The Porsche 959 Paris Dakar – part 6: restoration complete

The Porsche 959 Paris Dakar is a special variant of the Porsche 959 sports car that was designed for off-road racing. The Porsche 959 was already a revolutionary car when it was introduced in the mid-1980s, featuring advanced technologies such as all-wheel drive and a lightweight aluminum and Kevlar body.

In 1985, Porsche entered three specially prepared 959s in the grueling Paris-Dakar Rally, one of the most challenging off-road races in the world. The race covered more than 6,000 miles through some of the toughest terrain in Africa, including sand dunes, rocky terrain, and extreme heat.

To prepare the 959 for this demanding race, Porsche made several modifications to the car. These included adding a custom suspension system with longer travel and stronger components, fitting larger wheels and tires, and adding an additional spare tire.

The 959 Paris Dakar also featured a unique livery, with a bold red, white, and black design that was intended to stand out in the desert landscape.

Despite being a brand new car, the 959 performed exceptionally well in the Paris-Dakar Rally. Porsche's three entries finished first, second, and sixth in the overall standings, beating out the competition from established off-road manufacturers such as Mitsubishi and Range Rover.

The success of the Porsche 959 Paris Dakar helped to cement Porsche's reputation as a leader in high-performance and off-road racing, and demonstrated the versatility of the 959 platform. Today, the Porsche 959 Paris Dakar remains an iconic and highly sought-after piece of automotive history.