Ever yearned to take your sportscar off road? Well, the freshly revealed Porsche 911 Dakar is for you, though just 2 500 units will be produced…

Porsche has whipped the wraps off its new 911 Dakar at the 2022 Los Angeles Auto Show, effectively handing its halo sportscar the ability to head off the beaten path. A limited number of units will be offered in South Africa, with the first examples arriving in the second half of 2023 with a base price of R4 140000.

Described as being as “comfortable off road as it is on the highway”, the new all-wheel-drive 911 Dakar was inspired by the Zuffenhausen-based automaker’s first overall victory at the 1984 Paris-Dakar Rallye (a win that incidentally also marked the birth of all-wheel drive in the 911). Just 2 500 units will be produced, each optionally available with the Rallye Design Package that pays tribute to that Dakar-winning car with its two-tone paint finish.

From what we can tell, the 911 Dakar is based on the 911 Carrera 4 GTS coupé and uses the same twin-turbo 3.0-litre, flat-6 petrol engine, which generates heady peak outputs of 353 kW and 570 Nm. Porsche claims its new PDK-equipped all-terrain sportscar will complete the 0-100 kph sprint in just 3.4 seconds, a mere one-tenth behind the likewise all-paw GTS.

So, what makes a 911 Dakar? Well, the newcomer’s ground clearance comes in at 50 mm more than that of a 911 Carrera (with sports suspension), while the standard lift system can raise the front and rear ends an additional 30 mm. Porsche claims this makes the 911 Dakar’s clearance and ramp angle enough to “rival those of conventional SUVs”. The German firm says the lift system features a “high level” setting available for “ambitious off-road adventures” at speeds of up to 170 kph.

The off-roading 911 rides on specially developed “highly cut-resistant” Pirelli Scorpion All Terrain Plus tyres (sized 245/45 ZR19 fore and 295/40 ZR20 aft) featuring a 9 mm deep tread pattern and reinforced sidewalls. While this all-terrain rubber ships standard (and sees the top speed limited to 240 kph rather than the 309 kph attainable by the PDK-equipped GTS), Pirelli P Zero summer and winter tyres will be available as an option.

The new 911 Dakar (fitted with the Rallye Design Package) along with the vehicle that inspired it.

The 911 Dakar also scores a pair of new driving modes. The first is Rallye mode, which is designed for “loose, uneven surfaces” and features a “rear-focused” slant on all-wheel drive. In Off-Road mode, the high clearance is automatically activated. In either setting, there’s also a new Rallye Launch Control system, which Porsche says enables “impressive acceleration” on loose surfaces and allows wheel slippage of around 20%.

The list of standard equipment includes rear-axle steering, 911 GT3 engine mounts and anti-roll stabilisation. As a result, the automaker says the 911 Dakar is “just as dynamic on sand and loose surfaces as it is on the Nürburgring Nordschleife”. The 911 Dakar furthermore boasts a fixed lightweight rear spoiler fashioned from carbon-fibre reinforced plastic and a front luggage compartment lid (with air outlets pilfered from the 911 GT3) made from the same material.

Off-road details include red aluminium towing lugs at the front and back, widened wheel wells (plus sills) and stainless-steel protective elements on the front, rear and side sills. The side air intakes on the redesigned front end are also protected against flying debris by stainless-steel grilles.

The 911 Dakar’s roof features a visible 12V power outlet for the lights attached to the optional roof rack. With a capacity of 42 kg, Porsche claims the rack can accommodate “rallying equipment such as fuel and water canisters, folding shovels and traction boards”. A roof tent is also available.

The 911 Dakar’s cabin features Race-Tex surfaces with decorative stitching in Shade Green and ships with full bucket seats, while the rear pews have been deleted. Lightweight glass and a lightweight battery further reduce the vehicle’s mass, which comes in at 1 605 kg (10 kg heavier than the 911 Carrera 4 GTS with PDK). There’s also an optional Rallye Sport Package, which adds a roll-over bar, 6-point seat belts and a fire extinguisher.

How much will the Porsche 911 Dakar cost in South Africa?

Porsche 911 Dakar– R4 140 000

The base price above includes a 3-year Driveplan.

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