Looking to take a Porsche 911 on an off-road adventure? Well, you have that option with the 2023 911 Dakar that made its public debut at the 2022 L.A. Show. The exclusive model is an homage to Porsche’s first overall victory at the 1984 Paris-Dakar Rally, which was the first use of an all-wheel drive system in a Porsche 911.
The obvious difference between the 911 Carrera and the 911 Dakar is the ride height. A 911 Dakar rides 50 mm (1.97”) higher than the Sports Suspension-equipped 911 Carrera and, thanks to the “High Level” setting, front and rear ground clearance can be increased by an additional 30 mm (1.2”) when needed. When riding high, the 911 Dakar can travel up to 105 mph. To complete the off-road package, the Dakar rides on specially developed Pirelli Scorpion All Terrain Plus tires, measuring 245/45 ZR 19 in front and 295/40 ZR 20 at the rear. The off-road tread pattern has a depth of nine millimeters (1/3 inch), plus the reinforced sidewalls and tread have dual carcasses.
Off-road excursions and desert rallies are traversed with the help of a 3.0-liter twin-turbo Boxer engine that produces a factory-rated 473 hp and 420 lb.-ft. of torque. The engine is paired with an eight-speed-PDK and Porsche Traction Management (PTM) all-wheel drive. It features rear-axle steering, engine mounts adopted from the 911 GT3, and the Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control (PDCC) system is standard equipment. The 911 Dakar accelerates from 0 to 60 mph in 3.2-seconds and, due to the cross-section height of the tires, top speed is limited to 150 mph.
This Porsche has a stout body with flared fender arches and rocker panels, and a fixed rear spoiler. The CFRP hood is taken from the 911 GT3 but with larger openings to extract air, and the side air intakes in the newly designed front facia have stainless steel mesh to keep rocks and other unwanted objects out.
The 911 Dakar’s optional roof basket can hold up to 92 lbs. of gear for your off-road odyssey, and a roof tent is also available for some outdoor shut-eye. Add some lights via the built-in 12-volt socket on the roof basket to brighten your off-road path.
If you are looking to complete an homage to the 1984 Paris-Dakar Rally, I suggest you consider the optional Rallye Design Package with a two-tone paint scheme of White and Gentian Blue Metallic. To complete the exclusive livery, you can opt for a start number between 0 and 999.
As a purpose-built off-road rallying machine, the interior has seating for two (driver and navigator?) with the deleted rear seats to save on unnecessary weight. Lightweight glass also helps keep the 911 Dakar svelte, as it tips the scale at 3,552 lbs., 16 lbs. more than a 911 Carrera 4 GTS with PDK.
The 2023 Porsche 911 Dakar is expected to be available in the U.S. in Spring 2023 and has a starting MSRP of $220,000. Production will be limited to 2,500 units globally.
Source: www.classiccars.com