The Paris-Dakar Rally is one of the premiere motorsport events of the year. Held across grueling terrain, the event tests the very best in the world when it comes to off-road drivers and off-road machinery, and it can sometimes end in heartbreak. The event has run for decades, and one company that has a long history at the event is Porsche. Porsche won the event in 1984 with a modified version of the 911, the Porsche 953, driven by Rene Metge and Dominique Lemoyne.

Porsche is never a company afraid to pay tribute to its past and its heritage. So to honor its legacy at the Paris-Dakar Rally, the company has unveiled the new Porsche 911 Dakar. This is a very limited edition of the Porsche 911 that pays tribute to that first overall victory by Porsche at the prestigious cross-country rally. It evokes the memory of the Porsche 953, and there is even an optional Rallye Design Package for the car to really bring the past to life with the new model. It's one truly special limited-edition Porsche.

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Porsche Power Makes The Dakar Tribute Very Special

Porsche 911 Dakar Rally Front Quarter View Off-Road
via Porsche

At the heart of the Dakar special Porsche 911 is of course famous Porsche power. The engine is a 3.0liter biturbo six-cylinder affair with 473 hp at its disposal which is the same horsepower level that we can find in the Porsche 911 GTS. As you might expect, the 911 Dakar is all-wheel drive and the power goes through the Porsche eight-speedPDK gearbox and the car also has launch control at its disposal. For those who like a fast car, you still get that with the 911 Dakar as its 0-60 mph time is a very impressive 3.2 seconds.

Porsche does say though that the top speed of the car is inf act limited thanks to its all-terrain tires. As such, the top speed of the 911 Dakar is 149 mph. That though is perfectly fast for everyday use and certainly more than fast enough if you were to take this car off-roading. Two new driving modes come with the car which are Offroad and Rallye. Rallye is ideal for loose, uneven surfaces with rear-focused all-wheel drive. Offroad mode meanwhile allows for high ground clearance and is also activated on the car automatically. This is for maximum traction on difficult terrain and sand.

A Stunning Looking Tribute To The 1984 Dakar Winner

Porsche 911 Dakar Rally Front Quarter View Off-Road With 953 In Background
via Porsche

On top of the drive modes, there is also the new Rallye Launch Control, enabling impressive acceleration of the car on loose surfaces. One of the highlights of the new model though is surely the incredible Rallye Design Package. This comes straight from Porsche Exclusive Manufacktur and is an incredible two-tone paint finish in White/Gentian Blue Metallic. The design also allows customers to choose any race number from 0 to 999, and there are also red and gold rally stripes across the side of the car.

Of course, this is effectively the Rothmans Porsche livery from the 1984 Paris-Dakar winner. For obvious reasons, Rothmans can’t be on the car, so Porsche has used its “Roughroads” trademark on the side in the Rothmans font above the Porsche name. White painted rims help to round off the distinct exterior. If you want to go one step further though, there is an optional roof rack for the car which has a 42 kg capacity and can accommodate rallying equipment like fuel and water canisters, as well as a roof ten that is also made available for the 911 Dakar.

Exclusive Extras Make The 911 Dakar Off-Road Ready

Porsche 911 Dakar Rally Rear Quarter View Off Road
Via Porsche

On top of all of that, there are some great standard off-road details for the car. Red aluminum towing lugs are at the front and the back, and there are also widened wheel wells and sills. The roof as standard features a 12-volt power outlet for the headlights which come on that optional roof rack. Rounding off the Rallye Design Package are the white-painted wheel rims and the red taillight strip, which are a nice contrast to the style of the standard edition of the vehicle. The Rallye Design Package is certainly a highlight of the car.

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Keeping The Ride-Height Higher For Off-Road Fun

Porsche 911 Dakar Rally Full Lineup With 953
via Porsche

One very noticeable feature of the car is its ground clearance. Porsche has made the ground clearance for the 911 Dakar some 50 mm higher than that of the 911 Carrera with sports suspension. Plus, a standard lift system ensures that the front and rear ends can get raised by an additional 30 mm as well. The company says that the ground clearance and ramp angle of the car rivals that of conventional SUVs making for a highly impressive off-roading sports car. Porsche is only manufacturing 2,500 units of this truly special car, with pricing for it starting at $223,450 including the destination charges. Expect it to arrive at US dealerships in Spring 2023.

Source: Porsche