Cookie Consent by Free Privacy Policy website A most extraordinary pit stop: Nick Heidfeld's 959 S visits Porsche Classic
luglio 04, 2022 - Porsche

A most extraordinary pit stop: Nick Heidfeld's 959 S visits Porsche Classic

Comunicato Stampa disponibile solo in lingua originale. 

Stuttgart. Whether for its sheer horsepower, acceleration, top speed or original list price – car enthusiasts of the 1980s and 90s will certainly remember the #porsche 959 as the trump card of its time. A super sports car with a top speed of 315 km/h, just 292 examples were produced by #porsche. Former racing driver #nickheidfeld owns the even rarer Sport version, of which only 29 were built. It's more powerful, boasts 515 PS and reaches a top speed of 339 km/h. And this collector's item has another record-breaking string to its bow as well: low mileage. Heidfeld's 959 S had just 4,183 kilometres on the odometer when he took it to #porscheclassic in the summer of 2017.

Although barely broken-in, this 959 was already in need of an extensive technical overhaul: "If such a technologically innovative car is not driven regularly, storage damage is, unfortunately, unavoidable," says Uwe Makrutzki, Head of Factory Restoration at #porscheclassic. "The powertrain and chassis have to be overhauled in their entirety; experience has shown that any reduction to the scope of work leads to problems down the road."

Like all owners of a classic #porsche, those with a 959 in their garage benefit from the unique expertise and equipment of this fully integrated department of the company: when production of the super sports car came to an end, #porscheclassic took ownership of all the testing and restoration tools from all areas of the factory. Added to that is a great deal of experience with this rare model: "Almost all 959s have been with us at least once in their life," says Makrutzki. "So we have had a lot of practice. Thanks to the highly complex technology, however, a 959 overhaul is always a very special and wonderful mission."

In the case of Heidfeld's 959 S, the diagnosis revealed, among other things, that the engine management system had been modified. In consultation with the owner, #porscheclassic staff restored the Motronic unit to its original condition.

The former Formula One driver's 959 S was then ready to hit the road again in December 2021. Heidfeld: "I've had the privilege of driving many high-performance cars, but driving this high-tech legend is something special for me. I was a teenage car fan in the late 1980s, and to me this #porsche was always extraordinary. At the time, the 959 was the fastest production car in the world and by far the most advanced. So even today, it doesn't drive like a 30-year-old car, but like a much more modern vehicle."

To ensure the repair is a long-term success, Makrutzki advises regular outings: "Covering around 100 kilometres in mixed operation at least once a month provides protection from damage due to standing still. That's also what the feedback from our customers has shown."

Ti potrebbe interessare anche

aprile 20, 2017
luglio 07, 2014
marzo 19, 2014

Comunicato Stampa disponibile solo in lingua originale. What ensued was an exciting encounter with an extraordinary person who mak...

(comunicato stampa disponibile solo in lingua inglese) Il team Audi Sport Abt con il pilota Lucas di Grassi ha ottenuto il miglior...

(comunicato stampa disponibile solo in lingua inglese) Continua ad allargarsi il Driver’s Club della Formula E. E lo fa andando a ...