Is there such a thing as an off-road version of the Porsche 911? Yes, there sure is, and there have been more of them than you might expect.
The iconic Porsche 911 has been raced on just about every track in the world. What you might not realize is that this car has been used on off-road courses since 1984. This was when Porsche took the 911 Carrera and created a 4WD monster called the 953 to race in the Paris-Dakar rally race. This original rally Porsche created a legacy and heritage that we can still enjoy today.
Porsche Leans Into Its Heritage
The early Dakar treatments are now part of the 992 model of the iconic Porsche sports car. This new model is the 2023 Porsche 911 Dakar which is made to be an incredible and amazing rally racer. Even though most of us don’t expect to see the 911 on a dirt track as part of a rally race, this new version of the iconic car that won its first race 38 years ago is ready to take on the track and tackle the rally fun that only comes when heading out on the dirt track for some racing glory.
What Do We Find in this Special Porsche?
The Dakar model of the 911 brings the engine from the Carrera GTS with some cool modifications to make this a car that can handle the dirt, dust, and debris found on a dirt-covered rally track. The modifications are made for off-roading and will keep some of the stuff out of the inner workings of this car.
Some of these upgrades include deleting the center intercooler to improve ground clearance, a new airbox to keep dirt and dust out, and the AWD system from the Carrera 4. This special 911 has side intercoolers from the 911 Turbo to ensure the engine stays cool. This new rally version of this iconic Porsche produces 473 horsepower and 420 lb-ft of torque.
You Know There Have to Be Some Incredible Suspension Upgrades
The suspension added to the Porsche 911 Dakar offers a two-mode height-adjustable suspension. This means you can have either 6.3 or 7.5 inches of ground clearance for the fun of driving across the dirt terrain of the Dakar Rally. This adjustable suspension doesn’t use an air-ride system, which you might expect. Instead, the same tech used for its front-end lift system is found at all four corners to be better than an air suspension system.
Ground Clearance Produces Off-Road Angles
The Dakar model of this Porsche is meant to make the grueling rally run in the Paris-Dakar race. There are times when this track offers some inclines and declines, which make off-road angles important. This lifted 911 has an approach angle of 16.1 degrees and a breakover angle of 19 degrees. These numbers might not challenge some of the most hardcore off-road trucks and SUVs, but they are impressive and work well for many of the rally racing circuits around the world.
You Won’t Think of the Dakar Model as a Street Car
It doesn’t do you any good to have a package of electronic systems made for a road car in a vehicle that’s meant to race on dirt. Those systems used to make the most of the grip and launch the car won’t do much more than spin the wheels on dirt. Porsche changed the launch control system to allow for more wheelspin, which makes the Dakar 911 more competitive.
In addition to changing some of the electronics, the Porsche 911 Dakar also has settings made to help drivers handle some big and dirty slides on the side of sand dunes found during a rally race. The Rallye mode is the setting used for these slides. During other off-road driving, an Off-Road mode offers the locked-down driving that works great when going slow over rougher terrain. These are settings you never expect to find in the 911 but setting up this car for rally races makes it one of the most dominant machines on the planet.
Tires Are What Count During Any Race
While Formula 1 and NASCAR racing machines use special tires made to give these cars the speed desired while adding just enough grip to keep things under control, racing on dirt is something completely different.
The tires you might find on a Porsche 911 made for the tarmac are completely different from what you’ll find when you head to the rally track. The tires are Pirelli models, but they feature a chunky tread pattern to make them work more like all-terrain tires, which are perfect for the various terrain offered on a rally track.
Strangely, Porsche claims the 911 Dakar lapped the Nordschliefe at the same time as the 996 GT3 was capable of offering. That car might have been from a few generations ago, but this shows you that these all-terrain tires aren’t slowing down the rally version much at all.
Additional Classic Looks from the 953
The exterior livery of this new rally car offers a throwback to the original 953 model. The colors are the same, giving us a great style for this amazing new off-roader. The Rallye Pack comes with a roof basket and integrated light bar, which are both useful and functional. The 911 Dakar also has its own special rear decklid spoiler, which could be where a racing team puts the map to make sure they stay on the right course during a rally race.
The Porsche 911 Dakar is a Limited Model
This off-road, rally-racing sports car is too cool or most normal drivers to enjoy. As such, only 2,500 models will be made, which is probably fitting for this car. The price reaches $223,450, which could be fine for a rally team to buy this car and replace some of their old racing machines that have been around for a long time.
Will your rally team be one of the few to enjoy one of these amazing Porsche 911 off-road sports cars?
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