Porsche 911 Dakar (manufacturer)
After a series of allusions and "spy spy" photos, Porsche announced an exciting new model, the "Porsche 911 Dakar".
Porsche is not the first to use the mythological name to glorify its name;
See for example the Mitsubishi 'Dakar' which was sold with great success.
But unlike Mitsubishi's 'Dakar' which was actually an upgraded level of finish, Porsche introduced significant motor content to the new model.
Even before that, the three words Porsche 911 Dakar have a mystical power of their own - it is a declaration with technological, image and historical depth as well.
The uniqueness of the new model is also strengthened due to the fact that the production series is limited to only 2,500 units, which will probably sell like hot cakes.
This is Rene Matge's 959, winner of the 1985 Paris Dakar. One of the most desirable racing cars in the world, its price today is about 6,000,000 dollars (photo: rmsothebys)
Porsche 911 Dakar is a nickname that brings back millions of motor sports lovers in the world to the heyday of the Paris-Dakar Rally in its African edition.
It was the eighties of the last century, the rally really rolled out from Paris to Dakar (and was not reduced to South America or Saudi Arabia), the track stretched along 14,000 incredibly tough and abrasive kilometers.
It was a different era and Porsche is trying to build on its nostalgia charge by introducing the 2023 version of the 911 Dakar.
Many paths the 911 mills in the Atlas Mountains and it has significant off-road capability, certainly in relation to its road capabilities (photo: manufacturer's website)
What's new for 2023?
The modern '911 Dakar' has undergone field adaptations and tough endurance tests - at the Chateau de Lastours test track used to train Dakar drivers for generations, in the dunes of Dubai, in the Atlas Mountains in Morocco, and on the frozen lakes in Sweden.
The speed segments at the 'Green Hell' of the Nürburgring, Porsche's home track, were also not absent from the program.
One of the most prominent features of the desert Porsche is the 50 millimeters greater belly space than the 911 Carrera S, which can be raised by an additional 30 millimeters;
In the end, the maximum ventral space reaches about 205 millimeters, which is no more than is customary for more massive crossovers;
But hey, let's remember what the starting point was - a desirable Porsche 911, not a Forester or a Duster... You'll surely be happy to hear that at speeds above 170 km/h, the chassis will be lowered to its original height.
On the right, the Queen Mother.
On the left, model 2023, in the rally version and the base version (gray green) (photo: manufacturer's website)
The 'Dakar' will wear Pirelli Scorpion all-terrain tires that were developed especially for it, with excellent ability on the road and off-road;
The size of the front tires is 245/45 ZR 19, the rear 295/40 ZR 20 are extra wide.
The tough tires have a deep tread profile and reinforced sidewalls that are resistant to tearing but in a low section of 40 and 45, I would advise customers to install a spare wheel on the canopy... From the published photos it is clear to the eye that the suspension travel of the car is very limited, the engineers rely on the electronics to provide proper grip .
A lot of work was invested in adjusting the traction control, adjusting the ABS operation to road conditions, and also in a very sophisticated 4x4 system.
The suspension travel of the 911 is very limited, but the traction control will help on slow sections of offense.
On fast paths and dunes, it should be amazing (photo: manufacturer's website)
To enhance the nostalgic look, you can order the desert Porsche in the Rallye Design Package, in the spirit of the racing version from 1984.
The rally version is painted in spectacular blue and white, with redom and gold stripes, this is of course the coloring that is all homage to the coloring of the cigarette manufacturer "Rothmans".
Those who want to go all the way will also order a travel canopy with stylish searchlights and additional field equipment: a shovel, rescue surfaces (dumpsters), spare fuel tanks, there is even a dedicated roof tent.
More in Walla!
First drive: the new Porsche 911
To the full article
Power will not be lacking for the modern 911, with 480 horses pushed mainly to the rear wheels (photo: manufacturer's website)
The 6-piston boxer engine has two superchargers and a maximum power of 480 hp, with a beefy torque of 57 kgm.
The acceleration to 100 km/h lasts only 3.4 seconds up to a maximum speed of 240 km/h, this is the limit of the off-road tires.
These are extremely impressive figures for an off-road vehicle, there is no doubt that the Porsche offices kept an undirected eye on the exotic competitor that is about to appear soon, the Sterrato off-road version of the Lamborghini 'Hurcan' (we will return to it later).
The 911 engine is mated to an 8-speed gearbox, there is rear steering and PDCC chassis control, which should give the desert 911 high dynamic capabilities, even on the race track.
Customers who are less extroverted will be able to choose the shade Green unique to the 911 Dakar (photo: manufacturer's website)
Porsche has developed two new driving modes, "Rally" and "Offroad".
"Rally" mode is suitable for fast paths, when it transfers more power to the rear wheels and raises the chassis automatically.
There are also two Rallye Launch Control options that improve acceleration on slippery surfaces, and allow up to 20% wheel spin.
The desert 911 is equipped with massive front and rear tow bars, and reinforced underbelly.
The air intakes are protected by metal nets, against the impact of stones thrown from the tires.
The cabin is elegant and luxurious as usual;
In the end, most of the 911 Dakar will remain mainly on the road, or in underground parking lots (photo: manufacturer website)
Four deep and sporty "bucket" seats are installed in the passenger cabin, the upholstery includes sporty Race-Tex.
Many kilograms were saved with the help of a lightweight battery and light windows, to reach a total weight of 1,605 kilograms, almost the same as the weight of the 911 4 GTS.
The rally package also includes an internal roll bar, 6-point seat belts, and a fire extinguisher.
At his request, the customer can also receive side stickers with the numbering of a racing car.
The rims of the rally version will be white, in the spirit of those racing versions.
The base price of the Porsche 911 Dakar in Europe is 222,020 euros;
For the rally package you will pay an additional 26,061 euros.
The ventral space is controlled from the passenger compartment, the traction control and the ABS system were specially adapted to the Kurkar trails (photo: manufacturer's website)
There is no doubt that the Porsche 911 'Dakar' will be a hysterical sales hit, and it is almost certain that we will even see it leave the asphalt;
It will never be a crime vehicle, but it will be an excellent carnivore, a fine dune surfer (the sheikhs of Dubai are already preparing their wallets), and also a suitable means of transportation to reach the prestigious ski resorts in Europe.
It is possible that there will even be some extroverted American who will shred her on the rock tracks of Moab;
I don't want to see it...
And so that Porsche doesn't steal the show, Lamborghini released these photos of the Huracan off-road (photo: manufacturer website)
Meanwhile in Santa Agatha
This idea of a sports car that is raised, reinforced and fitted with off-road tires was not only cooked up in the minds of Porsche people.
At a distance of a little less than 500 air kilometers or 700 kilometers of alpine driving lies the Lamborghini company that has been playing games for quite some time and hinting that here comes the Huracan Sterrato "dirt" in Italian.
that the official launch of the sports car with the 5.2-liter V10 engine with 640 hp is only planned for November 30, but the Italians probably couldn't see Porsche stealing the show for them and rushed to publish just a few days ago pictures of the car in the fog and with some data interesting technicalities.
Lamborghini's models were never refined, but this... (photo: manufacturer's website)
Like the elevated 911 that wants to race through deserts in memory of those days, not many remember but Lamborghini also had sports models that were converted to off-road in the past.
It was the Jarama and the Urraco that gave a small and not very successful taste in the rally rounds.
And despite the performance differences between the cars (the Lamborghini reaches 96 km/h in 3.3 seconds, for example), these two cars have a common target audience - very affluent people who are not always interested in the history, performance and capabilities as much as the ability to pay for the perfect toy, which no one has After as much money as possible.
Porsche participated in the Dakar Rally only three times, but left its mark on the desert race (photo: manufacturer website)
Memories from Africa
But with all due respect to the 2023's off-road improvements, the Porsche 911 Dakar takes me back to the eighties of the last century, to the wilds of Africa.
The idea to produce a 911 to compete in Paris-Dakar was born in 1981 in a meeting between the engineer Helmuth Bott and the new company president at the time, Peter Schutz.
They decided to take the technology of the Group B rally cars one step further.
The Paris Dakar Rally was then at the height of its glory, and Porsche wanted to be present there as well.
The original development team.
When a wild idea meets an engineering brain (Photo: Manufacturer's website)
The one who helped promote the idea was the Belgian racing driver Jacky X who had an excellent relationship with Porsche, participating in and winning many road endurance races.
Jacky X who won in Dakar 1983 with a Mercedes 280 GE was sure that a desert Porsche would be faster than all the cars that were driven in Dakar at the time - Mercedes G, Range Rover, Mitsubishi Pajero, Renault 20, Beetles and more.
He proposed to develop the desert Porsche on the basis of the successful 959, sponsored by the sponsor Rothmans.
For the 1984 Dakar, Jackie formed a group of three teams, with cars based on the Porsche 911 SC RS.
The SC had a relatively simple 4x4 drive, body parts were replaced with aluminum and composite materials, to save weight.
Jacky drove one of the cars and finished in sixth place while the victory was brought by the French desert fox, René Metage.
The third Porsche finished 17th. All three cars completed the grueling race over its 12,000 desert kilometers.
The imagination sails to abandoned regions... Australia?
Arizona?
Mali? (Photo: Manufacturer's website)
For 1985, three dedicated 959s were built for Dakar.
The engines were atmospheric and the 4x4 drive was computer controlled, with adaptation to the terrain conditions.
X won two qualifying sections, but neither car finished Dakar 85 - a miserable combination of mechanical problems and two accidents.
Schutz and Bott did not lose motivation, and increased the scope of preparations for 1986. This time the three 959s dominated the race in a striking way: René Matge won first place again, Jackie X took second place.
The cool part is that even Onger Kusmaul came in a very respectable sixth place - and the good part - Kusmaul was actually the mechanic and he drove the assistance vehicle...
After the victory, Porsche left the arena of the Dakar races, but the image was burned into the collective memory - and this year Porsche came to collect the dividends.
During the eighties, Porsche produced a total of seven Dakar 959 models;
One was destroyed in the 1985 Pharaoh Rally, four are in the official Porsche museum, and two more are in private hands.
One of them was recently sold by Sothebys for $5,945,000.
Includes scent tree.
Amy Lerner arrived at the 'Dakar Classic' with her amazing forty-year-old 911 (photo: manufacturer's website)
The legends are back to thunder in the dunes
In 2021, a new DAKAR CLASSIC category was opened at the Dakar Rally, to which only models that previously competed in the African Dakar could register.
The success of the category was huge and immediate.
Most of the cars registered were models of Pajero, Toyota, Mercedes, Range Rover and even a 504 van. Above them all stood out the Porsche 911 SC of Amy Lerner and Sara Bossaer, of production year 1982. Amy had previous experience in motor sports, including participation in Rallye des Gazelles ("Rally of the gazelles" in free translation) intended for female teams only.
Sara had never participated in a rally but she was fired up by the idea, and eagerly jumped into the hot sands of Saudi Arabia.
No one told Amy Lerner that for Dakar it is better to take a car with 4x4 drive... but she reached the finish line like a grown-up (photo: manufacturer's website)
Amy's 911 has been upgraded with improved suspension, underbody protection, safety equipment, off-road tires and other essential off-road accessories.
What was not taken care of was the drive system, Amy's Porsche only has rear wheel drive... Since the 'classic' category is not a speed race but mainly a navigation rally, Amy and Sarah managed to finish the long course.
Now they are just looking for more opportunities to compete with the old 911.
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