Porsche 911 Dakar Review

Porsche built the Dakar in homage to the 911-based 953 that won the 1984 Paris-Dakar Rally and the 959 that followed it, and tested it on gravel, sand and snow before launch. It was shown at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November 2022, limited to 2,500 cars and priced at $222,000 in the US. The optional Rallye Design package paints it white and Gentian Blue with a start number the owner chooses.

The engine is the Carrera GTS's 3.0 liter twin-turbo flat-six, with 473 hp and 420 lb-ft, driving all four wheels through an eight-speed PDK; Porsche quotes 3.2 seconds to 60 mph. The body sits 50 mm higher than a Carrera on sport suspension, and a standard lift system adds another 30 mm that can stay deployed up to about 105 mph. Pirelli Scorpion All Terrain Plus tyres with 9 mm of tread and reinforced sidewalls limit the top speed to 150 mph.

A Rallye mode biases drive to the rear on loose surfaces, and Rallye Launch Control allows up to 20 percent wheelspin for starts on gravel. Rear-axle steering and the GT3's rigid engine mounts are standard. The result rides bad roads with more composure than any other 992 and slides on dirt with real balance, yet still steers like a 911 on tarmac.

Ownership is closer to a Carrera 4 GTS than to a GT car: the powertrain is shared with the regular 911 range, and servicing follows the 992 schedule. Full bucket seats are standard and the rear seats are gone, and at 3,552 lb it weighs only 16 lb more than a Carrera 4 GTS with PDK. The options list runs to a roof basket and a roof tent, and the longer-travel suspension makes it the 911 most at ease on broken roads and gravel tracks. Like most limited Porsches of its time it has traded above its sticker, by Classic.com's market data.

The Dakar looked like a novelty and turned out to be serious engineering. It gives up top speed and some precision on smooth roads, and in return it is the most usable and arguably the most entertaining 992 for anyone whose roads are poor or unpaved. It lacks the historical weight of the cars it honours, but as a 911 to live with it is hard to fault.