Porsche 911 Dakar now in the Philippines
REMEMBER the extraordinarily awesome Porsche 959? That car was born OUT OF THE fiRST SERIES OF all-wheel-drive (AWD) 911s that participated in the 1984 Paris-Dakar Rally and emerged victorious.
The 959 was originally meant for Group B racing, and when the production model was about to hit dealerships, the Group B program was canceled. That same rallying concept has finally been applied to a series-production 911 in late 2022, and that model has officially reached the Philippines. Say hello to the Porsche 911 Dakar, a supercar with off-roading capability that you’d normally expect in a crossover or an SUV.
Now, you’re probably wondering, isn’t there a 911 Dakar already roaming around the Philippines? Well, you’d be right, but that unit was a gray market parallel import. The model you’re seeing here is the first customer unit that’s officially been purchased through Porsche Philippines. Only 2,500 units will be made globally, and two more are arriving through Porsche Philippines.
The exterior of the 2024 Porsche 911 Dakar is brimming with personality. The 911 Dakar sits 50 millimeters (mm) higher off the ground compared to a standard AWD 911 Carrera 4, but a “High Level” off-road mode raises this further to 80 mm. As a result, its approach, breakover and departure angles are similar to some off-roader SUVs, and yet it can travel at this raised position at speeds of up to 170 kilometers per hour (kph).
Considering the environment these cars will potentially face, the 911 Dakar comes with black cladding for protection from stones and rocks, along with forged aluminum tow hooks, stainless steel silver plates, and protective mesh covers on all of its air intakes. However, these add weight to the 911 Dakar, and to counter this, Porsche swapped the electrically deployable rear spoiler for a fixed one while adding a carbon fiber hood, fitting the car with thinner glass and lightweight bucket seats. Oh, and the rear seats have been removed because, who sits there anyway?
If you want to make your Porsche 911 Dakar truly look the part, the Rally Design Package brings out the best of this rally-inspired sports car. While prices for the individual options have not been revealed, the model you’re seeing here has been sold for around P35 million. The Rally Design Package pays homage to the original 1984 Paris-Dakar Rally-winning 911 through its twotone White and Enzian Blue paint, red and gold stripes, white wheels, and “Roughroads” lettering on the doors. Customers can also choose their race number from 0 to 999.
Other accessories are also available for the Porsche 911 Dakar, such as the off-road roof basket that can hold up to 42 kilograms. It’s fitted with an LED roof light that’s powered via a dedicated 12-volt socket. You can also opt for a Porsche Tequipment tent, and also a Porsche Design Dakar chronograph that’s finished in standard or Rally Design. Whichever color is chosen, this watch is made out of scratch-resistant titanium carbide.
Powering the 2024 Porsche 911 Dakar is a six-cylinder twin-turbo boxer engine that produces 480 horsepower and 570 Newton-meters of torque, which is sent to all four wheels via an 8-speed PDK dual-clutch automatic. This is good for a blisteringly quick 0-100 kph time of 3.2 seconds, but due to the aggressive Pirelli Scorpion all-terrain tires with 9 mm treads, its top speed of just 240 kph is the lowest in recent memory.
Even though this is a Porsche for the desert, the 911 Dakar still comes with chassis enhancements from the road-going models such as four-wheel steering and dynamic engine mounts. A Rally Launch Control maximizes grip for quick jolts from loose surfaces.
The 2024 Porsche 911 Dakar and its novelty factor will surely make this one of the most highly sought-after 911s in recent memory. The fact that it can perform off-road while still being a very capable sports car on the tarmac means that those 2,500 units won’t have a difficult time looking for a loving owner.