Legendary Porsche 959 to get modern reimagination 37 years after initial release

The iconic Porsche 959 is set to be reimagined four decades after its original release, with three stunning new models designed as a ‘tribute’.

Introduced back in 1986, the 959 had a very limited production run that ended in 1993.

During that time, Porsche created just 337 of the cars – including 292 road-ready models and numerous prototypes and pre-production vehicles.

At the time of its launch, the Porsche 959 was the fastest street-legal car and could hit a top speed of 317km/h (197mph).

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The reimagining is a ‘tribute’ to the iconic Porsche

While the Koenigsegg Agera RS holds the current title of the world’s fastest road-legal car, with its twin-turbocharged V8 engine capable of a top speed of 447.9km/h (277mp) – the 959’s achievements are not to be sniffed at.

The car could go from 0-100km/h in just 3.7 seconds and was recognized by Guinness World Records for both the highest road-tested speed for any road car and the highest road-tested 0-100km/h acceleration. Impressive stuff.

Now, almost 40 years since its launch, the 959 is being reimagined by Estonian-based Kalmar Automotive.

The Kalmar 9×9 is a ‘tribute to the greatest road-going Porsche of all time’, according to the company, which dubs it ‘the world’s first retro hypercar’.

The car will be available in three options: the 9×9, the 9×9 Sport, and the 9×9 Leichtbau. 

The company plans to produce just nine of each model, making them even more exclusive than the original.

The new cars will be just as impressive as the original

As you’d expect from a ‘tribute’ vehicle, the car has had several tweaks to its bodywork and boosted its aerodynamics so it now generates 1,450kg of downforce.

Inside, you’ll find a ‘minimalist interior package’ which allows the driver to focus on the ‘joy of driving’. 

In a clear nod to the 959’s vintage, the car features an analog rev counter but mixes it up with modern LCD screens. 

Much like the car it was based on, the Kalmar 9×9 packs a powerful engine under the hood – depending on what model you go for, the Kalmar 9×9 is fitted with 3.0 liter, 3.8 liter, or 4.0 liter engine.

With a top speed of 340km/h (211mph), the 9×9 is even faster than the 959 and can go from 0-100km/h in just two seconds. 

“The 9X9 is KALMAR Automotive’s tribute to one of the greatest road-going sports cars of the millennia, enhanced to the highest possible degree that technology today allows,”said Kalmar Automotive founder Jan Kalmar. “The result is our creation of a brand-new class of vehicle, the retro hypercar.”

Now, how do we get our hands on one?