Final December, Porsche CEO Oliver Blume mentioned the brand new 911 Dakar may not be a one-off, however quite the primary of a number of off-road sports activities vehicles. 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—carry it on!

The Porsche 911 Dakar is absurd in the very best approach. Based mostly off the 911 Carrera 4 GTS, the Dakar has a 2.0-inch taller experience top, making room for stronger dampers and longer hyperlinks that enable 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 usually are not out there). 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 arduous on a rock, and the 911’s entrance finish was resculpted to enhance the Dakar’s method angle, so go on, head for the hills.

Porsche eliminated the Carrera GTS’ middle 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 filth 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 probably 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 elevate comes customary, elevating the Dakar’s physique a further 1.2 inches when activated for a complete floor clearance of seven.5 inches. That is basically only a duplicated model of the nostril elevate system Porsche makes use of on different 911 fashions, with the second hydraulic system flipped round and mounted to the rear axle. To package deal this elevate package on the rear, Porsche needed to take away the 911 Dakar’s again seats, however come on, it’s not such as you had been going to make use of these anyway.

In its greater setting, the 911 Dakar boasts method, 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 a substitute, it offers the 911 Dakar the flexibility to drive over rocks and sand with ease, and it will possibly 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 gear, the 911 Dakar solely weighs 16 kilos greater than an equal Carrera 4 GTS, at 3,552 kilos in complete. Not having rear seats vastly contributes to this weight loss plan, however Porsche additionally suits the 911 Dakar with a carbon-fiber hood, roof, and rear spoiler. In truth, the hood is borrowed from the 911 GT3, hideous nostrils and all.

The Dakar’s total design is definitely polarizing, and I actually assume how enticing it’s depends upon the way it’s ordered. The assorted throwback livery choices look cool, and you need to admit, all accomplished up in a Martini paint job, this factor appears to be like completely at dwelling bombing via the nice and cozy Sahara Desert sand. Then again, I actually hate that the imitation Rothmans get-up says “Roughroads,” and to be sincere, I’d in all probability skip the Rally Design Package deal altogether and keep on with a solid-color physique. Don’t neglect, Porsche’s rainbow of paint-to-sample hues could 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 an ordinary 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.

Do you have to smash the throttle on filth or gravel—and belief me, you need to—you should definitely use the brand new Rallye Launch Management perform, which permits for 20% extra wheelspin than regular. This genuinely makes the 911 Dakar simpler to manage 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 modifications relying on the chosen drive mode and quantity of traction, amongst different elements. Rallye mode offers the AWD programming a stronger rear bias, so that you’ll need to use this when shimmying round on the gravel. Utterly 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 robust compound of the Pirelli Scorpion All-Terrain Plus tires making certain you received’t blow the rubber to smithereens as you slide over rocky roads.

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 provides the coupe the prowess it must preserve going robust via smooth sand. Steadily plant your foot on the throttle and also you received’t have to fret about getting caught. As a result of the Dakar’s customary torque-vectoring rear axle remains to be energetic on this mode, side-to-side energy switch retains the 911’s rear finish alive, which means you’ll be able to 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 robust energy from the flat-6 engine retains the Dakar going via 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 snigger. It’s simply so completely ridiculous. That’s the perfect sort of praise, by the best way.

On the paved roads between Porsche’s sandy Moroccan take a look at grounds and the desert airport in Errachidia, the Dakar largely appears 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 count on from a 911, however attributes like nice steering and robust braking energy are however 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 affords summer time tires as a no-cost choice, however they defeat the purpose of the Dakar as an entire. Please don’t be that individual.

The Dakar’s inside is not terribly completely different from different 911 fashions, save for a particular badge on the passenger-side sprint. The complete carbon-fiber bucket seats Porsche affords within the GT3 are customary within the Dakar, although you’ll be able to 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 contains each Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility—lastly.

Every part in regards to the 911 Dakar package deal 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 automobile, 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 vehicles will all be 2023 fashions, however as a result of manufacturing is anticipated to span all year long, a couple 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 shortly, 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 doubtless received’t decelerate. Maybe a Dakar primarily based on the 911 Turbo is the subsequent logical step, particularly because the Lamborghini Huracan Sterrato will quickly be an off-road pressure as properly. 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.