Porsche’s motorsport dominance isn’t limited to the racetrack. Since the early days of the company, its products have also excelled at the arduous art of rallying. At this year’s LA Auto Show, the company has finally returned to this heritage, perhaps spurred on by a number of independent ventures into more rugged, go-anywhere Porsche conversions.
The new Porsche 911 Dakar will be limited to just 2,500 cars. Directly inspired by the 911 that triumphed in the gruelling Paris-Dakar Rally in 1984 (actually known as the Porsche 953), the new model is available in both a conventional paint job as well as a ‘Rallye Design Package’ mimicking the original car’s appearance.
Porsche’s involvement in the Paris-Dakar not only gave rise to the introduction of four-wheel-drive to the 911 range, but also birthed the 959 supercar, which arrived on the scene two years after the victory, originally to target the wild performance machines in Group B rally racing. Four-wheel drive is now available across the 911 range, as well as forming the core of Porsche’s SUVs, the Porsche Macan and the Cayenne.
The 911 Dakar is immediately distinct from its road-focused siblings by the raised ride height, which sits at 50mm more than a 911 Carrera. The car can also be raised an additional 30mm for even more ground clearance – and it can be driven at speeds of up to 170km/h at this height.
Power comes from a three-litre biturbo six-cylinder engine, pushing out 480 PS and capable of reaching 100km/h in 3.4 seconds. The special rugged all-terrain tyres limited top speed to 240 km/h.
At the rear, the 911’s pop-up spoiler has been replaced with a fixed carbon-fibre reinforced plastic version, and there’s a new CFRP front luggage compartment cover with deep air inlets just like the ultimate 911, the GT3.
Optional extras include a roof basket for those all-important rally tools like shovels and traction boards, and there’s even an optional roof tent. The Porsche Design team has also come up with a matching chronograph for total completists.
The Rallye Design Package has a two-tone paint finish in White/Gentian Blue Metallic, a colour combo that – it should be noted – originated with Rothmans International, the British tobacco manufacturer (‘the greatest name in cigarettes’) that bankrolled Porsche back in the 1980s. The company has thoughtfully adapted the forbidden and defunct logo into the word ‘Roughroads’, and you can also specify the race number of your choice.
Porsche 911 Dakar, from £173,000, Porsche.com
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