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The Economic Times
The Economic Times

Steve Jobs once hid his Porsche from billionaire Ross Perot; 40 years later, Apple CEO John Ternus reportedly drives a $1M+ Porsche 935 at California’s Laguna Seca

In 1987, former Apple CEO Steve Jobs was running NeXT, his computer company after leaving the tech giant. When billionaire Ross Perot visited NeXT to discuss potentially investing in/funding the company, Steve Jobs hid his Porsche as he didn't want Perot to see signs that NeXT had plenty of money. But things were completely different after 40 years. Apple CEO John Ternus reportedly owns a Porsche 935 track car and drives it at Laguna Seca, a famous racetrack in California. The original price tag of around $800,000, even though the current market value is well north of that, closer to $1 million.

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All about John Ternus' Porsche

According to a report in Motor1, John Ternus reportedly owns one of just 77 Porsche 935s built which is inspired by the legendary Le Mans race car from the 1970s dubbed ‘Moby Dick’. The striking part of this Porsche is that only 77 were built with each costing upwards of $800,000. Today, these cars fetch well over $1 million. The Porsche 935 is based on the 911 GT2 RS and has a redesigned carbon-fibre body and a longer rear section with a large wing. It uses a 3.8-litre twin-turbo flat-six engine. The engine produces 700 hp and 553 lb-ft of torque and the track-focused machine packs a 700-horsepower 3.8-liter twin-turbocharged flat-six and weighing just 3,042 pounds. Based heavily on the 991-generation 911 GT2 RS, the 935 launched in 2018.

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Regarded as an extraordinary piece of Porsche history, the design of Porsche 935 is packed with references to Porsche’s racing past. The Porsche 935 rear lights are based on the 919 Hybrid, while its side mirrors come from the 911 RSR. The exposed titanium exhaust tips are inspired by the 1968 Porsche 908. The car also has a laminated wooden gear lever. It pays tribute to legendary Porsche models, including the 917, 909 Bergspyder and Carrera GT.

The Porsche 935 rear wing is huge, measuring about 1.9 metres wide and that helps the car stay stable at high speeds. The car comes with safety equipment designed for racing, including a roll cage to protect the driver in a crash, six-point seat belts, a fire-extinguishing system and special air jacks that can quickly lift the car during pit stops. It also has a 115-litre racing fuel tank designed to meet FIA safety standards. According to the Wall Street Journal, Ternus has completed laps at Laguna Seca in under 1 minute and 40 seconds which is a very fast lap for someone who is not a professional racing driver.

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