Stuttgart – Porsche is preparing to unveil its first off-roading sports car, the 911 Dakar, at the upcoming Los Angeles Auto Show. This may seem like a peculiar move for Porsche, but the company actually has a history with off-roading, having won the Paris-Dakar rally in 1984 with a modified 911 fitted with four-wheel drive for the first time.
Though Porsche has not yet released any technical details, Autocar predicts that the 911 Dakar will feature the same 331kW flat-six engine found in the Carrera 4S. Other modifications will likely include raised suspension and off-road tires, but more specifics will be revealed next week.
Prior to its official debut, Porsche conducted extensive testing on the 911 Dakar, covering over 500,000 kilometers around the globe. The Château de Lastours test track in southern France was used to assess the car’s handling on rally courses and fine-tune the suspension. Porsche works driver Romain Dumas, who was initially puzzled by the assignment, was impressed by the car’s off-road capability, including its ability to handle jumps.
The 911 Dakar also underwent testing on ice in Arjeplog, Sweden, with double WRC champion Walter Röhrl praising the car’s precision and calmness. Additionally, the car was put through its paces on fast sand tracks and steep dunes in Dubai and Morocco, enduring temperatures of up to 45 degrees Celsius.
More information about the 911 Dakar will be revealed at the Los Angeles Auto Show next Thursday.