2023 Porsche 911 Dakar
39 years after Porsche won the 1984 Paris-Dakar Rally, the German automotive giant is back with a vehicle that pays homage to that memorable victory.
To commemorate it, Porsche took its latest 911 and reworked it to go where a standard 911 can’t go.
And for good measure, they named it the 911 Dakar.
The 911 Dakar is 50mm higher than the 911 Carrera and is fitted with sports suspension. The lift system, a standard addition to the car, raises the car by a further 30mm. To put it in perspective, the 911 Dakar’s ground clearance rival those of an SUV.
A nice touch is that the 911 Dakar can travel at speeds of up to 170km/h when raised to its highest setting, but automatically lowers to the default height when traveling above it.
The 911 Dakar rides on Pirelli Scorpion All Terrain Plus tyres, sized 245/45 ZR 19 at the front and 295/40 ZR 20 at the rear.
Only 2 500 units will be built for the global market, with the South African allocation selling from R4.5m per unit.
Bits and pieces
The 911 Dakar is powered by Porsche’s familiar 3.0-litre bi-turbo six-cylinder petrol engine that churns out 353kW and 570Nm. An eight-speed PDK gearbox sends power to all four wheels and can sprint from 0-100km/h in just 3.4 seconds.
The top speed is limited to 240km/h.
While the numbers are impressive, the 911 Dakar, other standard features to enhance performance include rea-axle steering, engine mounts borrowed from the 911 GT3, and PDCC anti-roll stabilisation.
Rallye Launch Control improves acceleration on loose surfaces and allows for 20% of wheel slippage.
Optional equipment includes a fixed lightweight rear spoiler made of carbon fibre reinforced plastics (CFRP), and a CFRP front luggage compartment lid with air outlets that were sourced from the GT3.
The optional roof rack features headlights, and can be connected to the 12-volt power outlet found on the car’s roof. The roof rack has a carry capacity of 42kg.
A roof tent is also optionally available.
In all, the 911 Dakar weighs 1 605kg – just 10kg heavier than the 911 Carrera 4 GTS PDK.
