Here's the scoop at Autoweek. Not just Gates - he was just one customer. This shop has a regular production line running now.
-Ben M.

ps - the shop doing the Federalizing has bumped up the power/torque considerably. 215mph, 0-60 in 3.3, suspension upgrades too. To quote: “We’re maintaining a McLaren F1 GTR,” says Canepa. “And after driving both cars, there’s just no comparison. The McLaren skips and jumps all over the place. The 959 just squats and goes.”

If you have alot of money, you can buy anything. How much did it cost him to get the law passed. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/barf.gif)

That brings up an interesting topic. The new law.

Specifics to import car without meeting DOT standards:
500 or fewer cars produced,
Not currently produced,
Never U.S.-legal, and rare (fewer than 500 produced. Duhh.)
Must meet EPA standards
Must not be driven more than 2,500 miles per year.

What would be some interesting cars to bring in under this rule? (Think engine conversion for meeting the EPA tests) Me? I want a Radical with a Hyabusa turbo as my daily driver. Stop laughing. I'm dead serious. If people in the UK can drive Radicals to work why shouldn't I? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/cool.gif)

-Ben M.

"Gates, who was becoming increasingly frustrated at having his 959 eternally tied up in the Port of Oakland’s “free trade zone,” suggested to Canepa that perhaps they could federalize the car by buying a number of sacrificial 959s to “crash and test.” But Canepa felt that wouldn’t solve the problems....."


This passage sure turned my stomach!

Chris H.

I want a McLaren Rocket.

Yeah, anything that mentions Gates makes my stomach churn too*. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)
-Ben M.


*no, not because he's so rich. I don't care about that. It's more about the arrogance and immoral business practices at the expense of the rest of the world.

Excellent article. Very interesting!

Sightings of Bill Gates "driving on public roads" these days are basically non-existant. As far as I know, he uses a chaffeur to get around town now.. probably with a security guard, too. People used to see him driving his personal car around greater Seattle quite often until the early '90s, but not since then. I think it's sad, but it's a recognition of the unfortunate fact that he is a target because of his wealth and fame.

It's a bit surprising that he wants to drive his 959 on public roads.. my guess is that he just wants to tool around the local Redmond (Microsoft) area, to get in a little more "behind the wheel" time. He and his buds already rent SIR's road course facility once or twice a year to drive their exotic cars at speed.

I'm glad that they're accomplishing federalization without doing crash-tests. That was just idle talk, I'm sure, as it's hard to imagine a Porsche shop willing to take part in that.. the repurcussions would be severe. But anyway, it's exciting that we'll finally be able to see these awesome cars on the road! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

I'm ambivilent about Gates.

I thought it was just a year or so ago, he wrecked his Ferrari in the snow didn't he?

At times I kinda feel sorry for him. He gets some bum raps. But then I remember he's richer than God, Married to a super model, and has a 959, and that sorry feeling goes away.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/cool_shades.gif)

"married to a super model" (IMG:style_emoticons/default/icon8.gif)


did Gates divorce and marry someone else?
Last time I saw a picture of his wife, 'super model' were NOT the words
that came to mind!


IF you had ALL the money he does, and the bad rep as well, you might
also use a limo with a guard too. At least until you could get to the track on the w/e. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/driving.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smilie_flagge24.gif)

Speaking of supermodels ...

If I owned a 959, I'd love Gates to crash 5 of them.

If Paul Neuman touches another teener though, I am going to show him some shock-n-awe.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)


M

At this year's PCA Parade in Tampa, I guy drove up from Naples in the car pictured below. That is the owner on the left. I guy walked up and said "Which kit is that?" The owner answnered "The one from the factory, its real"

The guy was alittle taken back. But the more you looked at it, you could tell it was very special, and the real thing.

Paul

I want to wreck that car.



M

well it's nice to see that Gates is finally getting a break in life, that guy never has anything go his way...(enter any other scarastic comment here) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif)

This is one of the pics showing both 959's at Paul Russell and Co,
the best exotic shop around here. One of them is Ralph Lauren's
(can't remember which). This was nearly 2 years ago, one of the
cars had normal NY plates on it. I think either the article was slow,
or there was another alternate plan worked for federalizing.

It shows 17,000 miles on the odometer from January, 2002.

There's a shop here in Napa that just does gray market conversions and they were doing !! 14 !! 959s that a company bought out here. Got to see some of them when I delivered parts to them. The 959 isn't very exciting sitting next to GT2s and brand new Ferraris. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) And then one drove up to the store last Wednesday. The driver was fiddling with something in the parking lot ( (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif) ) so I think it had some computer controlled FI or something. Anyway, for some reason they seem popular in Napa.

He was probably trying to find the vacuum leak, or he had the spark wires crossed.. happens..

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/boldblue.gif)



M

Could be the trigger points in the dizzy. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

Paul