Photo: Porsche
Inspired by the 953 that Porsche adapted into the 959, the 911 Dakar will be revealed in full next week at the Los Angeles Auto Show. The reveal is planned for November 17th at 04:00 Central European Time, which converts to 19:00 Pacific Standard Time or 22:00 Eastern Standard Time.
Initially expected to be dubbed Safari, the Dakar is called this way after the Dakar Rally. The Stuttgart-based automaker won this grueling motorsport event twice: in 1984 with the 953, then in 1986 with the 959.
Based on the 992-gen 911, which is the eighth generation of the Neunelfer since 1964, the Dakar has been tested on high dunes and fast sand tracks in Morocco and Dubai. Subjected to temperatures of up to 45 degrees Celsius, the Dakar has also been tested in diametral opposite conditions at the German brand’s Kurrokveik proving grounds in Arjeplog, Sweden.
“The car is incredibly fun to drive,” said rally legend Walter Rohrl. “Everything works so precisely and calmly. No Porsche customer will believe all the things you can do with this car before they’ve driven it themselves.” Veteran racing driver Romain Dumas waxed lyrical about the Dakar too, which is only natural when you're in cahoots with Porsche.
“I knew what a 911 could do on the road,” he said, “but I was absolutely stunned by how well the car performed here on the loose.” Essentially a Neunelfer with higher ground clearance, chunkier tires, and extra underbody protection, the Dakar is certain to sport a twin-turbo boxer, all-wheel drive, and Porsche’s quick-shifting PDK dual-clutch transmission.
What’s not exactly clear is the rear-engined sports car’s availability. Be it a series-production model or a limited edition, the Dakar is certain to impress on loose surfaces. Not long now, it will be joined by Lamborghini’s final combustion-engined supercar, the Huracan Sterrato.
Based on the 992-gen 911, which is the eighth generation of the Neunelfer since 1964, the Dakar has been tested on high dunes and fast sand tracks in Morocco and Dubai. Subjected to temperatures of up to 45 degrees Celsius, the Dakar has also been tested in diametral opposite conditions at the German brand’s Kurrokveik proving grounds in Arjeplog, Sweden.
“The car is incredibly fun to drive,” said rally legend Walter Rohrl. “Everything works so precisely and calmly. No Porsche customer will believe all the things you can do with this car before they’ve driven it themselves.” Veteran racing driver Romain Dumas waxed lyrical about the Dakar too, which is only natural when you're in cahoots with Porsche.
“I knew what a 911 could do on the road,” he said, “but I was absolutely stunned by how well the car performed here on the loose.” Essentially a Neunelfer with higher ground clearance, chunkier tires, and extra underbody protection, the Dakar is certain to sport a twin-turbo boxer, all-wheel drive, and Porsche’s quick-shifting PDK dual-clutch transmission.
What’s not exactly clear is the rear-engined sports car’s availability. Be it a series-production model or a limited edition, the Dakar is certain to impress on loose surfaces. Not long now, it will be joined by Lamborghini’s final combustion-engined supercar, the Huracan Sterrato.
At the @laautoshow on 16 November 2022 (17 November, 04:00 CET), #Porsche will unveil a very special variant of the iconic 911: the new #911Dakar. It will be the first two-door sports car to offer outstanding off-road capabilities. More: https://t.co/1tem7Oef3o pic.twitter.com/qjR8ucvJuZ
— Porsche Newsroom (@PorscheNewsroom) November 9, 2022
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