Porsche 911 Dakar officially released in Vietnam

Andreas Klingler (L), General Director of Porsche Vietnam, and Nguyen Hoang Anh (R), owner of the first 911 Dakar in Vietnam. Photo courtesy of Porsche Vietnam.

Porsche Vietnam officially launched the highly anticipated 911 Dakar at a press conference at Porsche Centre Saigon.

Inspired by Porsche’s first overall victory in the 1984 Paris-Dakar Rally, the Porsche 911 Dakar features a unique combination of superior off-road characteristics and on-road performance.

The exclusive model, of which only 2,500 units were produced, shows that there are hardly any limits to the concept of the Porsche 911.

Nguyen Hoang Anh, a long-cherished member of the Porsche family, is the first to own the 911 Dakar in GT Silver Metallic. He is passionate about sports cars, specifically the 911. He also has a penchant for adventure and cross-continental journeys.

At the handover ceremony, Hoang Anh revealed that he has always dreamed of owning Porsche's first overall winning vehicle at the Paris-Dakar Rally 1984, even though it is not a series-production model.

When he knew Porsche’s intention to develop this new variant of the 911 inspired by the rally car, he did not hesitate and immediately placed an order for this unique off-road version of the iconic 911.

The businessman believes this special edition will be the perfect companion for his next upcoming long-distance adventure, which may involve more than a few unpaved roads.

According to Andreas Klingler, General Director of Porsche Vietnam, for Hoang Anh, Porsche is far more than just a sports car brand.

The brand's pioneering spirit and the value of the fact that this model of Porsche is the car of his dreams, are both sources of inspiration for Anh. Another passion of his is traveling and off-road adventures. "With this in mind, I dare say the ground-breaking 911 Dakar is the perfect sports car for him," Klingler added.

The first and most striking detail of the Porsche 911 Dakar is its increased ground clearance, which is 50 millimeters higher than that of a 911 Carrera with sports suspension.

The standard lift system can further raise all four corners by an additional 30 millimeters. Thanks to this, the 911 Dakar features off-road clearance and ramp angles that rival those of conventional SUVs. The lift system is not only used to slowly cross obstacles but is also an integral part of the retuned chassis.

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.

Complementing the car’s sporty off-road attributes are specially developed Pirelli Scorpion All Terrain Plus tires (245/45 ZR 19 at the front and 295/40 ZR 20 at the rear).

The chunky tread pattern is nine millimeters deep, and the reinforcing sidewalls and the threads consist of two carcass plies. All this makes the tires of the Porsche 911 Dakar ideal even for challenging terrain; they are also highly cut-resistant.

Pirelli P Zero summer and winter tires are available as an option, as are two carcass plies. The all-terrain tires come as standard and offer sports car dynamics on the road as well.

The three-liter biturbo six-cylinder engine with 480 PS (353 kW) and a maximum torque of 570 Newton meters delivers superior performance with a compelling boxer sound.

Coupled to an eight-speed PDK and Porsche all-wheel drive as standard, the 911 Dakar sprints to 100 km/h in just 3.4 seconds. Due to the all-terrain tires, the top speed is limited to 240 km/h.

Standard equipment also includes rear-axle steering, engine mounts from the 911 GT3, and PDCC anti-roll stabilization.

The interplay of all the components results in the 911 Dakar being just as dynamic on sand and loose surfaces as it is on the Nürburgring Nordschleife. Maximum off-road performance is also ensured by two new driving modes, which can be selected using the rotary switch on the steering wheel.

Rallye mode is ideal for loose, uneven surfaces and features rear-focused wheel drive. In off-road mode, the high clearance is activated automatically. This mode is designed for maximum traction on difficult terrain and on sand.

Both of the new driving modes also feature the new Rallye Launch Control, which enables impressive acceleration on loose surfaces and allows wheel slippage of around 20%.

Additional features of the 911 Dakar include the newly developed, fixed, lightweight rear spoiler. The side air intakes on the redesigned front end are also protected against flying rocks by stainless steel grilles.

The roof of the Porsche 911 Dakar features a visible 12-volt power outlet for the headlights of the optional roof rack.

On the interior, the 911 Dakar underscores its sporting ambitions with standard full bucket seats and the omission of rear seats.

Porsche also provides two optional equipment packages exclusively for the 911 Dakar. This is the first time that Porsche has implemented a combination of bi-color paint and decorative foiling (White/Gentian Blue Metallic) for the commercial model.

The 911 Dakar with Rallye Design Package bears Roughroads lettering on the doors. The term is a registered trademark and reflects the concept of the 911 Dakar and its suitability for driving off-road. Customers can choose an individual race number between 0 and 999.

The white-painted rims, red taillight strip, Extended Race-Tex, and leather surrounds, in contrast to the standard vehicle, round off its distinctive appearance.

Besides this, owners may also choose to add decal packages inspired by historical liveries on Porsche models that participated in the East African Safari Rally in 1971, 1974, and 1978.

Instead of releasing upgrades based on owners’ personalities or hobbies, these upgrade options are all built on historical milestones to honor the Porsche 911 in these unique off-road races.

Whether on sand, soil, pebbles, snow, or highways, the Porsche 911 Dakar delivers what adventures have to offer: the best experiences. In Vietnam, the Porsche 911 Dakar starts at VND15.29 billion.

All prices are estimated and include import tax, SCT, VAT.