Porsche has taken the Porsche 911 to a new level. The images that accompany this article are not those of a particular conversion: they are those of a real model that has been shaped in Stuttgart with a height that improves that of many SUVs, all-terrain tires, all-wheel drive and the same power as a Porsche 911 GTS. We introduce you to the Porsche 911 Dakar 2023.
By now, I’m sure you’ve seen the images that Porsche released in teaser form, but now it shows us its latest creation without costumes. The look of the 2023 Porsche 911 Dakar is brimming with personality with a reinforced bodywork for the occasion in which the lightweight carbon reinforced plastic hood of the Porsche 911 GT3 stands out, the fixed rear spoiler, the extensions of the fenders and running boards, the resistant stainless steel trim, the protective grilles of the intakes air or red-tinted forged aluminum trailer widths.
The glass surfaces are thinner and inside they have opted for bucket seats instead of traditional ones: the rear row, by the way, disappears. And it is that the Porsche 911 Dakar 2023 passes, empty, 1,611 kilos: It weighs 7.2 kilos more than the Porsche 911 GTS with PDK, which, yes, does not have any of these off-road accessories.
For those who want to go further, it is available, optionally, the Rally package (30,000 euros) with two-tone finishes (White and Enzian Blue), details such as red and gold stripes, white wheels, the word ‘Roughroads’ on the doors and the possibility of choosing a competition number between 0 and 900. And just in case. All this were not enough, the lucky owners of the Porsche 911 Dakar 2023 will have access to a watch specially designed for the occasion.
The tuning of the Porsche 911 Dakar 2023: the suspension
The 2023 Porsche 911 Dakar’s mission is to explore the roads less traveled and to do so, it needs considerable ground clearance. Its suspension raises it 5 centimeters and the special lifting system adds another 3 centimeters when necessary. They are 8.12 centimeters more than a Porsche 911 Carrera, which gives it a height similar to, and even better than, many SUVs.
The lift system can be used at speeds of up to 170 km/h, at which point the 2023 Porsche 911 Dakar returns to its standard configuration. Notably Its top speed is 240 km/h. Yes, this is one of the slowest Porsche 911s and, even so, it goes from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.4 seconds.
The tires of the Porsche 911 Dakar 2023
That electronically limited speed has a reason: the tires on the 2023 Porsche 911 Dakar. some special off-road Pirelli Scorpion that the Italian brand has created specifically for this version: the front ones measure 245/45 and are mounted on 19-inch wheels, while the rear ones measure 295/40 and are mounted on 20-inch wheels.
Despite being designed for off-road, retain Z classification for its rigidity and ability on paved surfaces. For drivers looking for something more specialized, summer or snow tires are optional.
As powerful as a Porsche 911 GTS
Under that off-road aspect, the Porsche 911 Dakar 2023 hides a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter six-cylinder engine making 473 horsepower: the same as the Porsche 911 GTS. All that power goes to all four wheels via an eight-speed PDK gearbox.
The Porsche 911 Dakar 2023 has two new driving modes: Off-Road and Rally. The first of these is designed for rougher terrain and automatically engages the highest ride height. The second is designed for loose and uneven surfaces and sends most of its power to the rear axle. Both have Rally Launch Control, which allows 20% wheel slip for optimum acceleration on this type of terrain, and Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control.
rare and expensive
The 2023 Porsche 911 Dakar is a rare version and we don’t say that because of its looks, but because of its limited production: sOnly 2,500 units will be manufactured for everyone. And as you can imagine, off-road fun in a Porsche won’t come cheap: it starts at €256,042 and it will come next spring.
