Re: Avus production?? #s??

[Kwattro@aol.com]

In a message dated 97-04-28 19:24:26 EDT, you write:

<< > There were 207 959's made, 10 of which the factory prepared as rally
 > cars and two 961 Le Mans race cars.  That is definitely the car to have
 > though.  Computer controlled proportional AWD, liquid cooled DOHC
 > Flat-6, cockpit adjustable tire pressure, etc.  VERY nice cars
 > undoubtedly.
 
 One passed me in light rain on the M1 southbound in Nottinghamshire one
 late autumn evening a year and a half ago.  The driver slowed, looked over, 
 waved, pointed to the urq, made a "thumbs-up" sign and departed at some
speed.
 
 They disappear extremely well.
  >>


A while back I heard a story about Rick Mears, who bought one of the first
959's.  Apparently, he was driving the Bahn with a friend in a light snow.
 He was talking casually, but his friend's face was white.  When he looked
down at the speedo, he realized that he was traveling (s he put it) "in
excess of 275 kph"  if I could quote him from back in 1987.  What is that,
about 160?  BTW, on the first message a few tidbits were forgotten...
Adjustable aerodynamics, speed sensitive.
Adjustable ride hight, dropping 1 inch at 120 mph.
Hollow spoke forged aluminum wheels, with plastic wheel fans mounted to blow
out hot air (My dad tried this on his M5.  He melted them.)
6 speed transmittion (in 85, this was pretty much unheard of)
ABS (still on the cutting edge then)
and Carbon/Kevlar bodywork, with aluminum doors and hood.  Quite an amazing
car.   First production car to fit 0-60 in under 4 seconds(3.6 was the
fastest, I believe)
First production car to exceed 200 mph (Road and track average 210-11 at I
believe the VW high speed test track.)

Original name....Porsche Gruppe B.  Original Price?  250,000 from the
facotry, and there was a waiting list.  I remeber thinking My god, that car
costs a quarter of a million dollars!  10 years later, I look at the price of
a Ferrari 355 cab (around 240 nicly loaded) and think Geez!  That car was
cheap!  Especially when it was competing against a car with a base price of
478,000$.  The F40.

Kwattro