In the world of ‘Porschephiles’, few people are as revered or respected more than Bruce Canepa.
The retired American race car driver had the pleasure of racing some of Porsches finest vehicles and since stepping away from the sport, has amassed a collection of extraordinary value.
Canepa was recently interviewed for the ongoing 70th anniversary of Porsche and had the chance to discuss his love for the brand.
One of the most recognizable cars in Canepa’s collection is his Porsche 959. He was able to purchase one way back in 1988 but unfortunately, he wasn’t permitted to drive it on U.S roads. Determined to fulfil his dream of driving the 959 on the street, Canepa worked with an attorney in Washington and was pivotal in creating the bill now knows as ‘Show or Display’. This bill allows vehicles of exceptional significance to be driven throughout the U.S. without meeting local safety requirements.
In the years since Show or Display came into law in 1999, Canepa has been looking to perfect the 959 and offers owners the ‘Sport Canepa’ package which serves as a comprehensive restoration of the iconic German supercar that makes it better than ever.
To create a Sport Canepa, a standard Porsche 959 is stripped down to its bare tub and repainted in any color its owner wants. Every single metal part is then zinc plated and the interior is completely re-trimmed. Additionally, the restoration sees the vehicle’s 2.85-liter twin-turbo flat-six modified from 450 hp to 763 hp. A dual-coilover suspension setup similar to the Porsche 959 Sport is also added.