It's called the Dakar and is perhaps the most radical 911 that Porsche has built.
A sports car for the terrain - but street legal.
Surfing the dunes with a Porsche 911?
Surfing and safari - crazy idea or crazy trip?
Porsche sends us into the desert.
To be more precise, in the dune landscape of Erg Chebbi in the Moroccan hinterland.
The reddish sandy desert stretches over 22 kilometers in length and 5 kilometers in width.
The highest dunes rise up to 150 meters.
An impressive setting for film people too.
Historical dramas like "Lawrence of Arabia" were filmed here, but also scenes from "Star Wars".
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Just don't slow down.
The 911 Dakar grinds its way through the dune landscape like a paddle steamer.
© Rossen Gargolov / Porsche
Porsche 911 Dakar - what is it really capable of?
For us, this piece of Sahara is the ideal playground for the most radical Porsche of all time.
The 911 Dakar.
For adventure trips of this kind, the Dakar has a lot of technology on board.
The best of the 911 series, if you will, with a few tidbits on top: the core is the six-cylinder biturbo engine from the GTS with its 480 hp and 570 Nm of torque.
It goes from 0 to 100 in 3.4 seconds. The top speed is 240 km/h – because of the off-road tires.
The technical basis of the Dakar comes from the Carrera 4, the particularly light front hood with the prominent air inlets at the top from the GT3 and the engine mounts also come from racing.
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Two desert ships in the Sahara.
The dromedaries are the only creatures in the desert who face the Porsche Dakar with indifference.
© Rossen Gargolov / Porsche
Victory in the Paris – Dakar Rally: the birth of a legend
For the drive, Porsche relies on the technology that was used for the first time in the Dakar victory in 1984.
All-wheel drive for a sports car.
Porsche had already shown a prototype at the IAA in 1981.
The idea and the car electrified the then four-time Le Mans winner Jacky Ickx.
The car has to go to the toughest road rally in the world.
The Paris-Dakar.
Head of Development Helmuth Bott was also won over by the crazy idea.
Baptism of fire passed: after 11,000 kilometers under extreme conditions, the three 911s (boxer engine, 225 hp) actually crossed the finish line.
The René Metge/Dominique Lemoyne team even came out on top.
Birth of a Legend.
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At the latest when you look at the red towing eyes you can see that this Porsche 911 is a special representative of its kind.
© Rossen Gargolov / Porsche
Raised, the 911 Dakar even manages a speed of 170 km/h
Today's drive in the Dakar successor has hardly anything to do with the down-to-earth all-wheel drive of the past.
Nowadays, the forces between the front and rear axles are shifted in milliseconds.
The technology known as "torque vectoring" even shifts the torque between the individual tires and, if necessary, ensures optimum traction with the fully electronically controlled rear differential lock.
Even in the Moroccan dunes.
Where the sand burns in summer.
When we arrive at the desert camp, we have already covered dozens of kilometers of scree and stone slopes.
Past chewing dromedaries, who don't let the Porsche caravan disturb them and stop chewing.
For the locals, these are normal streets.
They rock leisurely through the Sahara in their Land Cruisers and Land Rovers.
With the Dakar we whiz by like pod racers on the outer rims.
Tempo 80, 90, 110 - the chassis of the Dakar with its steel springs and variable dampers absorbs an amazing amount of uneven terrain.
Of course, the high ground clearance also helps on wild rides through the desert.
In contrast to the normal Carrera, the rally 911 is 50 millimeters higher, the built-in lift system brings out another 30 millimeters and thus offers values like an SUV.
The extreme Porsche even maintains its high level up to a speed of 170. "For ambitious off-road trips", as Porsche says.
Which we don't necessarily want to try.
110 – the Dakar's chassis with its steel springs and variable dampers absorbs an amazing amount of uneven terrain.
Of course, the high ground clearance also helps on wild rides through the desert.
In contrast to the normal Carrera, the rally 911 is 50 millimeters higher, the built-in lift system brings out another 30 millimeters and thus offers values like an SUV.
The extreme Porsche even maintains its high level up to a speed of 170. "For ambitious off-road trips", as Porsche says.
Which we don't necessarily want to try.
110 – the Dakar's chassis with its steel springs and variable dampers absorbs an amazing amount of uneven terrain.
Of course, the high ground clearance also helps on wild rides through the desert.
In contrast to the normal Carrera, the rally 911 is 50 millimeters higher, the built-in lift system brings out another 30 millimeters and thus offers values like an SUV.
The extreme Porsche even maintains its high level up to a speed of 170. "For ambitious off-road trips", as Porsche says.
Which we don't necessarily want to try.
the built-in lift system brings out another 30 millimeters and thus offers values like an SUV.
The extreme Porsche even maintains its high level up to a speed of 170. "For ambitious off-road trips", as Porsche says.
Which we don't necessarily want to try.
the built-in lift system brings out another 30 millimeters and thus offers values like an SUV.
The extreme Porsche even maintains its high level up to a speed of 170. "For ambitious off-road trips", as Porsche says.
Which we don't necessarily want to try.
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When the Porsche Dakar cruises through the sand dunes, it sounds as if the entire body is being sandblasted.
Is also like that.
© Rossen Gargolov / Porsche
The Dakar rushes through the dunes like a paddle steamer
However, driving into the dunes is mandatory.
The view sweeps through the red hilly landscape with its long ridges and dunes that pile up like the monster waves off the Portuguese Nazaré.
We can see that you can get up here with the proven four-hoof drive of a dromedary.
But the whole thing with a sports car?
"Always accelerate, never stop when you're going up," the instructor tells us several times.
Once you get stuck, it's time to shovel.
In this case, we have a folding spade and mountain boards with us on the roof.
Alternatively, you can also mount a roof tent here.
Originally developed by Porsche, of course.
But the shame of being stuck here is not an option.
We respectfully follow the footprints in the sand.
They lead nowhere.
Always stay on the gas
don't lose traction.
And here we go.
Not timidly, but full throttle.
It's amazing how the 911 Dakar fights its way up the track.
Like a paddle steamer, only on sand.
A real desert ship.
Have courage and don't step on the gas when the rear of the lead vehicle disappears behind the crest and your own front hood shoots up into the sky.
But after a few hundred meters it feels really good.
The traction is always there, as is the confidence.
And the fun anyway.
Surfing and Safari - this Surfari is to our liking.
when the rear of the lead vehicle disappears behind the crest and your own front hood shoots up into the sky.
But after a few hundred meters it feels really good.
The traction is always there, as is the confidence.
And the fun anyway.
Surfing and Safari - this Surfari is to our liking.
when the rear of the lead vehicle disappears behind the crest and your own front hood shoots up into the sky.
But after a few hundred meters it feels really good.
The traction is always there, as is the confidence.
And the fun anyway.
Surfing and Safari - this Surfari is to our liking.
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Perhaps the most radical 911 drives over hill and dale as if it were moving on asphalt.
That's why the body is higher, just like a real SUV.
© Rossen Gargolov / Porsche
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In the roof basket there are petrol and water canisters as well as a folding spade and recovery plates in case the Porsche gets stuck off-road.
© Rossen Gargolov / Porsche
Pirelli Scorpion All Terrain - a special tire for off-road use
Whether sand dunes, gravel or scree - the 911 Dakar always has the necessary grip.
It also depends on the right tires.
Together with Pirelli, Porsche has developed the Scorpion All Terrain Plus.
Size 245/45 ZR 19 at the front and 295/40 ZR 20 at the rear. The rough profile has a depth of nine millimeters, which is slightly more than a new winter tire.
In order not to slash the tires at the first stone hidden under the sand, the side walls have been reinforced and the tread consists of two carcasses.
It was to be expected that Pirelli's Scorpions would stab or bite hard off-road.
But can you also drive on normal roads with the rough studs?
Amazingly good.
Nothing rumbles, nothing rattles - and if it does,
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There are hardly any surprises in the cockpit, it looks like any 911, only the driving programs have two new ones: rally and off-road.
© Rossen Gargolov / Porsche
Porsche 911 Dakar
Engine/drive six-cylinder boxer engine / all-wheel drive
Power / torque 353 kW (480 hp) / 570 Nm
Vmax / 0-100km/h (200) 240km/h / 3.4s (12.0)
Length / width / height 4.53 / 1.86 / 1.34 m
Ground clearance (normal/high) 161/191 mm
Luggage space / curb weight 132 l (front) / 1,605 kg
Consumption / CO2 11.3 l / 256 g/km
Price: from 222,020 euros
The sand dunes of Erg Chebbi slowly disappear behind the horizon.
The Porsche is back where it originally came from.
on asphalt.
Porsche only wants to produce 2,500 copies of the rally 911.
Despite the handsome base price of 222,000, they are likely to have sold out long ago, although most customers will probably take this car very well on public roads.
List of rubrics: © Rossen Gargolov / Porsche
