Should 'Dakar' Be A Porsche Sub-Brand?

Should Dakar Be A Porsche Sub-Brand?

Believe it or not, Porsche was tearing up the African rally scene as early as the ’70s. One of the most legendary chapters in Porsche’s off-road saga was its stint in the legendary Paris-Dakar Rally in the 1980s with the 953 and groundbreaking 959. With its all-wheel-drive system and twin-turbocharged engine, the 959 drove Porsche’s win at the ’86 Dakar Rally. The 992.1 911 Dakar is essentially a 911 Carrera GTS with higher ground clearance, adaptive suspension, all-terrain rubber, a roof rack with LED lights, and metal skid plates on both ends. What if facelifted Cayenne and the Macan EV also received the Dakar treatment?

The Taycan Cross Turismo already comes with some add-ons that give it a rugged look, like skid plates on both the front and rear fascia, blacked-out fenders, increased ride height, optional roof rails, and the 20-inch offroad design wheels. All of these contribute to its off-road-centric looks, and you could genuinely take it off the beaten path without worrying much about damaging the bodywork. I would be happy if Porsche went the extra mile and developed a limited-number Porsche Cayenne with some proper off-road hardware from the factory. Also, think classic rally-inspired liveries and serious mods like winch kits, roof racks, additional lighting, etc., just like we saw on the 992.2 Dakar.

The Beefed-Up Cayenne: Immensly Capable Off The Pavement

It might seem strange now, but when Porsche first announced they were building an SUV around the turn of the millennium, people were skeptical. "A Porsche truck?" they scoffed. "What’s next, a minivan?" But Porsche proved the doubters wrong. The Cayenne was a smash hit, pulling out Porsche from bankruptcy, and today, a whole community of off-road enthusiasts have embraced the Cayenne.

We’re talking serious off-roaders here, folks. People who weren’t afraid to take their Cayennes far beyond the asphalt. And they weren’t just driving stock models either. These were Cayennes modified with lift kits, beefy tires, roof racks, light bars – the whole nine yards. Just so you know, the original Cayenne, despite being a performance SUV, was meant to be more versatile and off-road oriented, unlike today’s models, where Porsche concentrates more on performance. Two popular Cayenne builds I know would be the 2009 Ruf Dakara and the Rothmans-themed Cayenne.

To prove that the Cayenne wasn’t just a corner carver and was capable off the pavement, Porsche created its own limited-edition, off-road-focused model: the Cayenne Transsyberia. This beast was inspired by Porsche’s dominance in the Transsyberia Rally, a 4,400-mile race from Moscow, Russia, to the Mongolian capital, Ulaanbaatar.

The Cayenne Transsyberia, based on the Cayenne S, was heavily modified for off-road duty. Porsche equipped it with an uprated 4.8-liter V8 engine pumping out 405 horsepower to give it the necessary grunt for tough terrain. To ensure it could handle the punishment of the rally, Porsche carried out some pretty extensive modifications to the Cayenne S.

Porsche reinforced the Transsyberia with the following mods

• Roll cage

• Skid plates

• Rock sliders

• Strengthened suspension components

• Shorter axle ratio

• Underbody reinforcements

• Differential lock

Increased ground clearance, thanks to the custom Berg Peaks 2.5-inch air suspension lift kit, gave it better approach and departure angles for tackling obstacles. To further enhance its off-road capabilities, Porsche added a snorkel for water crossings, a roof-mounted light bar, and a limited-slip differential.

Only 26 Transsyberia rally cars were built, making it a rare and highly sought-after collector’s item today. To celebrate its successful stint in the rally (2006-2008), Porsche also built a production model in 2009, limited to just 285 examples drawing inspiration from the rally car itself, sans all the off-road specific mods. These are also highly sought after today, not just because it was a special edition, but also because it was built in the final production year (2010) of the first-gen Cayenne.

The Macan: a glimpse into the future

Back in 2013, Porsche unveiled a fascinating concept car called the Macan Vision Safari. This rugged, three-door SUV was a clear nod to Porsche’s rally heritage, with chunky tires, increased ground clearance, and a host of off-road accessories, including fender extensions and roof rails. While it never made it to production, the Vision Safari hinted at the possibilities that lay dormant within the Macan platform.

Fast forward to today, and those possibilities aren’t becoming a reality, but Porsche is trying to keep the off-roading spirit. The all-new Macan EV offers an off-road package called the Offroad Design Package for $1,570. This package adds a skid plate in the front fascia, side blades, side skirt inlays, rear diffuser inlay, roof rails, and an increased ground clearance of 0.4 inches, which brings the total ground clearance up to seven inches. This package is available in the Vesuvius Grey paint scheme. You can also add the 21-inch off-road specific Vesuvius Grey wheels. Mind you, these wheels will set you back $2,960.

This is just the start; Porsche could build off-road builds for the Macan EV in the future to compete in the Dakar rally or any cross-country race, like what we’ve seen with the Cayenne Transsyberia. Remember, the Macan ICE is the highest-selling Porsche in the U.S., and being on the affordable side makes it a killer deal. So, of course, why not develop an off-road, rugged Macan? We came across an awesome rendering of an off-road Macan EV, which you should check out. We don’t know what the future of the Dakar moniker holds, but I’m curious to see if Porsche does a follow-up Dakar in the latter part of this decade with more off-road-centric features. Just like the 911 has the Carrera, GTS, and Turbo families, the Cayenne and Macan could greatly benefit from the Dakar moniker.