Porsche unveils its dirt-munching 911 Dakar

The ultimate vehicle for a one-car garage, or a travesty that will offend purists? Porsche has unveiled a 911 that you can take on off-road adventures.

Making its world premiere at this week’s Los Angeles Auto Show, the new Porsche 911 Dakar is punted as being just as comfortable on dirt as it is on the highway.

Limited to just 2,500 units globally, this exclusive model is named after the first victory by the German sports car marque in the 1984 Paris-Dakar Rally, a feat that marked the birth of all-wheel drive in the Porsche 911. The new 911 Dakar is offered with an optional Rallye design package in a two-tone white/Enzian Blue Metallic finish with rally stripes in red and gold reminiscent of that iconic winning car.

The 911 Dakar’s gravel-munching ability is due to it having a ground clearance 50mm higher than that of a regular 911 Carrera, with a lift system that can raise the front and rear ends an additional 30mm. Its ground clearance and ramp angle rival those of conventional SUVs, and the high-level setting is available for off-road adventures at speeds of up to 170km/h, says Porsche.

Above that speed, the car automatically lowers back down to its normal level. Complementing the car’s off-road attributes are Pirelli Scorpion All Terrain Plus tyres (245/45 ZR 19 at the front and 295/40 ZR 20 at the rear). The chunky tread pattern is 9mm deep and has reinforced sidewalls.

Powering this all-terrain Porsche is a rear-mounted 3.0l biturbo six-cylinder with outputs of 353kW and 570Nm, promising a 0-100km/h sprint in 3.4 seconds, while top speed is limited to 240km/h due to the all-terrain tyres.

Power is fed to both axles via an eight-speed PDK transmission, and standard handling-optimising fare includes rear-axle steering and PDCC anti-roll stabilisation. The interplay of all the components results in the 911 Dakar being just as dynamic on sand and loose surfaces as it is on the Nürburgring Nordschleife, says Porsche.

The off-road performance is enhanced by two new driving modes: Rallye is for loose, uneven surfaces and features rear-focused all-wheel drive; and Offroad mode automatically selects the highest ground clearance. Both of the new driving modes also feature the new Rallye launch control to provide better acceleration on loose surfaces.

The 911 Dakar has a fixed lightweight rear spoiler made of carbon fibre reinforced plastic and a CFRP front luggage compartment lid with air outlets taken from the 911 GT3.

Other off-road details include red aluminium towing lugs at the front and back, widened wheel arches and stainless steel protective elements on the sills. The side air intakes on the redesigned front end are protected against flying rocks by stainless steel grilles.

The roof of the Porsche 911 Dakar features a visible 12-volt power outlet for the headlights of the optional roof rack. With a capacity of 42kg, the rack can carry fuel and water cans, traction boards and other rallying equipment. A roof tent is also available for the 911 Dakar, for owners who plan to overnight in the wilderness.

The cabin has full bucket seats up front while the rear seats are omitted. Lightweight glass and a lightweight battery reduce weight, and at 1,605kg the 911 Dakar is just 10kg heavier than the 911 Carrera.

The Dakar’s cabin is trimmed in Race-Tex surfaces with decorative stitching in Shade Green, which is also exclusively available as a metallic exterior finish for the car.

On the optional Rallye design package, the customer can choose an individual race number between 0 and 999. White-painted rims and a red tail light strip, in contrast to the standard vehicle, round off the distinctive appearance.

The first Porsche 911 Dakar units will arrive in SA in the second half of 2023 priced at R4,140,000 including a three-year Driveplan.