years in a customs warehouse (I believe) in Oakland, CA. Don't know what eventually happened to them. I guess they were either eventually federalized or sold out of the US.
No, they got them and now they use them because they can be legalized in America now. That's how I got to see mine!
And Mike S., It's very, very, loud. If I can remeber, it didn't sound like a flat-6 engine. Very racecar like.
Re: What ever happened to the 959?!
Quote:
Fanch said:
I remember reading about those 200 models, the engineers had to align them next to eachother to prove the racing authorities that they were ready, which in fact they were not, those cars had then to go back to Werk 1 for production, cool story.
Fanch, I think you may have got the 959 mixed up with the story of 25 homologation special 917s (?)which were lined up in a yard for inspection. I have a photograph of them in a book somewhere.
The 959s were built over such a long period of time that they couldn't have been held at the factory for inspection.
Aug 3, 2005 10:31:57 PM
- LowPolarMoment
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- Loc: Boca Raton, FL
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- Registered on: May 22, 2005
- Reply to: Mike S
Re: What ever happened to the 959?!
Quote:
Mike S said:Quote:
Ferdie said:
Besides that I doubt that you have seen a 288 GTO - they look pretty similiar to the 328/308 but have a glasfibre body.
I know how to differentiate a 288 GTO from a 308/328 and I know that the 3 look similar. But the 288 GTO is much wider and it has those quad sqaure foglights, it WAS a 288 GTO I saw.
P.S I didn't take this pic, just showing you what I meant about the quad fog lights and wider body
The most noticable difference is the gills behind the rear wheels. Surprised no one mentioned that.
Re: What ever happened to the 959?!
Quote:
fritz said:Quote:
Fanch said:
I remember reading about those 200 models, the engineers had to align them next to eachother to prove the racing authorities that they were ready, which in fact they were not, those cars had then to go back to Werk 1 for production, cool story.
Fanch, I think you may have got the 959 mixed up with the story of 25 homologation special 917s (?)which were lined up in a yard for inspection. I have a photograph of them in a book somewhere.
The 959s were built over such a long period of time that they couldn't have been held at the factory for inspection.
Fritz,
Shame on me!
I'm gettiing old. I think you may be right man, and that's the story where some of those 917s where not even finished right?
I read some of them had to be pushed in the courtyard for the picture bc they didn't even have an engine in them right!
Yes, of course, it makes sense, how could you line up 200 cars in Werk 1 courtyard anyway!
BTW, you would konw, was the 959 initially planned only for racing purposes or for commercial purposes?
Thanks and sorry again.
Re: What ever happened to the 959?!
I don't think anyone could picture Bill Gates driving anything other than a honda civic. But he is a billionaire.. so looks can be decieving- case and point, his home in WA has a 30 car garage. We can just assume that it is full of very very special vehicles.
Someone had a picture of some arabian prince's garage. It had a 4 door ferrari 456, a convertible Ferrari that was NEVER a convertible (again, I think a 456) and a bunch of other cars that were completely custom made by the original manufacturers. I think it was the same prince that went on a rolls royce shopping spree.
Someone had a picture of some arabian prince's garage. It had a 4 door ferrari 456, a convertible Ferrari that was NEVER a convertible (again, I think a 456) and a bunch of other cars that were completely custom made by the original manufacturers. I think it was the same prince that went on a rolls royce shopping spree.
Re: What ever happened to the 959?!
Quote:
killer said:
I don't think anyone could picture Bill Gates driving anything other than a honda civic. But he is a billionaire.. so looks can be decieving- case and point, his home in WA has a 30 car garage. We can just assume that it is full of very very special vehicles.
Someone had a picture of some arabian prince's garage. It had a 4 door ferrari 456, a convertible Ferrari that was NEVER a convertible (again, I think a 456) and a bunch of other cars that were completely custom made by the original manufacturers. I think it was the same prince that went on a rolls royce shopping spree.
i know that the sultan on brunei ordered 6 rolls royces phants at once
Re: What ever happened to the 959?!
Quote:
AndyM said:Quote:
rick s. said:Quote:
killer said:
Very true. Wasn't Bill Gates one of the first individuals in the U.S. to get one? I heard that he had to design a crash test program that he developed with porsche (meaning software)... in order to get it to pass U.S. regulations (quite naturally, porsche wasn't going to crash a bunch of the cars just to get them to pass U.S. regulations).
Both Bill Gates & Paul Allen bought 959s and they sat for years in a customs warehouse (I believe) in Oakland, CA. Don't know what eventually happened to them. I guess they were either eventually federalized or sold out of the US.
No, they got them and now they use them because they can be legalized in America now. That's how I got to see mine!
And Mike S., It's very, very, loud. If I can remeber, it didn't sound like a flat-6 engine. Very racecar like.
Bill Gates & Paul Allen have been car guys for a long time. They used to time themselves between Microsoft in Redmond, WA and Seatac airport to see who was quickest. I don't remember what the numbers were, but seems to me that 13 minutes was talked about (roughly 25 miles). This was in the early to mid 80's when traffic wasn't as thick as it is today. Could have been one of the reasons why the feds weren't quick to federalize their 959's.
Re: Bill Gates and his 959
He eventually got his federalized and licensed for US road use.
He mounted one of his 959's onto a plexiglass pedestal inside his house several years ago. He even had lights
installed shining up under the car so people could marvel
at his prized Porsche. But, like all things thought to be perfect, the lights used were too strong and melted the tires into the plexiglass. He had to have the car lifted
off and towed to a repair shop.
Bill Gates daily driver is a Lexus.
I could say more about Bill Gates and cars, but I wont.
If you want to own a 959 in the US, contact Canepa Motors in California. The are the people currently federalizing them for sale here.
He mounted one of his 959's onto a plexiglass pedestal inside his house several years ago. He even had lights
installed shining up under the car so people could marvel
at his prized Porsche. But, like all things thought to be perfect, the lights used were too strong and melted the tires into the plexiglass. He had to have the car lifted
off and towed to a repair shop.
Bill Gates daily driver is a Lexus.
I could say more about Bill Gates and cars, but I wont.
If you want to own a 959 in the US, contact Canepa Motors in California. The are the people currently federalizing them for sale here.
Aug 4, 2005 9:21:25 PM
- LowPolarMoment
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- Loc: Boca Raton, FL
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- Reply to: Mike S
Aug 5, 2005 4:53:02 AM
- Mike S
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Re: What ever happened to the 959?!
Quote:
Mike S said:Quote:
Ferdie said:
Besides that I doubt that you have seen a 288 GTO - they look pretty similiar to the 328/308 but have a glasfibre body.
I know how to differentiate a 288 GTO from a 308/328 and I know that the 3 look similar. But the 288 GTO is much wider and it has those quad sqaure foglights, it WAS a 288 GTO I saw.
P.S I didn't take this pic, just showing you what I meant about the quad fog lights and wider body
Okay, okay, you're the man...
I haven't seen a 288 on the street yet, just lined up at some Concour parades. Haven't seen a 959 on the public road either though...
Have seen two EB110s though!
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