2024 Porsche 911 Dakar

It’s clear that Porsche engineers spend a lot of time sitting around thinking how they can make the 911 even better, as well as more unique. After all, they’ve been doing just that for over 60 years now. Well, their latest brainstorming session has resulted in this jacked-up all-terrain brute, the 911 Dakar, a 911 whose performance begins when the pavement ends.

If you think the idea of a Porsche 911 suited for desert racing sounds silly, you should know that 911s competed in the Paris-Dakar rally for years, and Porsche actually won it back in 1984 when they were developing the all-wheel-drive system we all now enjoy in the Carrera 4. And it is that car on which this very limited-edition Porsche 911 Dakar is based.

Not only has it been raised by more than 2 inches, but its hydraulic lift system has also been enhanced to get to its max 7.5 inches of ground clearance in just 9 seconds. It has a modified dual radiator setup to improve approach angles, unique front and rear fascias, stainless steel rocker panels, fender flares, and special Pirelli Scorpion dual carcass all-terrain tires on 19- and 20-inch wheels.

There wasn’t much to challenge this thing in our neck of the woods, so Porsche actually flew us to Africa to get a taste of its capabilities.

DAVE SCRIVENER: “In 35 years of doing this business, I never thought I’d see myself off-roading a 911, yet here I am, traversing the sandy paths and dunes of Morocco in a 911 Dakar. This is not just a trim package, this car actually has some off-road chops for, you know, soft roads, sand dunes, things like that. This thing is very well equipped to handle this kind of terrain.”

Now, you don’t have to go to the African desert to enjoy it, but it sure helps, as carving fresh lines through sand dunes is pure thrill. The Carrera 4’s all-wheel-drive system has gotten significantly reworked with added Rallye and Off-Road modes, and the 911’s heavyweight rear seems to be a real benefit here rather than a hinderance as it can be on pavement.

Amazingly, it still feels like a 911, though it is a bit of a unique driving experience as there’s no cringing whenever you see rough pavement or speed bumps coming your way. It’s also one of those cars that has you thinking about all the cool places you could be driving it when you’re stuck in traffic, and it’s one 911 that looks better dirty than clean.

The rear-mounted 3.0-liter flat-six turbo engine gets a unique air filter housing, and outputs 473 horsepower and 420 lb-ft of torque. It works exclusively through an eight-speed PDK which gets a new Rallye Launch Control feature for making fast getaways on loose surfaces. Our Mason Dixon test track offers plenty of traction, so we stuck with traditional PDK launch control and it continues to impress.

We hit 60 in 3.0 seconds and finished out the quarter in 11.3 seconds at 125 mph. There was maybe a little less pavement grip from the tires, but otherwise, the handling experience was amazingly 911-like. The same could be said for braking. Stops of just 93 feet from 60 mph.

There’s much familiarity inside the Dakar’s cabin, perhaps too much if you’re looking for a totally different 911 experience. Priced at $225,100, the 911 Dakar is a massive investment, but it’s also limited to just 2,500 units, so you’ll have the coolest 911 in your neighborhood for years to come

Turns out conquering pavement was not enough for Porsche engineers, so they created something unique and amazing that somehow still feels just like every other Porsche. 911s have always made you feel like you can go just about anywhere and do just about anything; now with the 911 Dakar, they’ve delivered one that actually can.