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Find out how luxury and utility came together in the transformative 996 Turbo-based 2003 Rinspeed Bedouin concept
by Amreetam Basu on June 13, 2024, 06:00The Porsche 911, one of the most revered sports cars in the world, isn’t considered a practical vehicle; no sports car is. Having said that it is one of the most usable sports cars that you can buy, given its ergonomics, excellent visibility, and available space for luggage upfront. But what if you wanted to push that narrative for even more space and take things up a notch with something like a 911 pickup? Well, an ambitious Swiss concept car builder, Rinspeed, had that very idea back in the early 2000s with the Bedouin concept, which was based on a 996 Porsche 911. Bedouin was a fitting name, considering it refers to nomadic tribes who brave the elements of North Africa and the Arabian Peninsula.
Fast forward to modern times and with the craze for SUVs and pickups, the market is witnessing a growing demand for versatile vehicles catering to various needs. The idea of a single car that can transition from daily commutes to weekend getaways with family and even occasional track days is rare. While Porsche has also dabbled with the idea of high-riding 911s with their Dakar models, Rinspeed went a step further where the rear end of a 911 can transform into a pickup truck bed, at the push of a button.
Unveiling the Bedouin’s secrets
The Bedouin is a groundbreaking project from the renowned concept car maker Rinspeed, that was first unveiled at the 2003 Geneva Motor Show. It’s built on the foundation of the Porsche 996-generation 911 Turbo, a 420-horsepower beast. This innovative vehicle was clearly ahead of its time and features a unique roof mechanism that allows it to effortlessly switch between a fastback 911 Turbo body and a practical pickup truck.
The heart of the Bedouin’s transformation lies in its intricate roof system. At the push of a button, two electric motors work in harmony to make the roof panels gracefully slide and fold, seamlessly disappearing beneath the rear decklid. Simultaneously, the tailgate extends outward, creating a spacious truck bed. Although, don’t expect the bed to be really long like on a typical pickup truck. With this ingenious design, you get the flexibility of not only maximizing cargo capacity but also retaining the 911’s sleek profile.
Beyond the transformation: features and performance
Stepping inside, the Bedouin boasts a luxurious cabin with some peculiarities. The dashboard, door panels, and seats are wrapped in gorgeous leather, but there are thousands of crystals on the door panels. These are Swarovski crystals, and you can find more of them on the seatbacks and the manual stick. Additionally, the steering wheel is very unusual, with the top part being chopped off and replaced by two Porsche gear knobs. A primitive take on the Tesla yoke-steering?
But perhaps, the best thing about the Bedouin is that it retains the same 3.6-liter twin-turbo flat-six as the normal 996 911 Turbo, but it runs on either gasoline or compressed natural gas (CNG in short). CNG is an extremely clean-burning fuel, and this eco-friendly approach shouldn’t mean less power.
The flat-six still produces 414 horsepower and 415 pound-feet of torque, with no separate power rating when in CNG mode. This makes the Bedouin the fastest natural gas vehicle for its time (according to Rinspeed). 0-62 mph in 5.9 seconds and the top speed is capped at 155 mph. The Bedouin is more than a second slower to 62 mph than the standard 996 911 Turbo. The slight drop in performance is a given considering the added weight of the e-motors and the roof mechanism.
But considering that the Bedouin was designed to venture off the beaten track, it’s the Bedouin’s off-road bits and hardware that truly count. It features height-adjustable suspension from Eibach, 18-inch Continental Sport 4x4 tires, an all-wheel drive, and a six-speed manual transmission. The car also sits 158 mm or 6.2 inches above the ground. For context, the 911 Dakar has a ground clearance of 7.52 inches.
Why the Bedouin didn’t make it to production
Despite its groundbreaking tech and innovative features like the retractable roof, the Bedouin never reached production due to significant challenges. The complex transforming mechanism, while impressive in concept, is, no doubt, very technical and could potentially invite reliability issues. The intricate roof and the tailgate system, with its numerous moving parts and components, would likely have been expensive to manufacture and maintain, posing a barrier to mass production.
Additionally, the cost of developing and producing such a unique vehicle would have been substantial. It would effectively cost around $750,000, which is supercar money.
Amreetam Basu
While Amreetam hustles during the week, free time means one thing: hitting the open road. He dreams of cruising the Alps in a German masterpiece – a Porsche 992 911 GT3 RS or an F87 BMW M2 would be ideal! This 26-year-old automotive journalist loves every part of the job. Read full bio
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