The Porsche 911 Dakar was unveiled in November last year and to date, it remains one of our favorite versions of the sports car. With a lifted suspension, new driving modes, and special Pirelli Scorpion all-terrain tires, it is the 911 that can take you everywhere without compromising its performance. And yes – this also means it is mighty fast on asphalt, and we have a new video to share with you and prove that bold statement.
The Motorsport Magazine uploaded a short one-minute clip on YouTube showing a very quick drive onboard a rally-inspired sports car from Stuttgart. Around the second half of the video, the driver engages the launch control system and unleashes the 911 Dakar’s full potential. The result is a staggering 0-60 miles per hour (0-96 kilometers per hour) acceleration in about 3.5 seconds.
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In fact, we can’t tell the exact sprint time because there’s no measuring equipment to show the actual GPS-verified speed and acceleration. However, we know Porsche claims the 0-60 mph (0-97 kph) sprint takes just 3.2 seconds and we also know from previous tests the German company doesn’t like to lie about the output and performance numbers of its models. The video ends with the car hitting around 143 mph (230 kph), which isn’t its maximum speed.
On paper, the 911 Dakar should be capable of reaching an electronically governed top speed of 150 mph (241 kph). This number is lower than the standard 155-mph (250-kph) limiter of most modern performance cars, though that’s due to the fact that Porsche wants to protect the machine’s 245/45-series 19-inch front and 295/40-series 20-inch rear all-terrain tires. As a side note, the car from the video is driven in Sport mode with the electronic stability control disabled.
But how can an off-road-inspired sports coupe (that’s a rather weird combo, right?) achieve this impressive acceleration? Porsche’s twin-turbo 3.0-liter flat-six engine comes to help with its peak output of 473 horsepower (353 kilowatts) – the same power level found in the 911 GTS.
