Porsche 959

The Porsche 959. To say this was just an advanced 911 is like saying human beings are just advanced amoebas. Building off the basic architecture of the 911, Porsche added all-wheel drive, two turbos, two more valves per cylinder, water-cooled heads (though the block remained air-cooled) and fitted an exotic-looking body made out of aluminum and Kevlar. The resulting supercar was nothing short of brilliant and served as the technological and inspirational platform for future generations of the 911. Although displacement was down nearly half a liter compared to a street-going 911, horsepower surged to around 445, complemented by roughly 365 pound feet of torque. One of the most influential and important models produced by Porsche in the past 25 years and a real treat to see one in person, given their limited production numbers. It still looks modern despite having left the production line nearly 25 years ago. According to Ferry Porsche, "It is my personal opinion that an engineer should always try to solve a problem in the simplest way, but...technology is capable of extraordinary achievements if it is allowed the necessary freedom of maneuver. The Type 959 is a good example of this."

Inside Line has a write-up on the 959:
http://www.insideline.com/porsche/959/coming-to-america-in-the-porsche-959.html