In December, Porsche CEO Oliver Blume said the new 911 Dakar might not be a one-off, but the first of several off-road sports cars. After two days of gliding across gravel expanses in the Moroccan desert and kicking up gigantic dust, all I can say is, please – very please – come on!
The Porsche 911 Dakar is ridiculous in the best possible way. Based on the 911 Carrera 4 GTS, the Dakar’s ride height has been increased by 2.0 inches to make room for stiffer dampers and longer linkages for more wheel travel. Meaty 245/45ZR19 front and 295/40ZR20 rear tires with 9 mm tread depth, behind them are 13.8-inch front brakes with 6-piston calipers and 13.0-inch rear brakes with 4-piston calipers from the 911 Carrera S (carbon ceramics not available ). The 911 Dakar coupe has stainless steel skid plates at the front, rear and under the side sills to prevent the driver from damaging expensive hardware with too much force when hitting rocks, and the 911’s front end has been redesigned to improve the Dakar’s approach angle, So go on, head to the mountains.
2023 Porsche 911 Dakar
Porsche removed the Carrera GTS’ central radiator to increase leverage at the front end, so the 911 Dakar uses a new cooling unit and a pair of 650-watt fans borrowed from the 911 Turbo. The air intakes and filters have also been beefed up to deal with the extra dust and grime the Dakar will undoubtedly encounter, and Porsche tested this configuration in the desert at temperatures in excess of 120 degrees Fahrenheit, so it can handle the harshest conditions. ambient climate. Instead, I can’t wait to get one of these things out in the snow, too.
Hydraulic suspension lifts are standard and lift the Dakar’s body an extra 1.2 inches when activated, for a total ground clearance of 7.5 inches. This is essentially just a replicated version of the nose lift system Porsche uses on other 911 models, with a second hydraulic system flipped over and mounted on the rear axle. To install this lift kit at the rear, Porsche had to remove the rear seats of the 911 Dakar, but come on, you’re not going to be using them anyway.
2023 Porsche 911 Dakar
On the higher setting, the 911 Dakar’s approach, departure, and passing angles were 16.1, 18.2, and 19.0 degrees, respectively. No, that doesn’t mean the Porsche can keep pace with the Jeep Wrangler and Ford Bronco, but that’s beside the point. Instead, it enables the 911 Dakar to drive over rocks and sand with ease, and it can climb relatively steep inclines without making any expensive-sounding scrapes at the bottom or top of hills.
Despite all the extra equipment, the 911 Dakar is only 16 pounds heavier than an equivalent Carrera 4 GTS, for a total weight of 3,552 pounds. The absence of rear seats greatly facilitates this diet, but Porsche also outfitted the 911 Dakar with a carbon fiber hood, roof, and rear spoiler. In fact, the hood is borrowed from the 911 GT3, with its ugly nostrils and all.
2023 Porsche 911 Dakar
The overall design of the Dakar is definitely polarizing, and I really think its appeal comes down to how it’s sorted. The various retro paint options look pretty cool, and you have to admit, all done in a martini paint job, this thing looks totally right at home bombing the warm Sahara desert. On the other hand, I really hate knock-off Rothmans that say “Roughroads” and honestly, I’d probably skip the Rally Design Package entirely and stick to the solid-color bodywork. And don’t forget, Porsche’s iridescent palette also applies to the 911 Dakar. Be sure to check out the Techquipment catalog for roof baskets, tents, and other accessories that will drain every penny in your savings account.
The Dakar’s 3.0-liter twin-turbo flat-six sits atop the rear axle unchanged from the Carrera 4 GTS, producing 473 horsepower and 420 pound-feet of torque. With a standard eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission and all-wheel drive, Porsche says the 911 Dakar will launch to 60 mph in 3.2 seconds, the same as the rear-wheel-drive Carrera GTS. In other words, it’s too fast.
2023 Porsche 911 Dakar
If you’re slamming the accelerator on dirt or gravel — and trust me, you should — be sure to use the new Rallye Launch Control feature, which allows for 20 percent more wheel spin than normal. This does make the 911 Dakar easier to control when slamming hard on rough surfaces. Plus, it looks cool. Really, really cool.
The 911 Dakar uses a variable all-wheel drive system, whereby the torque distribution between the front and rear axles varies depending on factors such as the selected drive mode and traction. Rally mode gives the AWD programming a stronger rear bias, so you’ll want to use it when rocking on gravel. Press and hold the PSM switch on the dash to disable traction control completely and the Dakar will let you drift as you please, the tough compound of the Pirelli Scorpion All-Terrain Plus tires ensures you won’t blow the rubber to pieces while driving over rough roads Glide on.
2023 Porsche 911 Dakar
Off-road mode is where the real fun comes in, as it locks the 911 Dakar into an even 50/50 front/rear torque split. This gives the coupe the strength it needs to keep going strong in soft sand. Keep your foot firmly on the accelerator and you won’t have to worry about getting stuck. Since the Dakar’s standard torque-vectoring rear axle is still active in this mode, side-to-side power transfer keeps the 911’s rear end alive, meaning you can float up the sides of the dunes like a surfer chasing a wave.
Anyone who buys a 911 Dakar and doesn’t take it off-road is a real party freak; this thing needs to be dirty. The sheer power of the flat-6 engine allows the Dakar to change transmission programming through sticky situations, rally and off-road modes to ensure the engine keeps humming longer in the center of its rev range. On gravel, in the dunes — heck, even bouncing around in desert cheer — driving the Dakar always makes me laugh. This is ridiculous. By the way, that’s the best compliment ever.
2023 Porsche 911 Dakar
On the paved roads between Porsche’s Moroccan sand proving grounds and Errachidia’s desert airfield, the Dakar largely feels like any other 911, only with louder chants, tire noise and slightly more bouncy. But that’s to be expected given the longer-travel suspension and firm rubber. Body movements are a little more exaggerated than you’d normally expect from a 911, but attributes like excellent steering and great stopping power are still intact.
The Carrera GTS’ active suspension (PASM), adjustable damper settings, torque vectoring and rear-wheel steering have all been recalibrated to suit the Dakar’s new geometry, but the overall experience remains typical 911. If road driving is your priority, Porsche offers summer tires as a no-cost option, but they beat the entire Dakar.Please do not That people.
2023 Porsche 911 Dakar
The Dakar’s interior doesn’t differ much from other 911 models, save for special badging on the passenger-side dashboard. The full carbon fiber bucket seats that Porsche offers in the GT3 are standard on the Dakar, but you can swap them out for 18-way adjustable seats if you want something a little less supportive but more comfortable . (It’s also a $0 upgrade.) Multimedia duties are handled by Porsche’s latest communication management software, which now finally includes Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility.
2023 Porsche 911 Dakar
Everything about the 911 Dakar package is very desirable, but its price tag puts it almost out of reach of mere mortals. Although based on the $151,350 Carrera 4 GTS, the 911 Dakar starts at $223,450 including a $1,450 destination charge, putting it in the same rung as the GT3 RS in the 911 class. Then again, what other 911 — or any sports car, for that matter — can go off-road like this?
Worldwide, Porsche will offer 2,500 examples of the 911 Dakar, and it’s unclear exactly how many will come to the United States. The cars in the initial run will all be 2023 models, but with production expected to span the full year, some Dakars will technically carry over to the 2024 model year. The real question is: what happens after?
I have no doubt that Porsche will soon sell every 911 Dakar it makes. It’s a wild and raucous affair that deserves all the attention, and based on the success of the “safari” 911 from aftermarket tuners like Ruf and Singer, demand probably isn’t slowing down. Perhaps a 911 Turbo-based Dakar is the next logical step, especially since the Lamborghini Huracan Sterrato will soon be an off-road force too. But no matter where Porsche decides to go from here, I just hope this Dakar isn’t the last.
—Steven Ewing
Porsche paid for the airfare and hotel stay for Motor Authority to bomb out in the Moroccan desert and bring you this first-hand report.