MERZOUGA, Morocco — Dawn in the Sahara Desert is why the phrase “deafeningly quiet” exists. A light breeze comes across like a loud whisper as the rising sun illuminates the bluffs and dunes. It’s bliss, really; a peaceful accompaniment to wiping away the sleep from my eyes. But then the desert silence is shattered by a sound that’s as familiar as it is out of place: the raspy cold start of a flat-six engine.
Listening to a Porsche 911 Dakar firing up during the Sahara’s waking hours is about as jarring as David Lee Roth yelling, “Are you ready to rock-o, Morocco?!” Absolutely nothing about this car is subtle; it wears its dirt-flinging, dune-crushing intentions on its sleeve. The moment you hit the sand, the 911 Dakar comes alive. And holy moly, can this thing rip.
Real quick, let’s back up. In 1984, Porsche won the Paris-Dakar Rally with its first all-wheel-drive 911 race car. The new 911 Dakar pays homage to this largely through one of its optional Rallye Design Packages, intended to look like the iconic ‘84 Rothmans livery (below left). Yes, the text now says “Roughroads,” which is honestly kind of lame, but automakers don’t do tobacco company sponsorships – even defunct ones – and besides, licensing is expensive. The Martini wrap is way more my style (below right).
In the subsequent decades, a whole mess of rally-ready Safari 911 upfits hit the scene, including one-off customs from notable tuners like Ruf and Singer. Because of that, you might think Porsche jumped the shark by offering its own 911 Dakar, but I promise, this thing is legit. Based off the Carrera 4 GTS, the Dakar has 2 inches of additional ground clearance in its standard setting, and a high mode can raise the car by another 1.2, for a maximum ride height of 7.5 inches. This adjustability isn’t achieved through an air suspension, either; Porsche modified the 911’s optional front-end hydraulic lift system and installed it on the rear axle. Incidentally, the extra space required for the hydraulic setup is one of the reasons why the 911 Dakar doesn’t have back seats.
The no-back-seat approach also saves weight. The 911 Dakar tips the scales at 3,552 pounds, or a scant 16 more than a Carrera 4 GTS (with the automatic transmission). That’s pretty impressive, considering all of the Dakar’s add-ons. But Porsche also gave its off-roader the carbon fiber hood from the GT3 – ugly nostrils and all – plus lightweight material on the roof…
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