[shadow]

The 959, my favourite Porsche of all time. Come on ported, give us some great new info and pics on that one.

[ported_head]

Man, I feel terrible not being able to finish this one. And since I've given up on this thread, the Porsche line up growing many-fold.

Right now I'm pretty hard pressed for time, though I wonder if the other Porschephiles are willing to jump start this thread again.

[suhaas307]

I'd love to post a write-up Ported Head! I'm working on it right now!

Coming up: Porsche 959, Ruf CTR 'Yellowbird'

P.S. I did try and jump-start the thread sometime back. I hope my post on the RS-RSRs were good!

[ported_head]

Originally Posted by suhaas307

I'd love to post a write-up Ported Head! I'm working on it right now!

Coming up: Porsche 959, Ruf CTR 'Yellowbird'

P.S. I did try and jump-start the thread sometime back. I hope my post on the RS-RSRs were good!

Super! Can't wait to read it! I enjoyed reading the earlier few.

Dude, I'm not authority on Porsches, learning as I'm reading too!

[kkr2k2]

Originally Posted by ported_head

....

Dude, I'm not authority on Porsches, learning as I'm reading too!

The Need For Speed, Porsche Unleashed PC game could be of great help to get info on Porsche cars. All the models, their variants and also the racing models are listed in the game with pictures, specifications and time line.

[shadow]

[quote=suhaas307;1693347]
Coming up: Porsche 959, Ruf CTR 'Yellowbird'

cant wait for the 959 Suhaas, lets have it soon.

[suhaas307]

The Porsche 959 was a manufactured from 1986 to 1989. It was initially intended to be a Group B rally car and later on, production for road use commenced. It was designed to satisfy FIA Homologation regulations requiring that a minimum number of 200 street legal units be built.

The Porsche 959 was often considered to be one of the most technologically advanced road-going sports-car during it production. It was one of the first performance oriented cars to use an all-wheel-drive system. It helped Porsche engineer and incorporate all-wheel-drive systems into their standard run-on-the-mill sports cars. It provided the basis for Porsche’s first AWD Carrera 4 variant and in the Turbo variants starting from the 993.

During its production, no other sports-car could match the 959’s performance! The 959 was in production only for a short period of time and this meant that the value of the car just kept sky rocketing!

The big boys at Porsche were curious and wanted to see what they could do with a 911 based, rear-engined sports-car. They wanted to exploit the true potential of its sublime chassis and sorted suspension setup. Mr. Peter Schutz, Porsche’s then-new Marketing Director, decided to give it the green light. Porsche toyed with the idea and then finally decided to enter their ‘test-mule’ into Group B Rally racing as they felt that it would be the perfect arena to test their ‘new project’. Motorsport helps in development and project testing to a great extent!

Porsche developed an already existing engine instead of creating a new one from scratch. The powerplant, a twin-turbocharged, six-cylinder boxer engine with an air-cooled block and water-cooled heads, displaced 2.85 liters, about half a liter less than a contemporary 911 engine. The motor had originally been developed for the ‘Moby Dick’ race car and then been redeveloped slightly for the short-lived Porsche Indy Car and several other projects before being "tweaked" a last time for use in the 961, the 959's racing counterpart. The water cooled cylinder heads combined with the air cooled block, 4-valve heads and sequential turbochargers allowed Porsche to extract 331 kW (444 hp) from the compact, efficient and rugged power unit. The use of sequential twin turbochargers rather than the more usual identical turbochargers for each of the two cylinder banks allowed for smooth seamless delivery of power across the engine RPM band, in contrast to the abrupt on-off power characteristic that distinguished Porsche's other turbocharged engines of the period. The engine was used, virtually unchanged, in the 959 road car as well.

In an attempt to create a rugged, lightweight shell, Porsche adopted aluminium and Aramid (Kelvar or Twaron) composite for body use along with a Normex floor, instead of the steel normally used on their production cars. The vehicle's weight of 3,190 pounds (1,450 kg) helped to achieve its high performance level. Even the alloy wheels were ‘lightened’ as their spokes where hollowed out to save weight. The wheels also had an in-built tyre-pressure monitoring system.

Akin to Audi’s Quattro (Four-wheel-drive system), Porsche had developed the PSK or Porsche Steuer Kupplung. It was considered to be the most advanced all-wheel-drive system in any production car back then! The ‘dynamic’ distribution of torque among the four wheels was its most important feature. Under hard acceleration, the PSK could send up to 80% of its power to the rear wheels, helping make most of the rear-traction bias that occurs at times.

Porsche had given special importance to the development of the aerodynamics of the 959 as it was capable of insane speeds! Automatic ride height adjustment was a feature that was included in the 959.

All the technological advancements and massive turbochargers translated into stellar performance. The car was capable of reaching the 100 km/h from 0 in just 3.7 seconds and 0-160 km/h in 8.3 seconds! The standing kilometer was dispatched in 21.6 seconds and the 959 would go on to reach 315 km/h!

The street version of the 959 debuted at the 1985 Frankfurt Motor Show as a 1986 model, but numerous issues delayed production by more than a year. The car was manufactured in two levels of trim, "Sport" and "Komfort", corresponding to the race version and the street version. First customer deliveries of the 959 street variant began in 1987, and the car debuted at a cost of $225,000 USD per unit, still less than half what it cost Porsche to build each one. Production ended in 1988. In total, 337 cars were built, including 37 prototypes and preproduction models. At least one 959 and one 961 remain in the Porsche historic hall in Stuttgart, Germany.

Interesting information:

1. The 959 was not street legal in the United States prior to 1999 when the "Show and Display" law was passed, although an unknown number were imported via the "grey market" during the late 1980s as show pieces. During the model's development Porsche refused to provide the United States Department of Transportation with the four 959s they required for crash testing, and the car was never certified by the NHTSA for street use in the U.S.
2. The "Gates 959" is an infamous car, one of the Porsche 959s built in the mid-eighties, that was imported by Bill Gates to the US in 1987. Paul Allen imported another one, as did Porsche collector Jerry Seinfeld. These cars had not been approved by regulators and had no United States Department of Transportation and United States Environmental Protection Agency approval. The "Gates 959" was stored for 13 years by the US Customs at the Port of Seattle, until regulations were changed to allow "Autos of Interest" to be imported with severe limitations on their use. Gates and Allen both helped pass the "Show and Display" law.
3. Replicas and conversion kits were very popular among those who couldn’t afford or those who couldn’t acquire a genuine 959. (Much like the RS and the RSRs of the early ‘70s)

EDIT: Mods, I'd like to add captions to a few pictures. Could you help me?

- The cream-coloured '959' (Pictures 5 and 6) is actually a Concept called 'Gruppe-B' that debuted at the 1983 Frankfurt Motor Show. Two years later, it debuted again as a proper production sports-car (other pictures).

[suhaas307]

This is slightly off beat for this thread. Some say that the Yellowbird isn't an actual Porsche. But IMHO, it holds an important place in Porsche history. And this is why I've decided to include it with the RSRs and the 959s!

The Ruf CTR (Group C Turbo Ruf)also known as the CTR Yellowbird or just 'Yellowbird' was a limited production, high-performance sports-car built by Ruf who based it on the Porsche 911 3.2 Carrera.

This marvelous piece of engineering was based on the '87 911 Carrera 3.2 instead of the 930 911 which would have been the default choice for Ruf as the 930 is factory fitted with a turbocharger. But the reason as to why they chose the 911 Carrera 3.2 over the 930 is that the Carrera 3.2 was noticeably lighter and more aerodynamic that the 930 Turbo. Factory body panels including the doors, hood and engine cover were replaced with aluminum pieces, helping to knock an additional 200 kg (441 lb) off the vehicle's factory curb weight. Shaved rain gutters to reduce drag, fiberglass front and rear bumpers and a pair of intake ducts on the rear flares to allow airflow to the intercoolers topped the list of body modifications.

Several modifications were undertaken to the normally aspirated Carrera 3.2 motor. The cylinders were re-bored in order to increase the displacement from 3.2 to 3.4 liters. An uprated Bosch fuel injection system, an ignition setup from the Porsche 962 race-car and a specifically designed turbo-system featuring two large turbochargers and twin-intercoolers helped bringing the total power output to a staggering 469 hp (350 kW) and 408 lb·ft (553 N·m) of torque at 5950 RPM.

Ruf also designed their own 5-speed gearbox as they weren't able to modify the existing 5-speed 'box in the Carrera 3.2. The 930's 4-speed 'box also proved to be inadequate for the project. Plus, this gave Ruf the freedom to customize the gear-ratios. 17" Ruf Speedline Alloys wearing Dunlop's Denloc systems performance tyres ensured that grip is a factor that one shouldn't worry about while driving the 'Bird. The CTR was also fitted with 330mm Brembo rotors that help haul the car quite effectively!

The performance that the 'Bird delivered was astonishing to say the least and that's largely due to the low curb-weight (1150 kgs).

0-96 km/h was achieved in 4 seconds flat which may not sound amazing until you get a load of the next figure. 0-160 km/h in 7.3 seconds, which is frankly stunning! Generally, an accelerating car would usually take double the time (0-96 km/h time) to reach 160 km/h. But the 'Bird managed to get to the 160 km/h mark in less than 8 seconds! And the next figure is even more astonishing! 0-201 km/h in just 11.4 seconds!

This sudden surge of power and amazing mid-range punch is largely due to the two turbochargers and its low curb-weight. This car could out accelerate the fastest and quickest production cars of those days (The Ferrari F40 and the Lamborghini Countach).

The 'bird also beat the F40, the Testarossa and the Countach by hitting a mind numbing top speed of 340 km/h (212 mph) making it the fastest production car for sometime! For several years the CTR held the lap record at the Nurburgring-Nordschleife track, generally considered the most difficult and demanding circuit in the world and the standard test course for all high-end performance vehicles.

The company debuted the vehicle at the end of 1987 with pricing set at $223,000 per unit, although that number could vary depending on whether a given customer ordered their car directly from Ruf or brought in a unit purchased via dealer for conversion. Ruf made only 29 CTRs from chassis bought from Porsche; most of the CTRs produced were converted from existing customers' Carreras.

Some interesting facts:

1. The car received its nickname, "Yellowbird", during testing by Road & Track magazine, whose staffers noted the contrast created by its yellow paintwork against the overcast skies on the day of their photo shoot.
2. Apart from the apparent fact that the car is yellow, the CTR also derived the nickname 'Yellowbird' as the sound from the blow-off-valve was similar to the chirp of a Canary!
3. The CTR was succeeded in 1996 by the CTR2, a much more comprehensive vehicle based on Porsche's much newer 993 Generation 911.

[driverace]

Originally Posted by kkr2k2

The Need For Speed, Porsche Unleashed PC game could be of great help to get info on Porsche cars. All the models, their variants and also the racing models are listed in the game with pictures, specifications and time line.

FOA:
you are so right ! < I couldnt agree more!>
SOA:

I said that.. and added a report on that /in pdf attachment/ !! (last response on this very thread Pg.No.3)
I guess nobody read !
:(
:sad:

[anekho]

Fantastic articles Suhaas and kudos for keeping the thread alive

I especially enjoyed the article on the RUF, and can only imagine how mindblowing 470 hp in car weighing around a ton will be ! And twin-turbo chargers - the sound of them spooling must be phenomenal. I love the simplicity of it, a no frills interior - simply man and machine! Proper track car this!

Keep writing!

[shadow]

the engine bay of the silver 959 is one of the slickest I have ever seen. And it's over 20 years old!
I am a Ferrari lover, but this Porsche just takes my breath away.

Thanks Suhaas

[iron]

a little off topic over hear.
there was a game that was launched by Electronic Arts - Need for Speed Porsche Unleashed / Need for Speed Porsche 2000.
Same game launched by 2 different names
The game had the entire line up by Porsche from 1950 to 2000
with their detailed specifications
and the major cars that were launched post 2000 were available as Downloadable content prominent among them were 928GTS, 911GT, 911GT2, 911GT3

[suhaas307]

Porsche 930:

The 930 (Pronounced nine-thirty) was produced between 1975 and 1989. It was Porsche's top-of-the-range model for its entire production duration and at the time of its introduction the fastest production car available in Germany.



During the late 1950s, Porsche began experimenting with turbocharging technology on their race cars. In 1972, they began development on a turbocharged version of the 911. Porsche originally needed to produce the car in order to comply with homologation regulations and had intended on marketing it as a street legal race vehicle like the 1973 Carrera 2.7 RS. When the homologation rules changed, Porsche continued to develop the car anyway, deciding to make it a fully-equipped variant of the 911 that would top the model range and give Porsche a more direct competitor to vehicles from Ferrari and Lamborghini, which were more expensive and more exclusive than the standard 911. Although Porsche no longer needed the car to meet homologation requirements, it proved a viable platform for racing vehicles, and became the basis for the 934 and 935 race cars.



The 3.0 liter, flat-six that powered the Carrera RS 3.0 was turbocharged and was originally developed for the 917/30 CAN-AM car. Porsche dubbed this as the ‘930’ shortly afterward. They plonked this motor into the Carrera and it produced about 260 horsepower, which was absolutely phenomenal at that time! In order to ensure that the platform could make the most of the higher power output, a revised suspension, larger brakes and stronger gearbox became part of the package, although some consumers were unhappy with Porsche's use of a 4-speed whilst a 5-speed manual was available in the "lesser" Carrera. A "Whale-Tail" rear spoiler was installed to help vent more air to the engine and help create more downforce at the rear of the vehicle, and wider rear wheels with upgraded tires combined with flared wheelarches were added to increase the 911's width and grip, making it more stable.
Porsche then badged the 911 as ‘Turbo’ and it debuted at the Paris Auto Show in October, ’74 and went on sale in the spring of ’75.





Porsche made its first and most significant upgrades to the 930 for 1978, enlarging the engine to 3.3 liters and adding an air-to-air intercooler. By cooling the pressurized air charge, the intercooler helped increase power output to 300 hp (DIN); the rear 'whale tail' spoiler was re-profiled and raised slightly to make room for the intercooler. Porsche also upgraded the brakes to units similar to those used on the 917 racecar.


Flachbau (slantnose) 930:



Porsche offered a "Flachbau" ("slantnose") 930 under the "Sonderwunschprogramm" (special order) program beginning in 1981, an otherwise normal 930 with a 935-style slantnose instead of the normal 911 front end. Each Flachbau unit was handcrafted by remodeling the front fenders. So few were built that the slantnose units often commanded a high premium over sticker, adding to the fact that they required a premium of up to 60 per cent (highly indivdualized cars even more) over the standard price. Several sources claim the factory built 948 units. The Flachbau units delivered in Europe usually featured the 330 hp performance kit.

Porsche discontinued the 930 after model year 1989 when its underlying "G-Series" platform was being replaced by the 964. '89 models were the only versions of the 930 to feature a 5-speed transmission. A turbo version of the 964 officially succeeded the 930 in 1991 with a modified version of the same 3.3 litre flat-6 engine and a 5-speed transmission.


Some interesting facts:

1. The 930 proved very fast but also very demanding. The 911 was prone to oversteer because of its rear engine layout and short wheelbase; combining those traits with the power of the turbocharged motor, which exhibited significant turbo-lag, made the problem more prevalent. Even though the rear engine layout provided superior traction, sudden bursts of power to the rear wheels in mid-corner could break the tires loose, causing the car to literally spin out of control. This effect was amplified if an inexperienced driver would instinctively lift the throttle in reaction. The vehicle needed to be kept at high revs during spirited driving to minimize the turbo-lag. Skilled drivers quickly learned how to drive the 930 properly, and with that knowledge came the ability to drive the car above and beyond the levels of most other sports cars. Nevertheless, some fatal accidents resulted in product liability law suits brought against Porsche in the US.

2. Changing emissions regulations in Japan and the U.S. forced Porsche to withdraw the 930 from those markets in 1980. Believing the 928 would eventually replace the 911, Fuhrmann cut-back spending on the model, and it was not until Fuhrmann's resignation the company finally committed the financing to re-regulate the car.

3. 928 sales had risen slightly by the 1985 model-year, but there was still some question as to if it were truly capable of superseding the 911 as the company's premier model, and for 1986 Porsche re-introduced the 930 to the Japanese and U.S. markets, now featuring an emission-controlled engine producing 282 hp (DIN). At the same time Porsche introduced the Targa and Cabriolet variants, both of which proved popular.

[anekho]

Now this has got to be the best looking avatar of the legendary 911! It's dimensions look spot on and that rear is to die for! I don't really like looks of the flat-nose version though. The tires on the 4th photo look delicious, not to mention the hips!

I've heard driving these quickly required serious skill - one momentary lapse of concentration and you're out of control!

Good work Suhaas, keep writing!

[iron]

a little off topic
There was a Racing game that was launched by Electronic arts known as Need for Speed : Porsche unleashed / Need for Speed :Porsche 2000
2 Different names but the same game
It had the entire line up of cars produced by Porsches from 1950 to 2000 along with detailed Specifications.
The major launches after 2000 were available as downloadable content prominent among were 928GTS, 911GT2, 911GT3-Cup & 911 GT.
Worth checking out
Should work on any PC launched after 2002