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Thread: No more love for the 959?

  1. #1
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    No more love for the 959?

    My wife and I are considering getting a new daily driver so this past weekend we popped into to the Philadelphia Auto Show to check out some of the rides on our list. In addition to the usual collection of new cars by most major manufacturers the show also has some exotics and some classic cars on display.

    We were there on the opening Saturday afternoon of the show so there was a pretty good crowd. The exotic cars were roped off but there were significant crowds around them taking pictures and drooling over their favorites. I am not surprised by that at all, and I am not surprised that there were decent crowds around the Mustangs, and Camaros, and Mercedes SLS and most of the interesting cars and trucks on display. Here is what did surprise me, and sadden me a bit.

    In the classic car section there were some interesting vehicles such as a 427 Cobra, a Type 35 Bugatti, a GT40, and my favorite a red Porsche 959. Understandably, these cars were also roped off, but you could get within a foot of them if you wanted to, but apparently no one wanted to. No one seemed to care about any of these great classics. I stood and stared at that 959 for ten minutes. I was a teenager when the 959 came out, and for a short while Holberts Porsche, near where I grew up had one in their dealership and as a 17 year old I drove up there and stared at it and reached out and touched it just so I could tell my friends I touched a 959. It was the ultimate supercar at the time and still one of the all-time greats. I was thrilled to see one again this weekend, but to my dismay it got about as much attention as a ten-year old Corolla. The whole time I was there, no one else even gave it a second look (or really any of the other classic cars for that matter), no one took a picture, and there was no interest.

    Right next to the classic cars were the stands for Smart, and Mini, both of which had people all over them, but they couldn’t be bothered to walk 10 feet to see a 959? I get that people are always interested in the latest and greatest, but if I want to see any of the other cars (even the exotics) I can just drive to the dealer and seem them, but you might not see a 959 again for years. Maybe as early 911 owners we see things a bit differently than most, but I just can’t believe people can walk past a 959 without even looking twice.

    To make myself feel better, when I got home I went to my car magazine collection and pulled out my November 1987 issue of Automobile magazine, the one with a red 959 on the cover under the headline “Car of the Century!” and gave that a read for old times’ sake

  2. #2
    Oil Cooled Heart Bullethead's Avatar
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    To most under the age of 40, the remarkable 959 is a car for the last century... angry, angular ovoids and boxes are in now.

    Bosozuku for the masses.
    Russ

    ESR # 1537

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  3. #3
    St-Classic.com advtracing's Avatar
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    For those that follow Top gear UK , the latest season (just started) they will be having a 959 vs f40 80's supercar showdown in a future episode !!
    John Gausden
    Auckland, New Zealand

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  4. #4
    Senior Member mrgreenjeans's Avatar
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    The 959 does not look well to the modern day riceracer,-----

    A It does not adapt to 22 inch wheels well
    B It cannot fit a twin coffee can under the rear valance to snort thru
    C It does not fit the lexicon of a ne'er do well street racer.....swagger thru the streets with Evo on its grille, two more doors to fit your homies in, and carry the puke-factor ugliness to extreme like an STI does.

    Their loss---------
    Best Regards,
    mrgreenjeans
    member # 1503

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  5. #5
    It's unfortunate that a lot of the upcoming generation will not care for the classics. At the age of 40 I consider myself in the "sweet spot" - old enough to appreciate the classics but still young enough to play with the moderns.

    My two active sports cars right now is a 2006 EVO 9 and the 69 911T. Both have great qualities ranging from performance to technology but my biggest enjoyment comes from the classic Porsche because of the emotional connection from my childhood. Unless the masses of the new generation is exposed to the classics in some way I'm afraid it will loose out to the moderns.

    I for one will make sure my kids have many many memories of my 911 to keep it alive.
    Last edited by EA911; 02-07-2011 at 05:01 PM.

  6. #6
    Blessed be the lowered RickS's Avatar
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    Why aren't they looking at it? Chances are they don't have a clue what it is. Yes it kinda looks like an old Porshe, but with that body work, they probably think it's a kit car - not worth the effort or bother. Besides, those wheels are so borrrrrrrrrrrrrring - the car can't be any good.
    71 914 3.0, 82 SC, ESR 376, RG 307

    "The problem with the world is, the ignorant are cock-sure and the intelligent are full of doubt." Bertram Russell

  7. #7
    Nick D member #403 nickd's Avatar
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    how could this be boring- jeez

    not in Philly but same color I hear ...... oh and extra driving lights
    Attached Images Attached Images
    Last edited by nickd; 02-05-2011 at 10:42 AM.
    Nick D - Run Flat

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    Life is way too short to drive boring cars.

  8. #8
    What an iconic car but amazingly not much detail is known by most car enthusiasts and even Porsche followers. As much as the innovation was interesting, but also the drama and intrigue of Holbert's efforts to get only 28 cars into the US as 959Sport models. Unfortunately, it failed and the story of all that is almost as interesting as the car itself. I had a contract for one of the 28 cars and have a very nice scrapbook of all the letters from Holbert, the Porsche lawyers during the two+ years of the legal wranglings with the DOT, and even a several page letter from the DOT warning me about any efforts to bring the car into the country (I had purchased it after the import possibilities failed and sold it to a foreigner). And, of course the book signed by Helmut Bott sent to all who contracted one.

    Jack
    Jack Griffin
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  9. #9
    aka techweenie Eminence Gris's Avatar
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    Okay, esthetics are a personal matter, but I've never liked the looks of the 959. It always seemed like something from the worst student in a design class. The running boards and nose broadened to flare width just seemed lame. To some degree, the wide body 993 seems to have taken all the good stuff in the design and none of the bad. At least that's how I see it.
    techweenie.com

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  10. #10
    I agree it's not that great looking but....it's a product of its times. Put it in your garage with a Nagel poster on the wall, you in a keyboard tie with a white shirt sporting Wayfarers listening to Duran Duran on the stereo, and it's the epitome of style.
    Nate Y
    Early 911S Registry #1232

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