2009 RUF Dakara: A Cayenne With A 911 Face

The RUF Dakara Had The Show To Match The Go

Now, I was just about old enough to drive when the Dakara debuted at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t spent countless hours drooling over pictures of this beast online, ever since I became aware of its existence. You can watch Alois Ruf himself give a quick walk around of the vehicle.

Back then, the Porsche Cayenne Turbo S was the king of the performance SUV hill. Sure, it was fast, but for some folks out there, it lacked a certain…oomph. Ruf saw this gap in the market and decided to fill it with a sledgehammer. The Dakara was far from a Cayenne with a few bolt-on bits. This was a full-blown transformation and was pretty well equipped, by the time it left the factory in Pfaffenhausen. The first thing that hits you is the body kit. Imagine a Cayenne that hit the gym and never stopped bulking.

The flared arches, a menacing front end with headlights borrowed from the 997-generation 911, a far cry from the fried-egg 996-inspired units, massive five-spoke 22-inch alloy wheels, and a rear diffuser that wouldn’t look out of place on a track car – the Dakara screamed performance. It was love at first sight for some, but perhaps a bit too much for others. But hey, that’s what Ruf does – they build cars that turn heads. For some context, here’s what a stock Porsche Cayenne Turbo S looks like, standing next to a Ruf Dakara.

The interior wasn’t spared the Ruf treatment either. Forget the standard Cayenne’s luxurious cabin. The Dakara went all out with top-shelf materials, bespoke white leather seats, and a top-shelf sound system. It was essentially, a luxurious cocoon that could outrun most sports cars.

RUF Dialed Up The Performance Of The Dakara Up To Eleven

Of course, the real magic happened under the hood. Ruf took the already potent twin-turbo V8 from the Cayenne Turbo S and massaged it to produce a monstrous 600 horsepower and 659 pound-feet of torque. That’s 50 more horses than the stock car, and trust me, those ponies make a difference.

This two-ton SUV could launch from 0-60 mph in a mind-bending 4.8 seconds, a feat that’s still impressive by today’s standards. Top speed was rated at 180 mph. Before they did the body kit as you see here on the 957, Ruf also offered a Dakara 550 and 570 Horsepower package for the 955. Additional performance enhancements included a stiffer chassis and suspension setup, along with optional carbon ceramic brakes. Clearly, this was a Gen-1 Cayenne designed for the pavement, rather than off-road use.

The RUF Dakara Seems Undervalued For What It Offers

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But there was a catch – the Dakara wasn’t exactly a bargain. Back in 2009, it would have set you back a cool $320k+. That’s a hefty premium over the already expensive Cayenne Turbo S, which at the time cost just under $140,000. But for those who craved exclusivity and performance that would shame most supercars, the price tag was a mere formality.

And let’s be honest, the design, though a bit polarizing, still has a certain charm. Those 997 headlights on a first-gen Cayenne might get a little lost in the vast expanse of the front fascia, but they add a touch of classic Porsche to the whole package. Personally, I’m a fan of the way it looks, especially when seen in a flamboyant shade like this vibrant blue.

So, where does the Dakara stand today? While its performance might be somewhat matched by modern super SUVs, it remains a unique and collectible beast. With only a handful of these conversions ever made, spotting one in the wild, let alone finding one for sale, can be a challenge.

I came across a post from 2022, about a black example that was up for sale in Germany for a little under 90,000 Euros ($100,000). That might seem like a lot for a used Cayenne but for something this rare and this undeniably cool and collectible? The Ruf Dakara seems like a steal.