1988 Porsche 959

Developed initially to showcase Porsche’s advanced all-wheel-drive system and twin-turbocharged engine at the top levels of rally racing, Porsche’s 959 has gone down in history as one of the best sports cars of the 1980s. And rightfully so, as it was the world’s fastest street-legal production car at the time, with a top speed of 197 mph.

The 1988 959 presented above is one of 292 ‘Komfort’ models and one of 31 finished from the factory in Graphite Grey Metallic. Delivered new to Italy, the car eventually found its way to the US before traveling halfway around the world to Australia and then back again, where it took the stage last night as the premier Porsche auctioned by RM Sotheby’s in Las Vegas. With only 14,000 miles and a full service as of 2022, this example is as nice as they come for a stock, regular production 959.

Regarding Porsche’s hypercar trio, the 959 commands the top of the market with average prices just shy of $2m over the last twelve months. When looking at the previous three cars sold in the US during that time, prices pretty much draw a straight line across the chart at $1.7m. Our Spotlight car hammered for $1.6m, and with fees, it becomes the highest price paid for a stock 959 this year at $1,765,000, but still right about average.

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