2023 Porsche 911 Dakar: A rally car for the street

Porsche's rally-inspired 911 Dakar features a jacked-up suspension, all-terrain tires and an antilock braking system optimized for loose gravel.

Porsche unveiled the two-door off-roader at the Los Angeles Auto Show last year. The Dakar is limited to 2,500 units globally and starts at $223,450, including shipping, arriving spring 2023.

The Dakar's appeal extends beyond the shriveled pool of two-door sports car buyers. Its racy performance and utility ride speak to both the on-track and off-road demographic.

"When drivers are looking for crossovers and sport utilities, appealing to these buyers means going to where they are," said Sam Fiorani, vice president at AutoForecast Solutions.

What the 911 Dakar lacks in volume, it makes up in buzz: Journalists recently had the chance to get behind the wheel, and we've rounded up some reviews.

"Absolutely nothing about this car is subtle; it wears its dirt-flinging, dune-crushing intentions on its sleeve. The moment you hit the sand, the 911 Dakar comes alive. And holy moly, can this thing rip.

Despite the increased suspension travel and meaty tires, the 911 Dakar's on-road ride quality is stiffer than you might imagine for something designed for the dirt. It's more akin to a street-spec 911 Carrera, which means things like pitch and dive under acceleration and braking aren't a problem – ditto body roll.

Stay in the throttle and the Dakar will claw up any slope, jump the crest and then kick up huge plumes of sand when you sling it sideways at the bottom of the hill. The whole time, the 3.0-liter engine roars behind you, the transmission holding second gear to keep the throttle response sharp.

It's easy to control. It never feels like it's going to get away from you. It works with you, egging you on to go faster and faster. As good as a Carrera 4 GTS is on-road, the Dakar is just as adept in the dirt.

Then again, that's to be expected given the Dakar's exorbitant price tag: $223,450 including $1,450 for destination, or, for comparison, slightly less than a new 911 GT3 RS. Not that this matters, of course. With only 2,500 destined for global consumption, Porsche will have no problem selling every Dakar it can make.

The Dakar is absurd and hilarious, and there's nothing else like it on the road today. You'll be doing this 911 a disservice if you don't let it play in the sand."

— Steven J. Ewing, Autoblog

"In Rallye mode, Porsche's all-wheel-drive system tries to send the majority of power to the rear axle, though it can still send up to 88 percent to the front or, in an extreme understeer situation, 100 percent to the rear. A rearward bias might sound wrong for loose-grip situations, but the first time you pitch the car into a turn and put your foot down you realize it feels oh so right.

But, not quite right enough. Though the PTCC stability and traction control systems are programmed to let you have more fun here before they cut the power, I still found the window of allowable slip to be a little narrow for my tastes. Thank goodness they're so easy to disable. So toggled, the 911 Dakar became a wonderful dancing companion.

Keep spinning that wheel-mounted dial and you get to Off Road mode, the second of the 911 Dakar's new drive modes. Here, the suspension automatically lifts to its highest setting … Where it shines is on loose, rough terrain. 7.5 inches (191 mm) of ground clearance meant the 911 cleared many obstacles I thought for sure would leave their mark on the Dakar's largely ornamental yet still surprisingly effective skidplates."

— Tim Stevens, motor1.com

"The 911 Dakar sits 50 millimeters, or nearly 2 inches higher than the conventionally stanced 911. Using the standard lift system, the driver can add another 30 millimeters or a little more than an inch more to provide handling closer to that of a sport-utility vehicle.

The lift system is not only designed to help clear obstacles at low speeds, but is also an integral component of the newly calibrated suspension. The "High Level" setting is usable at up to approximately 105 mph for spirited off-road driving. Above this speed, the car returns to its normal ride height.

Of course, that kind of driving calls for special shoes all around, and the 911 Dakar doesn't disappoint, shod in specially developed Pirelli Scorpion All Terrain Plus tires, measuring 245/45 ZR 19 in front and 295/40 ZR 20 at the rear, providing a sporty off-road appearance.

However, they more than look the part, with special off-road tread with a 9 mm deep tread pattern to help ensure better grip and reinforced sidewalls to ensure they can handle the terrain most off-roaders traverse."

— Michael Strong, The Detroit Bureau

"Despite all the modifications, Porsche says the 911 Dakar is only 16 pounds heavier than a 911 Carrera 4 GTS with an automatic transmission. Weight-saving measures have been taken to keep the car's mass in check, for example, the rear seats have been removed and lightweight window glass has been used.

The 911 Dakar's engineers raided the 911 parts bin, installing the GT3's carbon-fiber hood, the Carrera S brakes, and the cooling system from the Turbo S. Porsche says the 911 Dakar can hit 60 mph in 3.2 seconds—an estimate we think is a little conservative given that a rear-wheel drive 911 Carrera GTS with the PDK dashed to 60 in just 2.8 seconds during our testing.

The interior is spacious for two adults and nicely put together just like a normal 911 … An exterior livery package that pays tribute to the 1984 Paris-Dakar winning 911 is optional too and it looks rad with its Fuchs-style white wheels, racing stripes, and racing number decal."

— Drew Dorian, Car and Driver

"Everything great about the 2023 Porsche 911 Dakar comes with one big caveat summed up neatly by one of our Of The Year criteria: performance of intended function. The car is absolutely brilliant so long as you understand and drive within its capabilities. With 6.3 inches of ground clearance standard and 7.5 inches in its high setting, the Dakar has less clearance than your average Subaru. Even on trails appropriate for the car, you'll drag the belly pan on something sooner or later. I lost count of how many times I did. There's no avoiding it.

A superb rule of thumb is to not take the 2023 Porsche 911 Dakar anywhere you don't think a (473-hp) Subaru could go. It's not a Raptor, and you shouldn't drive it like one. You should approach steep ramps and steps cautiously, attack dunes with care, and entirely avoid large rocks. There's an enormous amount of fun to be had off-road in a 911 Dakar; you don't need to try to conquer every kind of terrain on earth."

— Scott Evans, Motor Trend