Maybe it's the sweet smell of forbidden fruit, but there's something about the Porsche 959 that's kept it near the top of many American enthusiast lists for nearly a quarter-century. Why someone let this one sit for 23 years without starting leaves me gobsmacked.


According to Pistonheads, the 959 was tracked down by Porsche brokers in England tasked by a wealthy client to acquire the best 959 in the world. What they found was the first chassis of the 1988 959 Sport — the model Porsche lightened by 220 lbs. — owned by a Mexican collector who had put all of 207 miles on the odometer.

And as part of the preservation, the car hadn't been started in more than two decades, requiring the removal of the varnish-filled gas tank and other restoration before it could be delivered to a new owner — who gets a rare Porsche with hints of a new-car smell.


Hat tip to Will!