Porsche have taken the wraps off the 911 Dakar edition at the LA Auto Show. The 911 Dakar is essentially the 911 coupé with tweaks done to the chassis, suspension and body. The Dakar edition is also a tribute to the first overall victory by Porsche in the Paris-Dakar rally and is limited to just 2,500 units.
The 911 Dakar houses a three-litre, bi-turbo, six-cylinder engine mated to an eight-speed PDK, the engine makes a good 480 hp and 570 Nm of torque. The 911 Dakar has the top speed capped at 240 km/h and does a 0-100 km/h sprint in just 3.4 seconds. Standard equipment include rear-axle steering, the engine mounts from the 911 GT3, and PDCC anti-roll stabilisation. The car gets two drive modes; Rallye and Off-road. The Off-road mode raises the ground clearance automatically and Rallye mod is for loose surfaces such as mud, sand, snow and clay. Both drive modes also feature the new Rallye Launch Control that enables acceleration on loose surfaces and allows wheel slippage of around 20 per cent.
The ground clearance has been increased significantly to meet the demands of off-road driving. 50 mm higher than that of a 911 Carrera with sports suspension and an additional 30 mm for the front and the rear sections. The ‘high level’ setting is available for ambitious off-road adventures at speeds of up to 170 km/h. Above that speed, the car automatically lowers back down to its normal level.
The 911 Dakar comes shod with 19-inch Pirelli Scorpion All Terrain Plus tyres. Additional kit includes carbon-fibre-reinforced plastic lightweight rear spoiler and front luggage compartment lid with striking air outlets, red aluminium towing lugs at the front and back, the widened wheel wells and sills, and the stainless steel protective elements. The side air intakes on the redesigned front end are also protected against flying rocks by stainless steel grilles to name a few. The car still manages to tip the scales at 1,605 kg and that is just 10 kg over the standard 911 Carrera 4 GTS.
Story: Sumesh Soman
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