911 Dakar Delivery Moment: Gap between Expectation and Reality

This time, theMy brother bought a Porsche 911 Dakar.

I accompanied the car to its delivery, and after receiving the car, I went on a grand touring trip of about 900 km, so this will be my report on that trip.

What are your impressions of the Porsche 911 Dakar? To be honest, I wasn't really interested in this car.A derivative of the 911 with a higher ride height and off-road capability, it gives the impression of a 911 that can be used for leisure activities with the family.had.

For example.Positioned like an Audi all-road quattro or Mercedes-Benz all-terrainI thought.

However, when I actually drove it, I found it to be a completely different car. I will now try to explain its appeal.

That day, I went to pick up the 911 Dakar from the dealer where my brother had purchased it. The covered 911 Dakar had the same overall shape as the 911, except for a slightly higher ride height. It was the moment to finally open the cover and actually meet the car face to face.

."Rally 1978The 911 with the decal "911" was very cool. It may be a little too conspicuous, but for the Dakar, this is about right.

First Drive: From City to Winding

When you start the engine, it wakes up with a fairly loud noise, just like any other 992. Other than the higher ride height, the interior and controls are exactly the same as other 911s, so there is no confusion.

We quickly leave the dealership and drive around town. First my brother drives and I sit in the passenger seat.I felt little discomfort, only to the extent that the tires had a loud block noise.The ride was very comfortable, did not feel stiff and smooth.

This specially designed Pirelli Scorpion is the best of the best. It's all-around at a level that impresses me. This tire is a must for the Dakar.

We headed straight for a nearby winding road.After a few dozen kilometers, the corners of the new tire blocks seemed to be rounding off.Road noise has also been suppressed, and the difference from ordinary tires is no longer noticeable.

By the way, the tires for this 911 Dakar,They are genuine Dakar-specific tires developed in collaboration with Pirelli.It looked very blocky, but was comfortable even in sport driving. The sound, ride and grip are tailored to an extremely satisfactory level.

I tried going around curves in a sporty way on a winding road. The steering feel was very close to that of the Carrera T, and the car felt light and nimble. This is probably due to the lithium-ion battery.

The driving is quite good.I was almost ashamed of myself for imagining that the 911 was just a tall, go-anywhere family car.

Both performance and feeling were at such a high level that I thought I could really participate in rallies,It is no exaggeration to say that the GT3 can also be driven off-road.At least in the direction of a racing car, not a family car.

The major difference from GT3 is the stages it targets. Unlike the GT3, which is completely targeted at circuits and flat winding roads,The 911 Dakar is fast on all surfaces.

Essence as a Porsche: Handling and Performance

It rides well in all situations, and the security of four-wheel drive makes it feel like a normal car. It may seem like a family car,Handling precision, stability in corners, posture, and information from the steering wheel are completely Porsche itself.It is.

My brother said, "It's easier to drive than the 992 Carrera S. It doesn't feel like an RR and the handling is natural. The handling is natural, not crawling on the ground like the Carrera S,Turns naturally like a normal car, yet is fast and stableHe says, "I'm not sure.

Certainly, the car rolls more than a regular Carrera due to its higher ride height, but it is stable and snug while cornering. There is no unpleasant up-and-down movement at all, and the car turns smoothly with minimal vibration.

This is also why it rides so well and feels like a normal car. Because it doesn't turn with minimal roll like the Carrera S,Even in the passenger seat, it is difficult to feel lateral Gs.The moderate deflection of the suspension gives the impression of releasing G-forces in the vertical direction.

After a wonderful winding ride, my brother and I both became serious and silent.And best of all, the sound is great.

It is similar to the Carrera T in terms of sound quality, but the PDK control is clearly different from the Carrera S and Carrera, as well as from the GTS base.

From start to very low speeds, the PDK clutch produces a slight vibration as it connects; at 40 or 50 km/h, the flat-six produces a clear sound that resonates through the cabin. It is not unpleasant.

I have experienced many 992 PDKs, but it is not a very pleasant sound, even when flowing around 3rd gear and fixed around 3000 rpm. There is a bit of mechanical noise, and it is hard to get a "pleasant" feeling.

However, theAs for the MT in the Carrera T and the PDK in this 911 Dakar, it's a different story.

It has a very clear, almost NA engine sound and can be driven flowing at around 3000 rpm. This is really pleasant,One of the major attractions of this car is that you can enjoy its 480 hp engine on ordinary roads even if you don't drive it.

In the next part of this report, we will discuss its capabilities on the highway, driving at night, and our impressions of the Matrix LED headlights.