2023 Porsche 911 Dakar leaves us wanting extra

Final December, Porsche CEO Oliver Blume stated the brand new 911 Dakar may not be a one-off, however reasonably the primary of a number of off-road sports activities automobiles. After two days of sliding throughout gravel expanses and kicking up enormous sand plumes within the Moroccan desert, all I can say is, please—fairly please—convey it on!

The Porsche 911 Dakar is absurd in the very best manner. Primarily based off the 911 Carrera 4 GTS, the Dakar has a 2.0-inch taller journey peak, making room for stronger dampers and longer hyperlinks that permit for elevated wheel journey. Meaty 245/45ZR19 entrance and 295/40ZR20 rear tires have a 9-mm tread depth, and behind them sit the iron 13.8-inch entrance brakes with 6-piston calipers and 13.0-inch rear brakes with 4-piston calipers from the 911 Carrera S (carbon ceramics are usually not obtainable). The 911 Dakar coupe’s nostril, tail, and aspect sills all have stainless-steel skid plates beneath them to maintain drivers from destroying costly {hardware} ought to they arrive down too onerous on a rock, and the 911’s entrance finish was resculpted to enhance the Dakar’s strategy angle, so go on, head for the hills.

2023 Porsche 911 Dakar

Porsche eliminated the Carrera GTS’ heart radiator to create that extra front-end leverage, so the 911 Dakar makes use of a brand new cooling setup with a pair of 650-watt followers borrowed from the 911 Turbo. The air intakes and filters are additionally beefed as much as deal with the additional mud and dust the Dakar will little question encounter, and Porsche examined this configuration within the desert at temperatures exceeding 120 levels Fahrenheit, so it’ll be capable of deal with essentially the most brutal of climates. Conversely, I can also’t wait to get considered one of these items out within the snow.

A hydraulic suspension carry comes commonplace, elevating the Dakar’s physique an extra 1.2 inches when activated for a complete floor clearance of seven.5 inches. That is basically only a duplicated model of the nostril carry system Porsche makes use of on different 911 fashions, with the second hydraulic system flipped round and mounted to the rear axle. To bundle this carry package on the rear, Porsche needed to take away the 911 Dakar’s again seats, however come on, it’s not such as you have been going to make use of these anyway.

2023 Porsche 911 Dakar

In its greater setting, the 911 Dakar boasts strategy, departure, and breakover angles of 16.1, 18.2, and 19.0 levels, respectively. No, this doesn’t imply the Porsche can dangle with Jeep Wranglers and Ford Broncos, however that’s hardly the purpose. As an alternative, it provides the 911 Dakar the flexibility to drive over rocks and sand with ease, and it may climb comparatively steep inclines with out producing any expensive-sounding scrapes on the base of the hill or when cresting it.

Regardless of all the extra tools, the 911 Dakar solely weighs 16 kilos greater than an equal Carrera 4 GTS, at 3,552 kilos in complete. Not having rear seats enormously contributes to this food plan, however Porsche additionally suits the 911 Dakar with a carbon-fiber hood, roof, and rear spoiler. In reality, the hood is borrowed from the 911 GT3, hideous nostrils and all.

2023 Porsche 911 Dakar

The Dakar’s total design is definitely polarizing, and I actually assume how enticing it’s is determined by the way it’s ordered. The varied throwback livery choices look cool, and you must admit, all executed up in a Martini paint job, this factor appears to be like completely at residence bombing by means of the nice and cozy Sahara Desert sand. However, I actually hate that the imitation Rothmans get-up says “Roughroads,” and to be trustworthy, I’d most likely skip the Rally Design Package deal altogether and follow a solid-color physique. Don’t overlook, Porsche’s rainbow of paint-to-sample hues might be utilized to the 911 Dakar. You’ll want to take a look at the Techquipment catalog, too, for roof baskets, tents, and different equipment that’ll deplete each final greenback in your financial savings account.

Mounted atop the rear axle, the Dakar’s 3.0-liter twin-turbo flat-6 engine carries over unchanged from the Carrera 4 GTS, producing 473 hp and 420 lb-ft of torque. With a normal 8-speed dual-clutch automated transmission and all-wheel drive, Porsche says the 911 Dakar will launch to 60 mph in 3.2 seconds, which is similar time as a rear-wheel-drive Carrera GTS. In different phrases, it’s rattling quick.

2023 Porsche 911 Dakar

Must you smash the throttle on dust or gravel—and belief me, you need to—make sure you use the brand new Rallye Launch Management operate, which permits for 20% extra wheelspin than regular. This genuinely makes the 911 Dakar simpler to regulate when slamming it off the road on tough surfaces. Plus, it appears to be like cool in motion. Actually, actually cool.

The 911 Dakar makes use of a variable all-wheel-drive system with torque cut up between the entrance and rear axles that adjustments relying on the chosen drive mode and quantity of traction, amongst different elements. Rallye mode provides the AWD programming a stronger rear bias, so that you’ll need to use this when shimmying round on the gravel. Fully disable the traction management by holding down the PSM toggle on the dashboard and the Dakar will allow you to drift to your coronary heart’s content material, the sturdy compound of the Pirelli Scorpion All-Terrain Plus tires guaranteeing you gained’t blow the rubber to smithereens as you slide over rocky roads.

2023 Porsche 911 Dakar

Offroad mode is the place issues actually get fascinating, because it locks the 911 Dakar into a good 50/50 entrance/rear torque distribution. This offers the coupe the prowess it must hold going sturdy by means of delicate sand. Steadily plant your foot on the throttle and also you gained’t have to fret about getting caught. As a result of the Dakar’s commonplace torque-vectoring rear axle remains to be energetic on this mode, side-to-side energy switch retains the 911’s rear finish alive, that means you may drift up the edges of dunes like a surfer catching a wave.

Anybody who buys a 911 Dakar and doesn’t take it off-roading is an actual social gathering pooper; this factor calls for to get soiled. The sturdy energy from the flat-6 engine retains the Dakar going by means of sticky conditions, and the Rallye and Offroad modes alter the transmission programming to make sure the engine stays buzzing within the coronary heart of its rev vary for longer. On the gravel, within the dunes—hell, even when bouncing over desert whoops—driving the Dakar by no means ceases to make me snort. It’s simply so totally ridiculous. That’s the most effective sort of praise, by the best way.

2023 Porsche 911 Dakar

On the paved roads between Porsche’s sandy Moroccan take a look at grounds and the desert airport in Errachidia, the Dakar largely seems like some other 911, simply louder thanks, tire noise and barely extra bouncy. However given the longer-travel suspension and rugged rubber, that’s to be anticipated. Physique actions are barely extra exaggerated than you’d usually anticipate from a 911, however attributes like nice steering and powerful braking energy are nonetheless intact.

The Carrera GTS’ energetic suspension (PASM), adjustable damper settings, torque vectoring, and rear-wheel steering have all been recalibrated to account for the Dakar’s new geometry, however the entire expertise remains to be quintessentially 911. If on-road driving is your high precedence, Porsche gives summer season tires as a no-cost choice, however they defeat the purpose of the Dakar as an entire. Please don’t be that particular person.

2023 Porsche 911 Dakar

The Dakar’s inside is not terribly totally different from different 911 fashions, save for a particular badge on the passenger-side sprint. The total carbon-fiber bucket seats Porsche gives within the GT3 are commonplace within the Dakar, although you may swap ’em out for 18-way adjustable chairs if you would like one thing rather less supportive and an entire lot extra snug. (It is a $0 improve, too.) Multimedia duties are dealt with by Porsche’s newest Communication Administration software program, which now consists of each Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility—lastly.

2023 Porsche 911 Dakar

All the things in regards to the 911 Dakar bundle is tremendous fascinating, however its price ticket makes it nearly prohibitively out of attain for mere mortals. Regardless of being primarily based on the $151,350 Carrera 4 GTS, the 911 Dakar begins at $223,450 together with a $1,450 vacation spot cost, placing it on the identical rung because the GT3 RS within the 911 hierarchy. Then once more, what different 911—or any sports activities automotive, for that matter—can off-road fairly like this?

Globally, Porsche will supply 2,500 examples of the 911 Dakar, and it’s unclear precisely what number of will come to the U.S. The preliminary run of automobiles will all be 2023 fashions, however as a result of manufacturing is anticipated to span all year long, a number of Dakars will technically carry over to the 2024 mannequin 12 months. The actual query is: What occurs after that?

I’ve little question Porsche will promote each single 911 Dakar it builds, and rapidly, too. It’s a wild and rowdy factor that deserves all the eye it will get, and primarily based on the success of “safari” 911s from aftermarket tuners like Ruf and Singer, demand possible gained’t decelerate. Maybe a Dakar primarily based on the 911 Turbo is the following logical step, particularly because the Lamborghini Huracan Sterrato will quickly be an off-road pressure as nicely. However regardless of the place Porsche decides to go from right here, I simply hope this Dakar isn’t the final.

—by Steven Ewing

Porsche paid for airfare and lodge lodging for Motor Authority to bomb across the Morroccan desert and convey you this firsthand report.