Autoblog

In the early '80s, the FIA devised a new set of rules for production based race cars that could be used for both track racing and rallying. The Group B rules spawned some of the wildest homologation specials devised at that time. Under the rules, a minimum of 200 production models had to be built (not necessarilly sold) and then evolution specials could be derived from those. Some of the products of Group B were the MG Metro 6R4, Ford RS200, Peugeot 205 Ti16, Ferrari 288 GTO and the Porsche 959.

Only a couple of GTO Evoluzione models were built and they eventually spawned the legendary F40. Most of the Group B cars ended up competing in rallies around the world and were the ancestors of the later World Rally Cars like the Subaru WRX and Mitsubishi Evo. Many of the production models remained unsold for years and ended up going at fire sale prices, especially after a spate of rally accidents with the high powered Group B cars that prompted the FIA to cancel the whole category.

There's more after the jump including two incredible videos of the 959 in action.

[Source: Jalopnik]

Winding Road was recently at a California exotic car dealer and spotted this rare Jaguar XJ220 S supercar. One of only nine made, this semi-race version of the big cat was redone by TWR to coax 680 hp and 527 ft-lbs. of torque from its turbocharged 3.5-liter V6. It also went on an extreme diet, replacing the all-aluminum body with one made of carbon fiber, making the cat good for 0-60 in 3.3 seconds on its march to a top end of 228 mph. Shouldn't it be renamed the XJ228 then?

Three of these cars were raced and six were sold as street cars with several finding their way to L.A., passing through one of the Keuylian dealerships. This particular XJ (and a nearly identical black one) have received custom Kinesis wheels and new Infiniti Q45 projector headlights. These slight changes instantly take 10 years off the age of these 1993 supercars.

It might be hard for many people to remember, but the XJ220 was a project that saw Jaguar at the top of the supercar hill for a brief shining moment, despite lengthy delays and detail changes to the car over its development period. Following the F40 and 959, and immediately preceding the McLaren F1, the XJ220 didn't quite match its eponymous speed, but came close at 217. Of course, Gordon Murray made that a moot point anyhow, and the crumbling supercar market almost killed Jaguar altogether. We're glad to see one of these still rolling and looking just as beautiful as ever with its new eyes. Click the read link for a few more pics.

[Source: Winding Road]

If you had a net worth in the billions of dollars, what would you drive? A bright red Ferrari? The million-dollar Bugatti Veyron? The super-luxurious Maybach 62? How about one of each? You may be surprised to find out what Forbes' Top Ten richest people in the world are driving. Not an exotic Italian supercar among them.

• Bill Gates drives a '99 Porsche 911 cabrio. He's also got a rare Porsche 959, for which he got President Clinton to sign a law legalizing it for road use. Now that's some serious clout, but with $50 billion at his disposal and a taste for Stuttgart's finest, wouldn't a Carrera GT or a new 911 Turbo have found a way into his garage?
• Billionaire investor Warren Buffett drives a Lincoln Town Car Signature Series, complete with landau roof.
• IKEA founder Ingvar Kamprad has a '93 Volvo 240 GL, but prefers taking the bus. Seriously. And he uses his senior-citizen's card, too.
• Like his pal Bill, Mircosoft co-founder Paul Allen has a Porsche 959 (how original), but drives around Washington State mostly in an '88 Mazda B-Series pickup.
• Saudi Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Alsaud, meanwhile, has got the Infiniti FX45, Hummer H1, Volvo XC90, Rolls Royce Phantom and Daewoo Matiz in his garage. Two of each, so that his entourage can follow in identical wheels. (If the Daewoo seems out of place, it's because the prince is part owner of the company.)
• Michael Dell (whose name is probably emblazoned on the computer you're using to read this) alternates between a 2004 Porsche Boxster and a 2005 Hummer H2.
• Larry "the Oracle" Ellison has got wheels with some style: a pair of new Bentley Continentals, a GT coupe and a Flying Spur sedan. (They go well with his fighter jet and America's Cup racing yacht.)
• Jim Walton, owner of Wal-Mart, has for a garage what you'll probably find at the local used car lot: a 2002 Dodge Dakota, '99 Chevy Silverado, '98 Mitsubishi Montero Sport and 2000 Acura Integra, all available at everyday low prices. (His '59 Cadillac is probably a sweet ride, though.)
• Jim's sister Alice Walton walked after killing a woman in '89 behind the wheel of a Porsche. Now she drives an F-150 King Ranch pickup. (More carefuly, we hope.)
• Like his colleagues Bill and Paul, Steven Ballmer made his billions at Microsoft, but he stays true to his motown roots at the wheel of a '98 Lincoln Continental.

We know what you're thinking. "If I had that kinda money...". But you don't. Neither do we. So we'll all just keep on dreaming. Follow the link to Forbes for pics of these millionaire-mobiles (not the actual ones owned by wealthy, just stock shots).

[Source: Forbes Auto]

Between limited edition beanie babies and water glasses adorned with the lipstick marks of Yasmine Bleeth, eBay proves to be the useful sales source for all things obscure. For the consummate speed junkie, however, it doesn't get more day dreamy than a Porsche 959 and it seems that this owner, possibly of unsound mind, has decided to unload this bastion of late 80's asphalt displacement.

What more can be said about the 959? The stats speak for themselves. The 959 was the first Porsche to dawn AWD, it produced 450 hp, weighed just shy of 3,000 pounds and dispatched the run to 60 mph in a paltry 3.5 seconds. In 1986! As successful as the 959 was, our favorite motor sports campaign has to go to the Dakar Rally machine (pictured) that claimed a 1-2 victory in 1986.

Beauty and perfection are now available for bidding. Now who's going to pony up the cash and give us a ride?

[Dennis made our morning with this tip.]