For Dakar Rally, Porsche 911 gets a wild off-road makeover

For Dakar Rally, Porsche 911 gets a wild off-road makeover
Graffiti will be replaced by proper racing attire.

The Porsche 911 supercar is the most street-oriented sports car and supercars on the planet. Apart from its reputation as an everyday supercar, is there any other such vehicle? It rides on long-travel suspension with strong off-road tires. As you’ve seen many 911s with safari-themed themes over the years, so have we. We don’t ever tire of seeing another one.

This magnificently restored Carrera 4 from 964 era is ready to race in the 2022 Dakar Classic. It’s a 1991 model with its original flat-six engine, five-speed manual and original flat-six engine. However, those are the only original parts of this Porsche. The air-cooled engine has been modified to produce around 300 horsepower (224 megawatts) and is driven by a non-stock suspension. Double wishbones will be found with adjustable shocks, 35-inch tires and adjustable shocks. These are ready to absorb the jumps under modified bodywork. For extended desert sprints, the 911 has a 42-gallon (160 liter) fuel cell. The interior is fully equipped with racing seats, a protective cage and protection.

Another unique aspect of this Dakar-bound 911 was its paint job. Its graffiti job is a better description. Red spray paint covers the classic 911 from the front to the back with words and designs. It’s not an accident. This tribute to graffiti artists from the ’80s/’90s that has evolved into street art is what it is. Although it’s not something you see often on race cars the graffiti treatment is only temporary to promote the race team. You can expect something new on race day.This safari-ready 964 is not an accident. It reminds me of the Porsche 953 which won the 1984 Paris-Dakar Rally. This project was inspired by both the 953 and the 959, and was built by Agostino Vassallo, Car&vintage in collaboration with CountrysideWay, TAG Heuer, and CountrysideWay. We cannot wait to see this iconic slicing through sand in Dakar Classic.