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1986 Porsche 959 Prototype at Barrett-Jackson sees gavel fall at $440,000 [UPDATE: w/video]

Fans of Porsche in America have longed for the chance to buy a 959 ever since the German automaker produced and sold it (well, sold it everywhere but the United States...) in the 1980s. Well, they just had their chance. The car you see above is a Porsche 959 prototype built in 1986, and only one other running prototype still exists.
The 959 prototype can't be driven on public roads, as it carries no such certification. Somehow, we doubt that matters all that much to the new buyer - this one is probably going to be sitting in a collection. When the gavel finally fell, bidding had reached $400,000, plus a 10-percent buyer's fee.
Check out our high-res image gallery above to see this prototype up close, and scroll down below to watch a video of it crossing the auction block and for its official auction description.

Volkswagen reportedly to name Matthias Muller CEO

Porsche chief executive officer Matthias Muller is expected to be named CEO of Volkswagen AG, the Wall Street Journal and other sources reported Thursday morning. Muller, 62, has led Porsche since Oct. 1, 2010, and jumpstarted the sports-car brand's expansion around the world. He replaces Martin Winkerkorn, who stepped down Wednesday amid the company's worsening diesel scandal. At least three more executives are also expected to be fired, including Volkswagen's US chief and the heads of Audi and Porsche research and development. Both brands are divisions of VW. A US spokesman wouldn't confirm the reports. An official announcement is expected at VW's board meeting on Friday. Muller's ascension caps a stunning week of turmoil for Volkswagen, which manipulated software to make its diesel-powered vehicles appear cleaner during testing that they are in real-world driving. The charges were revealed last week by the EPA, which cited the work of researchers at West Virginia University. About 482,000 vehicles are affected in the United States, which will be subject to recall, and VW estimates about 11 million of its vehicles around the world have the rigged software. The well-regarded Muller was viewed as a front-runner for the job even before Winterkorn stepped down. Before helming Porsche, he oversaw all vehicle projects globally for VW from 2007-2010. Previously, he was in charge of the Audi and Lamborghini product lines, and earlier in his career was responsible for the Audi A3 program in the 1990s. He joined Audi in 1977. He's trained as a toolmaker and studied information technology in Munich. His last name is sometimes spelled Mueller in English. Muller faces immediate challenges as he takes over VW's sprawling 78-year-old industrial empire, including recalls and regulatory actions around the world. In the US alone, the company faces a fine of up to $18 billion. VW, an industrial symbol of Germany, is also far larger than any unit Muller has run in his career. While Porsche sold 189,849 vehicles in 2014 globally, it's one of many VW brands. Collectively they sold 5.04 million vehicles through the first six months of this year, making Volkswagen the world's largest automaker. Related Video:

Paul Walker's daughter settles for $10m in crash lawsuit

Meadow Walker, daughter of the late Paul Walker, has agreed to a settlement with the estate of Roger Rodas worth $10.1 million over the death of her father. The basis of the settlement is that Rodas, who was driving the Porsche Carrera GT when it crashed, killing himself and Walker, was partly at fault for Walker's death. Police officials ruled that excessive speed was the main cause of the deaths of Rodas and Walker. According to TMZ, quoting attorney Jeff Milam, who is representing Meadow Walker, this sum is only a small fraction of the amount Paul Walker would have earned over his lifetime as an actor, which is almost certainly true. Walker was 40 at the time of his death, and was in the midst of a highly successful Hollywood career. A lawsuit was filed in September of 2015 by Walker's daughter against Porsche, alleging that the German automaker is also at fault for the deaths. Through her lawyer, Meadow says she "intends to hold the company responsible for producing a vehicle that was defective and caused Paul Walker's death." A court recently found that Porsche was not at fault for the death of Roger Rodas. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. News Source: TMZ, Automotive News - sub. req.Image Credit: Jennifer Lourie/WireImage Celebrities Government/Legal Porsche lawsuit Fast & Furious paul walker settlement roger rodas