tuk_928

Came across this link when perusing the Hemmings Motor News today while my wife and her family were taking advantage of the big sales at the local mall.
Take note of the name listed on the key fob...GATES. I understand that Mr. Bill Gates is quite the Porsche fan. At any rate, I wonder if this vehicle is one of his cars...what a beauty it is...

http://www.heritageclassics.com/pors...y959/Page.html


TUK

Tony

Sure was a pioneer of a car!

I love it...a classic

Take a look at the engine shot. Hard to believe it breathes through those tubes!!

midwest

Nope. Gate's car is silver. And he isn't a big car collector, btw.

Nicole

Awesome car...

But wouldn't you at least expect heated seats and lumbar support in a "comfort" edition?

TAREK

I think it's a relative term... Compared to the Rallye Group B version, this must be as plush as a Cadillac compared to the average sports car...but I'd drive it despite it's lack in ultimate comfort

Nicole

Oh, I would not refuse it either! :-)

I'm sure, Beth is going to love that one...

Gregg K

Thanks. That's fun to think about driving. I apologise for sounding so negative, but I'm not sure that there's a place one can drive a car anymore. Too damn many people on the road, and most don't have a clue how to drive. I'll bet Bill Gates is one of em. Somehow I can't imagine that goof getting really aggressive in a sports car. According to this link, not a single 959 ever became legal. And Gates bought FOUR!
It really is a beauty. It's nice to even be related to it. I see common parts, at least. No matter what, I'm really loving these 928's.

http://erntheburn.tripod.com/autos/959/

Nicole

Just recently, a company in Napa Valley developed the emissions controls to get the 959 federalized. To the best of my knowledge, they federalized or are in the process of federalizing a whole bunch of them. Somsone also told me that this has been done by an importer in Southern California, but I can't recall the details. There are 959s here in the US now, but they are still more expensive than they were when new.

BTW: I hear that the Porsche internal cost for each 959 built were not the roughly 200k they were sold for - the factory's own cost was around $375 per car.

Also consider this: These cars have so many special parts stuff, and if they don't get driven, all the little seals dry out. I heard about a super low mileage 959 that came back to the factory for a major service, and by the time it was all done it cost over $10k. And that was years ago...

midwest

Several of the 959's in the US are federalized, including Gate's. They are imported under a rule that only allows them to be driven limited miles per year (show and racetrack theoretically).

It is true that if they sit for a while they do need all of that work.

Bruce C is the one updating 959's.

And Gate's only has one.

Champagne

According to a recent article in Autoweek, Bill Gates willingness to spend both time and lots of money to fight the Federalisation rules, was a major factor in getting 959s on the road in the US at all.

Paul

I-Wana-951

thats sick, id never imagine it was from the 80's with performance like that!

Nicole

So are yo ugoing to change your user ID to "I-Wana-959" now?

Just kidding...

John Struthers

Bill probably read that Time/Newsweek article back in the 80's.
Joe Schmoe from New Jersey went from the showroom to his home in one of the first 59's to hit our shores.
Obviously he was followed because by the time he dragged the wife outside to check it out...it was gone ================!
There was a three state chase in the mid west and the cops were closing in when a series of supercells and Porsche aerodynamics saved the bandito from a series of Interstate Transportation of stolen property charges -Federal felony's-. The winds were so bad !8 wheelers were being blown on their sides on the Interstate and the Troopers involved were being 'bumped' from lane to lane due to gusts and finally called it quits.
I think it was somewhere in Tornado Alley that He/She disappeared.
I can't recall wether it was eventually found around San Francisco or L.A. . But other than a good detailing and a thorough servicing -not to mention a few thousand miles of serious break in- upon return to Jersey she was as good as new.
I think if the perps had been caught we would have recognized the name.

sweanders

Actually the Komfort verison is the most common (if you can say theat about 959's). The sport version is a bit more rare, no AC, more power, sport seats, less sound deadening stuff etc.

Chucker

I did a search a few days ago on the 959 and found an article that was in Auto Week (I think). It stated that there is/are in fact a few companies out in the west that are putting them on the road. One company even increased the hp to 575 from 450 and made a few other modifications. They have done a handful and have several in storage for buyers. The article went into Gates involvement and others in the Porsche family. It also stated that there were 226 made the first time and then another 4 from spare parts at the factory to bring the total to 230. I will try to find the article and get a link for those that are interested.