√High-riding 2023 Porsche 911 Dakar to be unveiled next week

After two years of prototypes being spied across the globe, Porsche has announced a new off-road 911 will be unveiled in the coming days.

The 2023 Porsche 911 Dakar will be revealed at the Los Angeles motor show this month, after images of the new model were shown overnight.

In doing so, Porsche confirmed the high-riding coupe will be named the 911 Dakar – referencing the company’s victory in the 1984 Paris-Dakar rally in the iconic Rothmans-liveried 911.

The rally car was the first 911 to be fitted with all-wheel drive, and was a precursor to the 959 supercar – which also finished first in the 1986 Paris-Dakar event.

Porsche claims the new 911 Dakar will be the “first two-door sports car to offer outstanding off-road capabilities”, offering all-terrain tyres and increased ground clearance.

Prototypes of the 911 Dakar have been seen around the world over the past two years, with the German manufacturer claiming to have driven more than half a million kilometres during testing – of which 10,000km were completed off the tarmac to “fine-tune the suspension”.

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Testing was conducted at the Château de Lastours test track in southern France – a popular facility for motorsport teams to test their vehicles prior to the Dakar rally – as well as on snow and ice in Sweden, and through the deserts of Dubai and Morocco.

With the Dakar, Porsche has drawn on the recent popularity of ‘Safari’ 911s – a nickname given to 911 vehicles created by third-party car builders that have been fitted with raised suspension, body armour, and all-terrain tyres, enabling the cars to be enjoyed in a wider variety of environments.

The 911 Dakar will debut two weeks before what will become its closest rival, the high-riding Lamborghini Huracan Sterrato, which is slated to be shown in early December with similar off-road modifications to the Porsche.

Full details of the 2023 Porsche 911 Dakar will be announced at the model’s unveiling at the Los Angeles motor show on 17 November 2022.

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