This 1988 Porsche 959 is a well-maintained Komfort model with 38,179 kilometers (~24k miles) from new. Records show this car was ordered by Porsche Distributors of Monte Carlo, and was the 212th of 292 examples built in regular production. It was completed in December 1987 and shipped to Monaco in January 1988, and was then sold in March 1988 to Japanese Porsche dealer InterAuto. The car was first registered in April 1988 under ownership of the Melrose Private Museum Corporation in Tokyo, its first of three corporate owners in Japan. The car has been properly imported to the US by the selling dealer, who states that it is ready to use and offers it with a Porsche Certificate of Authenticity, detailed records, documented ownership history, and a new California title.

Porsche’s twin-turbocharged, limited production supercar featured all-wheel drive and advanced technology for its time. This 959 has been stored indoors at the Porsche Service Center for the past 18 months, and the maintenance file included over $100k in service receipts and factory-mandated service bulletins over the years. The sale includes further receipts totaling over $40k for more recent regular maintenance to bring the car to its current turnkey condition.

The “zero-lift” aluminum and composite body panels wear their correct S7 Silbermetallic paint, which has been carefully preserved and shows an impressive, uniform shine thanks to a recent detailing. The finish appears free of notable stone chips, and no evidence of post-factory paintwork is present according to the seller.

Factory hollow 17″ centerlock magnesium wheels are in good condition aside from a small gouge on the lip of the driver-side rear, and feature the first production tire-pressure monitoring system. Recently-installed Bridgestone RE71s are staggered front to rear. Wide fender flares retain clear adhesive gravel guards.

All of the difficult-to-source, 959-specific original accessories are reportedly retained including the factory jack, tool kits, compressor setup, and safety kit.

Inside, original Dark Grey Metallic leather sport seats feature the classic tri-tone accents and are fitted with optional heaters and electric height adjustment per the CoA. Light bolster wear is visible on the driver-side.

Switchgear is intact and looks fresh throughout, including console-mounted knobs for suspension adjustment. The original Blaupunkt stereo is retained and has undergone refurbishment this month. Records show that the air conditioning system was overhauled in 2009, and it is said to function correctly. A red battery disconnect switch has been installed to assist in storage.

The 959 has a 6-speed manual transmission, with the low first gear denoted as “G” on the shift knob. The factory steering wheel shows slight wear, as does the shifter. An extensive array of factory instrumentation includes a center-mounted tachometer with integrated boost gauge, 350 kph speedometer, PSK torque distribution indicator, and gauges for oil temperature and pressure.

Power comes from a numbers-matching 2.85L twin turbocharged flat-six featuring air-cooled cylinders and water-cooled, four-valve cylinder heads. The engine bay shows minimal grime or signs of use, and factory heat shielding remains in place along with the original decals.

The sequentially turbocharged power plant boasted a factory rated 444 horsepower, good for a 3.6-second 0-60 time and a top speed of 195 mph. This made the 959 the world’s fastest production car when new.

Above is the original engine stamping *65H00191*. The car also retains its original 6-speed manual gearbox #75H00192, which routes power to the PSK all-wheel drive system with dynamic torque distribution.

The seller relates that as a corporate-owned example, the car received service over and above recommended intervals and factory bulletins. Factory bulletins resulted in $48k worth of mechanical freshening in 2009 involving a major service plus a variety of Porsche-mandated updates to the sensors, battery, ECU, and more. Additional comprehensive services have covered filters, fluids, belts, and alarm relays. All sensors are said to be operational, warning lights are clear, and the car has no outstanding mechanical or maintenance issues according to the seller.

A further Porsche Bulletin update resulted in work performed on the automatically adjustable hydropneumatic suspension, including new valves fitted in 2009. Additional records show that the power steering system was overhauled in 2011 at a cost of $17k. Brakes are cooled by signature straked vents and were overhauled 7k kilometers ago in 2009. They now feature red calipers over cross-drilled rotors. Slight weeping of fluids is visible near driveline components.

The underside features rear-facing NACA ducts and airflow-enhancing belly pans.

The Porsche Certificate of Authenticity above confirms the original drivetrain and factory options. The 959 was produced by Baur and also bears tags denoting body #53900116.

All original manuals and delivery papers are included in the sale along with extensive Japanese-language service documentation and translations. The seller says the car cannot be sold to a California retail buyer due to emissions regulations, but should be street-legal in the remaining 49 states and will be available with permanent registration and license plates for out-of state buyers. This is the most exciting Porsche yet to be offered on BaT and documented service and ownership history make this a fine example.