Eighties excess: when Autocar pit the Ferrari F40 against the Porsche 959
As for the 959, 'its two-stage turbocharging system gives it performance that is more typical of a blown engine than the F40's', we said. 'Up to 4300rpm, only the first turbo puffs into the cylinders of the flat six; above that, the second blower comes in. This makes it feel rather leisurely below 4500rpm. Then it suddenly explodes as it begins to dispense real power.'
There was another side to all this, however: 'The F40's advantage is clear when the sky is blue and the Tarmac fairly smooth, but the 959 is a car which permits massive acceleration and deceleration even on wet surfaces, slush or gravel.'
You see, while Ferrari had compromised everything else in order to be as light and as fast as possible, Porsche had given its supercar a complex four-wheel drive system, computer-controlled power distribution, self-levelling suspension, power steering and advanced anti-lock brakes, not to mention rear seats within its plush cabin, in an effort to demonstrate a new concept within the world of supercars: everyday usability.
We elaborated: 'The Italians say they never intended to construct a high-tech cathedral; they simply wanted to build the world's fastest sports car. They seem to have succeeded.
Porsche, on the other hand, wanted to build a car that contained the ultimate in driveline technology and showed how easy and manageable very high power outputs could be made in the hands of any driver in all conditions. Anyone who has driven a 959 in a range of weathers knows that it too has succeeded.'
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