In phrases of high pace, you must wind the clock again 41 years to the 1983 3.0-litre SC to unearth a 911 with a high pace decrease than that of the Dakar.
But acceleration? That’s a distinct matter. We examined the automotive on a near-freezing chilly day, when the traction potential of its all-terrain tyres would have been fairly restricted on Millbrook’s patchily damp asphalt, and but by partaking its launch management perform, the Dakar nonetheless turned in a 0-60mph time of simply 3.3sec and burst into triple figures after solely 7.6sec.
This makes it faster than the Carrera S we examined in far kinder circumstances in 2019, and even the lately retired R35 Nissan GT-R.
One has to imagine that with ultra-high-performance summer season tyres fitted, and in hotter circumstances, the Dakar would get near a 0-60mph time of three.0sec – the present boundary for true supercar-grade efficiency. So don’t be fooled by the cartoonish seems: it is a really fast 911.
For those that need to take pleasure in informal competitors actions, or who merely need to have some enjoyable off street, the Dakar additionally has a particular Rallye launch management mode for unfastened surfaces, which allows as much as 20% wheel slip.
As for persona, the Dakar is intently matched to the Carrera 4 GTS on which it’s primarily based. There is a contact extra squat below preliminary acceleration and dive throughout onerous braking, however not as a lot as you may anticipate in both regard, and the rapidity with which the eight-speed PDK gearbox switches cogs is as spectacular as ever.
The effectiveness of this twin-turbo unit, whose increase grips the chassis and flings it ahead early within the rev vary, is matched by a surprisingly soulful top-end wail. It’s a tremendous match for the Dakar, with a broad band of torque and energy paying dividends off street, the place the automotive’s perspective may be adjusted at will.
Lastly, a phrase on braking efficiency. We had been capable of finding a dry stretch of floor to carry out brake checks and, predictably, the Dakar’s all-terrain tyres hampered it. Our automotive took 45.1m to haul up from 70mph. By comparability, the Carrera S took 39.8m and a Turbo S (on a summer season’s day, admittedly) a mere 38.3m.
On the street, it pays to concentrate on the Dakar’s limitations on this respect, and you might be unlikely to neglect about it as a result of the preliminary pedal response has a considerably woolly really feel. Note additionally that the Dakar comes with model-specific cast-iron discs as a result of Porsche’s carbon-ceramic alternate options don’t match contained in the wheels.
Off-road notes
Investigate the net boards and you will notice Dakar homeowners are taking their vehicles down impressively difficult trails that may normally present a light-weight exercise for one thing like a Jeep Wrangler.
Clearly, the Dakar’s all-terrain tyres, Cayenne- model floor clearance (when the suspension struts are prolonged) and 16mm-shorter entrance overhang in contrast with the common 911 aren’t only for present, and whereas the underside isn’t fully panelled, there’s a pretty complete stage of safety that even extends to particular person suspension hyperlinks. The entrance rads even have particular stone-chip safety.
Our take a look at automotive acquitted itself effectively on the perimeter street of Millbrook’s off-road course. Its wheel articulation allowed affordable speeds to be sustained over rutted terrain with out concern of damaging the underbody.
More notable nonetheless is the character of the steering, which is exact on the street but doesn’t have the rim writhing round when the going will get robust.