CAR WARS! Was The Porsche 959 The ULTIMATE Supercar Of The 1980s? Or, Was That Left To The Ferrari F40?

I have to say, last week's Petrolicious clip of the Jaguar XJR-15 had me on a frenzy. So, I went on a little bit of a binge on the automotive storyteller's YouTube channel. 

So sue me.

Of course I had to stay dialed in to see what video would drop this week. And what better subject than the Porsche 959?

Known as being one of the most outrageous vehicles of the 1980s, it was a 911 that was well ahead of its time. Featuring twin-turbo technology, an adjustable suspension, a six-speed manual gearbox and more, it was essentially forecasting what was to come from the marque. 

And, boy, was it fast. 

In this clip we meet Bruce Canepa who is the man, myth and legend behind the 959 arriving in the U.S. market. For years the 959 wasn't allowed to be imported here. Some people figured a way around it and Canepa was the ringleader. Buckle up for a helluva story.

But all that said, one question lingers in my mind: Was the 959 the BETTER supercar over the Ferrari F40?

I discussed last night with one of my best friends via text message, but wanted to put it out there for the Spies to decides. So, what say you?


This week we head a few hours north of our Los Angeles HQ to catch up with Bruce Canepa and one his Porsche 959. It’s one of the rarest cars to wear the company’s crest, but he’s certainly no stranger to the thing—after spending over a decade trying to find the legal loopholes necessary to put one on the road in the United States, one tends to form a bond, become familiar. The 959 has been duly lauded for decades as one of the most advanced and ambitious supercars ever produced, but beyond all that it may have also saved the beloved 911 by showing the world what could be achieved with a rear-engine design.

runninglogan1 - 1/31/2018 11:45:37 PM

+1 Boost

For me it's the 959.

F40 was a bare bones race car for the road - by most accounts a blast to drive.

The 959 was a technological tour de force that was truly years ahead of its time.

valhallakey - 2/1/2018 12:24:04 AM

+1 Boost

What he said, both good but the 959 pointed to the future...

TheSteve - 2/1/2018 2:31:14 AM

+1 Boost

The 959 was definitely a noteworthy car for its time. I'm glad it happened, and save the iconic Porsche 911, thereby allowing it to evolve into what it is today.

qwertyfla1 - 2/1/2018 7:55:38 AM

-1 Boost

The 959 was a "century car" that changed the rule book and yard stick for all other exotics to be measured. This BEAST has aged well and still looks "mean as shit" in a very good way...

MDarringer - 2/1/2018 8:18:17 AM

-1 Boost

I'd say the Porsche. It probably acts like a normal car when you'd want to go to Walmart to buy beef jerky and probably is infinitely more reliable than the Ferrari. If anything Porsches that deliver supercar performance are often discounted for their greatness because they are too close to being usable as conventional cars. That--I think--is an asset.

mre30 - 2/1/2018 8:45:27 AM

0 Boost

They were both so head and shoulders above the rest, that I'd say they were equally momentous. Matter of preference but both were the best of the decade.