Porsche 959

by Jurgen Lewandowski. (Motormedia Ltd, PO Box 3, East Horsley, Surrey KT24 SRL. £110-£130 from March 31 1987)

For sheer motoring exclusivity, there will not be much around to match Porsche’s stunning new four-wheel-drive 959, but with a price tag in the region of £150,000 we do not suppose too many of our mailers will be in a position to gratify a longing to own one.

However, the ever-enterprising Eoin Young of Motormedia has been appointed sole UK distributor of “The Book of the Car”, enabling those who dream of acquiring a 959 to have what amounts to the next best thing – a lavishly illustrated, sumptuously produced limited-edition publication which is certain to become every bit as much a collector’s piece in years to come as will the real car.

Only 2500 copies of the book have been printed and, by last Christmas, 1600 had already been sold world-wide. Since the book has been prepared with the total co-operation of Porsche, including a foreword from Prof Helmut Bott, you’ll have to hurry if you want to secure a copy in this country.

Amply illustrated with splendid colour prints, design sketches and cutaways, the text is bilingual in German and English. Each copy is individually numbered and comes with an original colour catalogue for the 959 (a collector’s item in itself) and a bronze Porsche commemorative coin. Truly, a breathtaking work. AH