A Closer Look At The Porsche 911 Dakar Edition

Porsche has officially confirmed the iconic 911 will undergo some rough road makeover, and the beast will be called the 911 Dakar edition. 

Porsche is easily one of the biggest automakers from Germany and their most successful and ferocious vehicle to exist happens to be none other than the 911. The car was first unveiled in 1964 in Stuttgart, Germany, as a 2+2 sports car. The 911 has been sold in different body styles and engine configurations over the years. Along with this, the vehicle has also been used extensively by Porsche for racing. 

The 24 hours of Le Mans, Daytona, and other world championships were dominated by the 911 effortlessly. In May 2017, Porsche sold 1 million units of the 911, showing just how successful the vehicle has been. To spice things up a little bit and to crank it up a notch, Porsche has officially confirmed their 911 sports car will be receiving some extreme makeover in terms of aesthetics and performance to turn into an off-road monster. 

What Is Dakar Rally 

The Dakar rally is known to enthusiasts as one of the most challenging races globally. This race, in particular, consists of drivers driving over any and every terrain, and this race extends beyond roads into the unknown. Also known as The Dakar is an annual rally race that first debuted in the year 1978. Initially, the course of the race was set from Paris in France to Dakar in Senegal, but there happened to be some issues related to security which led to the cancellation of events for a few years, and since the year 2020, the race has been held in Saudi Arabia.  

The race is open to all categories of riders, from amateurs to professionals, but amateurs essentially make up about 80% of the total participants. The race is divided into five groups of vehicles: motorcycles, quad bikes, cars which could be small buggies, and even SUVs, followed by UTVs and trucks. The Dakar rally is known to have extreme climate conditions and a harsh environment, which is used as a testing ground by many benefactors to showcase their vehicle strength and durability. 

This race is no joke; only purpose-built vehicles compete among the best racers out there. 

As previously mentioned, the race is open for cars that could range from any size as there is no restriction on it. Porsche has seized this opportunity to turn its track-focused sports car into an off-road mammoth. An off-road-oriented Porsche would seem like a big deal for many car enthusiasts, but this won’t be the first time that the German manufacturer is going off-road. 

Back in 1984, a modified Porsche 911 won the Paris Dakar rally, and the 959 has been known to dominate group B Rally Racing for a long time. The difference between those vehicles and the new 911 Dakar edition is that they were purpose-built race cars for off-road. While the 911 Dakar is being sold by Porsche to anyone who can afford it. 

The Mandatory Torture Testing 

The Porsche 911 is a legendary name in automotive culture, and if it has to get a Dakar suffix, it must perform on any terrain one can think of. The German manufacturer has claimed that they have put the vehicle through some serious torture test which consists of driving on unimaginable surfaces for over 300,000 miles. The 911 Dakar has been driven over surfaces no 911 owner can even dream of. 

To put things into perspective, Porsche went to the Château de Lastours test track in southern France to test the vehicle for its unparalleled speed. Sweden was another testing ground for the car as it needed to handle the freezing conditions. Lastly, the vehicle was taken to Dubai and Morocco to tackle some sand dunes reportedly 160 feet high. 

The Insane Dynamics

Porsche has not released any technical specifications of the new vehicle, but from the leaked spy shots, it is evident that the vehicle will have enhanced ground clearance and some big off-road and all-road-oriented tires. Some underbody protection is also expected in case things go south. 

The tried and tested 3-liter flat 6 engine will power the vehicle, which will be mated to an 8-speed automatic gearbox. The power output is expected to be 443 HP, and all-wheel drive will be offered as standard, considering the vehicle’s off-road credentials. 

The vehicle will be unveiled on the 16th of November at the Los Angeles auto show, where Porsche will release all the specifications along with the much-awaited price tag. The 911 Dakar edition is expected to be a limited edition vehicle and will be sold only to the select few who can afford it.