Porsche 911 Dakar unveiled; A limited-run 4x4 supercar

Porsche will build only 2500 units of the 911 Dakar, each priced at US$ 220,020 (excluding destination charges).

Porsche has taken the wraps off its new 911 Dakar at the Los Angeles Motor Show.

The new Porsche 911 Dakar comes with substantial modifications, both in terms of design and mechanicals, to offer a 'rapid off-road pace', without compromising its capabilities on the tarmac. The 911 Dakar pays Tribute to Porsche's Dakar rally wins in 1984 and 1986 with 911-based 959 Group B race cars.

In terms of design, the Porsche 911 Dakar sits 50 mm taller than a standard Carrera, thanks to stretched springs, dampers & suspension links. The ride height though can be further increased by 30 mm, making its ramp-over angle comparable to that of an SUV. The 911 Dakar comes with a staggered wheel set up with 19-inch front and 20-inch rear tyres shod with specially designed Pirelli Scorpion All-Terrain Plus tyres. The tyres are said to have a 9 mm tread depth as well as reinforced sidewalls.

Other details on the Porsche 911 Dakar include a fixed spoiler at the rear, lightweight carbon-reinforced plastic hood from the GT3, bucket seats, thinner glass, forged aluminium tow hooks, fender extensions, protective mesh grilles over the air intakes, and tough stainless steel body rim. Porsche will also offer the 911 Dakar with a special 'Rally Design Package' for an additional $26,000. This includes a two-tone White & Enzian Blue paint scheme with golden stripes, white wheels & a red taillight strip. It also comes with "Roughroads" lettering on the doors, while customers can choose to get an individual race number between 0 - 999.

The Porsche 911 Dakar is powered by a 3.0-litre twin-turbo flat six engine. It produces 473 BHP and 570 Nm and is paired with an 8-speed PDK gearbox as standard. The 911 Dakar can sprint from 0 - 98 km/h in 3.2 seconds and has a top speed limited to 150 mph (241 km/h)

Porsche will build only 2500 units of the 911 Dakar, each priced at US$ 220,020 (excluding destination charges).