Porsche's 911 Dakar Is Rally-Pedigree—from the Factory

• Porsche makes sports car history by launching its first publicly available rally car, the $223,450 911 Dakar.

• After extensive testing, Porsche has settled on a 3.0-liter twin-turbo six-cylinder boxer engine with 473 hp and 420 lb-ft of torque and an 8-speed PDK.

• True to rally form, an 80-mm suspension lifts the car, along with an optional roof rack and model-specific Pirelli Scorpion all-terrain tires.

Turbocharged flat-six power mounted in the rear and an off-road ready ride height is the configuration of dreams for rally geeks—and a configuration you can buy new in a matter of months. For the first time in the company’s history, Porsche will offer a rally-spec 911. Known as the Porsche 911 Dakar, a limited run of 2500 units will be produced for the 2023 model year, and no more after that, Porsche says. Set to arrive at US dealers next spring, prospective buyers can expect a steep MSRP of $223,450.

Using the boxer engine from the 992-generation 911 Carrera GTS, a 3.0-liter twin-turbo six-cylinder puts down 473 hp and 420 lb-ft of torque, accelerating from 0 to 60 mph in 3.2 seconds. Fed through an 8-speed PDK transmission, the car is top-speed limited to 150 mph not by gearing or power, but by its Pirelli Scorpion off-road rubber. Porsche has smartly used pieces from a number of its already popular models, such as the cooling system from a 911 Turbo S and the lightweight braking system from a Carrera S.

Chassis dynamics reign supreme in a rally car, and the 911 Dakar is no different. For optimal jumping opportunity, the Dakar is set 50 mm higher than the standard Carrera, with an additional 30-mm rise possible by a standard lift system. This is possible through elongated shocks, longer suspension links, and hydraulic spring seats that rise or fall depending on the setting. Porsche notes the car can be driven up to 105 mph in the lifted setup, though the car will automatically return to its normal ride height above that speed.