Watch the Powerful Porsche 911 Dakar Destroy the Competition in an off-Road Race
One YouTube channel had the opportunity to race a few Porsche sedans and SUVs off-road, with an interesting outcome. While the powerful Porsche sedans might historically win, is one of the sport utility vehicles going to excel in the mud? You would be right if you guessed the Porsche 911 Dakar would smash the competition.
What is the most powerful Porsche?
This race from the guys at carwow on YouTube showed the Porsche 911 Dakar was the most powerful option in the lineup for an off-road race. The list of participating vehicles includes a 911 Dakar, 911 Carrera 4 GTS, Macan GTS, Taycan Cross Turismo, Cayenne e-hybrid, and a first-gen Cayenne S SUV. Even though all of these options will offer an exciting ride, the brand-new and very limited edition Porsche 911 Dakar is the star of the show. This one gets 473 hp and has a zero to 60 mph time of 3.2 seconds. A top speed of 149 mph is just the icing on top of this mighty Porsche cake. It also starts at $222,000, so don’t get too excited.
For the Carrera 4 GTS, the 3.0L twin-turbo engine gets over 480 hp and plenty of torque. Weighing in at just over 3,527 pounds, the GTS is quick and light enough. The Dakar is based on this one but comes lifted with better tires.
The Macan GTS has a 2.9L twin-turbo V6 engine that gets 440 hp and more than 400 lb-ft of torque. All four wheels get plenty of power, and with a weight of 4,321 pounds, it is a solid contender. Porsche’s all-electric Taycan Cross Turismo has two motors producing 571 hp and weighs almost 5,000 pounds. That instant power is good enough, though.
The Porsche 911 Dakar was built for this
Next are the two Powerful Porsche SUVs, the first-gen Cayenne S is pretty modded and capable. It comes with a 4.5L V8 with 340 hp and weighs around 4,739 pounds. The Cayenne e-Hybrid also has a 3.0L turbo V6 and an electric motor, which work together to produce 462 hp. It weighs quite a bit, but you never know with those hybrids.
| Porsche | 100m time |
| 911 Dakar | 6.5 seconds |
| Cayenne E-Hybrid | 7.3 seconds |
| Macan GTS | 7.4 seconds |
| Taycan Cross Turismo 4S | 8.0 Seconds |
| Carrera 4 GTS | 8.2 seconds |
| Cayenne S | 8.5 Seconds |
It might not surprise that Dakar held its own with a 100m time of only 6.5 seconds, but the SUVs were not far off. Ultimately, the Cayenne E-Hybrid came in second to the Dakar with a 100m time of 7.3 seconds. Porsche’s Macan GTS was just behind that with 7.4 seconds. The old but modified Cayenne came in last at 8.5 seconds.
Is it surprising that the 911 Dakar held its own against the competition? Not so much, as it was made for off-road rally competitions. That means difficult driving situations and ever-changing ground conditions. It belongs in the mud, as that crazy 6.5-second score might indicate.
Is the 911 Dakar Limited Edition?
Yes, Porsche says the 911 Dakar is limited to only 2,500 units. Each one comes with an aluminum plaque with a limited edition number. Porsche used the 911 Carrera 3.2 4×4 Paris-Dakar (953 as inspiration, the winner of the 1984 Dakar Rallye. It adds 1.96 inches to the ride height and has a unique lift system that can add 1.18 inches at the front and rear.
Rallye mode is a performance setting for gravel roads, mud, and wet grass. There is also an off-road mode for sand dune situations. It makes sense this powerful Porsche won in a muddy race thanks to the totally unique and off-road-ready setup.
