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.