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Originally Posted by rbennett
I'm sure he does, I know Bill Gates and Paul Allen own one. They even bought 2 extra so the feds could smash them into a wall for collision tests and let them get their cars out of customs.
BTW: Nice pic!! It is now my wallpaper  |
Hi,
Interesting bit of
Urban Legend, but do you have a credible source for this..??
Gates did indeed buy a 959 back in 1989. When unable to import it, he stored it for 2 years and then bought a Chateau in France just outside Paris and had the Car moved there which he drove everytime he visited. Paul Allen also bought a 959, also stored it.
In 1998, Both Cars were imported to this Country by Porsche Tuner, Driver and Enthusiast - Bruce Canepa. The Cars were refitted with
Motec OBD compliant ECU, as opposed to Bosch Motronic (incapable of reading 0² sensors), Catalytic Convertors and Airpump from 993TT, new Alternators, Oil Pumps and replacement of sequential Turbos with a pair of Ball bearing, Garrett Turbos in a Parallel set-up. Hp is up to 600 over the original 450, making them EPA compliant and were permitted under the DOT
Show and Display Exemption.
This allows the Cars to be driven on the Street or the Track (ostensibly to/from Shows and Displays) up to 2,500 mi./yr.
Canepa has refitted 39 959's to date and received DOT
S&D permits for each of them...
Source: Sports Car International, Vol 150, Pg. 6, Sept. 2003 . Also see:
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/quickies/1233872.cms . Hope this helps...
Happy Motoring!... Jim'99