Porsche 959 Prototype Headed to Barrett-Jackson
by John Coyle

This 1986 Porsche 959 factory prototype was used for chassis and brake testing and was built on a 930 Turbo platform. It's one of two running prototypes in existence—there are an additional two which don't—and should go for a pretty penny. Full description from Barrett-Jackson and more pics below.

Code V1KOM (EX: BB-PW481) testing car. One of two running prototypes and one of only four survivors. The Porsche 959 is one of the greatest sports cars ever to be assembled and touch the black asphalt which covers the roads on which the 959 is an undisputed champion. The 959 is one of if not the greatest Porsche ever assembled and is just as rare as its title as a world class sports car. In October of 1983, Porsche A.G. announced they will produce 200 Street Version 959s and will sell them to the lucky 200 new owners who are on the Porsche's VIP list. For three years Porsche engineers studied and worked on the 959s prototypes and designs. The street version of the 959 debuted at the 1985 Frankfurt Motor Show as a 1986 model, these were pre-production model carrying the Porsche 930 Turbo chassis numbers. In 1985, Helmut Bott, head of the 959 development, had taken 29 of 1986 model 930 Turbo chassis from the Porsche factory to turn them into the 959 pre-production prototypes and these were called Code F, N and V. These 29 prototypes were the latest prototypes and they were used for various final tests, media coverage, crush tests and road tests. This car is one of the 7 V-series prototypes and it was used as the chassis, ABS development car which was seen at the famous high speed testing facilities like Nardo, Italy and Minerva, France. Sadly most of the 29 prototype 959s were destroyed and scrapped by the Porsche factory after the 959 project had ended, this particular prototype became one of only four surviving and also one of only two running prototypes in existence still wearing its original pre-production Dunlops with its original prototype light weight wheels. All production 959s were delivered with Bridgestone RE71s with production type wheels. With Porsche factory no-longer releasing any prototype automobiles to the public, this is a very rare chance in owning a prototype Porsche. Not only is it a prototype Porsche, it doesn't get any better than owning the 959 prototype.

 

Hi,

Ungh! Hopefully it goes to a good home.

Cheers,
Nik

 

Hmmmm....interested to see what she goes for! Very cool.

 

Its an interesting one this, its definably an amazing car to own and hold, sure the value will rise over time and there will always be a premium to pay for such a rare car with its history. But as a drivers car? a car that the owner may wish to drive? Might be wrong, but being a test mule/ prototype if its not as complete as say a production 959, then maybe its a car just to be kept in storage, rather than actually driven with conviction....?

i'd love to own it, but if i did i'd want it to be as good as the production 959's,

 

I guessing it sells around 1.9 million

 

I understand it's a piece of history... but man it is some seriously ugly history. The 80's were not kind to car design.

 

I think I saw this car at a concours here in FL.

 

WOWWWW..... This is unreal, can't wait to see what it does!!

Nice post!

 

Can't wait to see what this car does at auction.

In the first pictures it is sitting really high in the rear...as if the engine is missing.

 

I noticed that too, it also looks like the whole body is moved back a bit. When is the auction date ?