Final December, Porsche CEO Oliver Blume mentioned the brand new 911 Dakar may not be a one-off, however quite the primary of a number of off-road sports activities automobiles. After two days of sliding throughout gravel expanses and kicking up big sand plumes within the Moroccan desert, all I can say is, please—fairly please—carry it on!
The Porsche 911 Dakar is absurd in the very best manner. Primarily based off the 911 Carrera 4 GTS, the Dakar has a 2.0-inch taller experience peak, making room for stronger dampers and longer hyperlinks that permit for elevated wheel journey. Meaty 245/45ZR19 entrance and 295/40ZR20 rear tires have a 9-mm tread depth, and behind them sit the iron 13.8-inch entrance brakes with 6-piston calipers and 13.0-inch rear brakes with 4-piston calipers from the 911 Carrera S (carbon ceramics will not be accessible). The 911 Dakar coupe’s nostril, tail, and facet sills all have stainless-steel skid plates beneath them to maintain drivers from destroying costly {hardware} ought to they arrive down too exhausting on a rock, and the 911’s entrance finish was resculpted to enhance the Dakar’s method angle, so go on, head for the hills.
2023 Porsche 911 Dakar
Porsche eliminated the Carrera GTS’ middle radiator to create that extra front-end leverage, so the 911 Dakar makes use of a brand new cooling setup with a pair of 650-watt followers borrowed from the 911 Turbo. The air intakes and filters are additionally beefed as much as deal with the additional mud and filth the Dakar will little question encounter, and Porsche examined this configuration within the desert at temperatures exceeding 120 levels Fahrenheit, so it’ll be capable of deal with probably the most brutal of climates. Conversely, I can also’t wait to get considered one of this stuff out within the snow.
A hydraulic suspension raise comes commonplace, elevating the Dakar’s physique an extra 1.2 inches when activated for a complete floor clearance of seven.5 inches. That is basically only a duplicated model of the nostril raise system Porsche makes use of on different 911 fashions, with the second hydraulic system flipped round and mounted to the rear axle. To bundle this raise equipment on the rear, Porsche needed to take away the 911 Dakar’s again seats, however come on, it’s not such as you had been going to make use of these anyway.
2023 Porsche 911 Dakar
In its larger setting, the 911 Dakar boasts method, departure, and breakover angles of 16.1, 18.2, and 19.0 levels, respectively. No, this doesn’t imply the Porsche can hold with Jeep Wranglers and Ford Broncos, however that’s hardly the purpose. As an alternative, it offers the 911 Dakar the flexibility to drive over rocks and sand with ease, and it might climb comparatively steep inclines with out producing any expensive-sounding scrapes on the base of the hill or when cresting it.
Regardless of all the extra tools, the 911 Dakar solely weighs 16 kilos greater than an equal Carrera 4 GTS, at 3,552 kilos in whole. Not having rear seats significantly contributes to this weight-reduction plan, however Porsche additionally suits the 911 Dakar with a carbon-fiber hood, roof, and rear spoiler. In actual fact, the hood is borrowed from the 911 GT3, hideous nostrils and all.
2023 Porsche 911 Dakar
The Dakar’s total design is definitely polarizing, and I actually suppose how enticing it’s will depend on the way it’s ordered. The assorted throwback livery choices look cool, and it’s a must to admit, all achieved up in a Martini paint job, this factor seems to be completely at house bombing by the nice and cozy Sahara Desert sand. Then again, I actually hate that the imitation Rothmans get-up says “Roughroads,” and to be sincere, I’d in all probability skip the Rally Design Bundle altogether and keep on with a solid-color physique. Don’t overlook, Porsche’s rainbow of paint-to-sample hues could be utilized to the 911 Dakar. Make sure to try the Techquipment catalog, too, for roof baskets, tents, and different equipment that’ll deplete each final greenback in your financial savings account.
Mounted atop the rear axle, the Dakar’s 3.0-liter twin-turbo flat-6 engine carries over unchanged from the Carrera 4 GTS, producing 473 hp and 420 lb-ft of torque. With a typical 8-speed dual-clutch computerized transmission and all-wheel drive, Porsche says the 911 Dakar will launch to 60 mph in 3.2 seconds, which is identical time as a rear-wheel-drive Carrera GTS. In different phrases, it’s rattling quick.
2023 Porsche 911 Dakar
Do you have to smash the throttle on filth or gravel—and belief me, you need to—you should definitely use the brand new Rallye Launch Management operate, which permits for 20% extra wheelspin than regular. This genuinely makes the 911 Dakar simpler to manage when slamming it off the road on tough surfaces. Plus, it seems to be cool in motion. Actually, actually cool.
The 911 Dakar makes use of a variable all-wheel-drive system with torque break up between the entrance and rear axles that adjustments relying on the chosen drive mode and quantity of traction, amongst different components. Rallye mode offers the AWD programming a stronger rear bias, so that you’ll wish to use this when shimmying round on the gravel. Utterly disable the traction management by holding down the PSM toggle on the dashboard and the Dakar will allow you to drift to your coronary heart’s content material, the robust compound of the Pirelli Scorpion All-Terrain Plus tires making certain you received’t blow the rubber to smithereens as you slide over rocky roads.
2023 Porsche 911 Dakar
Offroad mode is the place issues actually get attention-grabbing, because it locks the 911 Dakar into a fair 50/50 entrance/rear torque distribution. This provides the coupe the prowess it must preserve going robust by gentle sand. Steadily plant your foot on the throttle and also you received’t have to fret about getting caught. As a result of the Dakar’s commonplace torque-vectoring rear axle continues to be lively on this mode, side-to-side energy switch retains the 911’s rear finish alive, which means you’ll be able to drift up the perimeters of dunes like a surfer catching a wave.
Anybody who buys a 911 Dakar and doesn’t take it off-roading is an actual get together pooper; this factor calls for to get soiled. The robust energy from the flat-6 engine retains the Dakar going by sticky conditions, and the Rallye and Offroad modes alter the transmission programming to make sure the engine stays buzzing within the coronary heart of its rev vary for longer. On the gravel, within the dunes—hell, even when bouncing over desert whoops—driving the Dakar by no means ceases to make me snort. It’s simply so completely ridiculous. That’s the most effective type of praise, by the way in which.
2023 Porsche 911 Dakar
On the paved roads between Porsche’s sandy Moroccan take a look at grounds and the desert airport in Errachidia, the Dakar largely appears like every other 911, simply louder thanks, tire noise and barely extra bouncy. However given the longer-travel suspension and rugged rubber, that’s to be anticipated. Physique actions are barely extra exaggerated than you’d usually count on from a 911, however attributes like nice steering and powerful braking energy are however intact.
The Carrera GTS’ lively suspension (PASM), adjustable damper settings, torque vectoring, and rear-wheel steering have all been recalibrated to account for the Dakar’s new geometry, however the entire expertise continues to be quintessentially 911. If on-road driving is your prime precedence, Porsche presents summer time tires as a no-cost possibility, however they defeat the purpose of the Dakar as an entire. Please don’t be that individual.
2023 Porsche 911 Dakar
The Dakar’s inside is not terribly totally different from different 911 fashions, save for a particular badge on the passenger-side sprint. The complete carbon-fiber bucket seats Porsche presents within the GT3 are commonplace within the Dakar, although you’ll be able to swap ’em out for 18-way adjustable chairs if you would like one thing rather less supportive and an entire lot extra comfy. (It is a $0 improve, too.) Multimedia duties are dealt with by Porsche’s newest Communication Administration software program, which now contains each Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility—lastly.
2023 Porsche 911 Dakar
Every thing concerning the 911 Dakar bundle is tremendous fascinating, however its price ticket makes it virtually prohibitively out of attain for mere mortals. Regardless of being primarily based on the $151,350 Carrera 4 GTS, the 911 Dakar begins at $223,450 together with a $1,450 vacation spot cost, placing it on the identical rung because the GT3 RS within the 911 hierarchy. Then once more, what different 911—or any sports activities automotive, for that matter—can off-road fairly like this?
Globally, Porsche will provide 2,500 examples of the 911 Dakar, and it’s unclear precisely what number of will come to the U.S. The preliminary run of automobiles will all be 2023 fashions, however as a result of manufacturing is anticipated to span all year long, just a few Dakars will technically carry over to the 2024 mannequin 12 months. The true query is: What occurs after that?
I’ve little question Porsche will promote each single 911 Dakar it builds, and shortly, too. It’s a wild and rowdy factor that deserves all the eye it will get, and primarily based on the success of “safari” 911s from aftermarket tuners like Ruf and Singer, demand seemingly received’t decelerate. Maybe a Dakar primarily based on the 911 Turbo is the following logical step, particularly because the Lamborghini Huracan Sterrato will quickly be an off-road pressure as nicely. However regardless of the place Porsche decides to move from right here, I simply hope this Dakar isn’t the final.
—by Steven Ewing
Porsche paid for airfare and resort lodging for Motor Authority to bomb across the Morroccan desert and convey you this firsthand report.