Porsche 959 prototypes: from the 1983 Gruppe B to Paris-Dakar
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- PorschePrototype.com Editors
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This record covers
- The 1983 Gruppe B show prototype
- 959 rally cars and the Paris-Dakar results
- The 961 at Le Mans
- How many prototypes and production 959s were built
Short answerThe Porsche 959 began as the Gruppe B prototype shown at the Frankfurt IAA in 1983, a technology car for Group B homologation with all-wheel drive and twin turbochargers. Group B was cancelled before the car raced, but 959-based rally cars finished first and second on the 1986 Paris-Dakar and the 961 finished seventh overall at Le Mans in 1986. Customer deliveries began in 1987. Counts vary by source: about 292 production cars plus several dozen prototypes and pre-production cars.
- Gruppe B debut
- Frankfurt IAA, 1983documented
- Paris-Dakar 1986
- 1st and 2nddocumented
- 961, Le Mans 1986
- 7th overall, class windocumented
- Exact total built
- 292–337 depending on countunknown
The 959 is the rare Porsche whose prototypes are better known than many production cars. Its development cars raced in the desert and at Le Mans before customers received a single road car.
What was the Porsche 959 Gruppe B prototype?
The Porsche 959 Gruppe B prototype was a technology study shown at the Frankfurt IAA in 1983. Porsche designed it for the FIA’s Group B category, which required at least 200 road cars for homologation. It combined a 911-derived body with electronically controlled all-wheel drive, sequential twin turbocharging, adjustable suspension and composite panels. Porsche secured enough orders shortly after the show to meet the 200-car rule.
Did the 959 prototypes race?
Yes. Group B was cancelled before a 959 could compete in rallying’s world championship, so Porsche took the development cars to other events.
| Year | Event | Car | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | Paris-Dakar Rally | 959 rally cars | Development outing |
| 1986 | Paris-Dakar Rally | 959 | 1st (René Metge) and 2nd (Jacky Ickx) |
| 1986 | 24 Hours of Le Mans | 961 | 7th overall, class win |
Seven rally development cars were built, three for 1985 and three for 1986, plus the 961 for circuit racing. The 959’s all-wheel-drive rally lineage returned to Porsche’s marketing with the modern 911 Dakar.
How many Porsche 959s were built?
The number of 959s built depends on what you count, and sources disagree:
- About 292 production cars delivered from 1987 to 1988, the figure most often cited.
- 284 Komfort and 29 Sport, in another breakdown of customer cars.
- 16 prototypes and 21 pre-production cars, adding up to about 337 cars overall in some counts.
- Eight further cars assembled from spare parts in 1992–93, four red and four silver, all Komfort.
This archive stamps the exact total unknown. Each figure above is sourced; they measure different things.
Where does the 959 fit among Porsche prototypes?
The 959 fits between the 1970s turbo cars and the modern hypercars. Its type number follows the 9-series system explained on the Porsche type numbers page, and the race prototypes that shared its era, the 956 and 962, are on the Le Mans prototypes page.
Frequently asked questions
How many Porsche 959 prototypes were built?
Sources count differently. One widely cited breakdown is 16 prototypes and 21 pre-production cars built before customer production, 37 in total. Seven rally development cars and the 961 racer are sometimes counted separately.
How many Porsche 959s were made?
About 292 production 959s were built for customers from 1987 to 1988, with other counts reaching 337 when prototypes and pre-production cars are included. Eight more cars were assembled from parts in 1992–93.
Did the Porsche 959 race?
Yes, in derivative form. 959 rally cars took first and second on the 1986 Paris-Dakar Rally, and the 961 circuit racer finished seventh overall and won its class at the 1986 24 Hours of Le Mans.