Total 911 No. 225

Total 911 is the world's only magazine dedicated to the Porsche 911; the only Porsche with over 40 years of history and a worldwide following of keen enthusiasts. This high-quality magazine is written and produced by true Porsche fans, and offers in-depth, exciting features on all models of 911 – from the classics of the 1960s, through the wild Turbos of the 1970s, right up to today's sophisticated supercars.

£4.11

in this issue

IN THIS ISSUE

Welcome

I’d like to think that, in over 10 years of doing this job, I’ve seen most things when it comes to Porsche 911s. The past decade has witnessed old, unloved 964s being turned into million-pound-plus pieces of automotive artwork; manual gearboxes ditched on GT3s and then reinstated; and even the flat six engine, housed in the back of 911s since the first in 1963, moving to a mid-mounted setup on the RSR race car. However, I never, ever thought I’d see a new, strictly off-road 911 released by Porsche. It’s difficult for Porsche to keep many secrets these days and so, granted, the release of an off-road 911 has been expected for some time. We’d seen spy pictures of the Dakar 911 out testing on the Nürburgring for many months,…

2 min

IN THIS ISSUE

Opening Shot

The first customer 911 that’s purpose-built for off-road driving is here. The all-wheel-drive 911 Dakar rides 50mm higher than a 992 Carrera with Sport chassis, a four-corner lift system adds another 30mm to the Dakar’s ride height, with tall, knobbly Pirelli P ZERO tyres ready to tackle the dunes. Weighing just 10kg more than the C4 GTS on which it’s based, just 2,500 examples of the 911 Dakar will be built, with first deliveries arriving by spring 2023. Prices start at £173,000.…

1 min

ESSENTIALS

Update

911 Dakar breaks cover Porsche reveals an off-road 992 at the Los Angeles Auto Show, weighing just 10kg more than a 992 Carrera GTS Porsche has unveiled its much-anticipated 911 Dakar, an off-road 911 that takes its inspiration from the 953. This was the 911 that won the Paris-Dakar Rally in 1984. Based on the 992 Carrera GTS, the Dakar is fitted with the 480hp, 3.0-litre, turbocharged six-cylinder engine from the GTS, mated to an eight-speed PDK transmission. All-wheel drive, PDCC, rear-axle steering and dynamic engine mounts from the 911 GT3 are all standard equipment. One of the most striking aspects of the Dakar is its increased ground clearance. The car sits 50mm higher than a 911 Carrera S fitted with sports suspension. The 911 Dakar’s bespoke suspension setup includes…

6 min

ESSENTIALS

Porsche-only track day is the new highlight of the UK racing calendar

Donington Park delivered flat six thrills aplenty thanks to the success of a new Porsche-only event organised by RMA Track Days in mid-October, with more of the same concept already promised for 2023. Working in collaboration with Porsche specialists RPM Technik, the unsilenced track day welcomed over 50 Zuffenhausen sports cars to the UK’s famed Donington Park, Derbyshire, for a successful day under the glare of the autumn sun. The relaxation of noise limits – a rare occurrence on many circuits in the UK – allowed for some top metal to take to the track, with competition-only 992 GT3 Cup cars lighting up the circuit alongside a plethora of modern GT cars and even air-cooled classics. Even better, with an ‘open pitlane’ policy together with RMA’s customary allowance for safe…

2 min

ESSENTIALS

Views

Contact Total 911 Facebook /total911magazine Email editorial@total911.com Dakar 992 Dear Sir, It was nice to read in issue 224 that Porsche will offer the Carrera T to anyone who wants it. I’m also glad there’s the option of PDK along with other goodies and mods that Porsche will include with the Carrera T. I hope that Porsche will also do the same on its other models – for example, the 911 Dakar that was revealed at the LA Auto Show. Back in issue 208 Total 911 printed spy images of a car being test driven at Nürburgring’s Nordschleife that was believed to be a 992 Safari. Wow, that’s well over a year before its official unveiling in November 2022! It’s sad to hear that this model will be…

4 min

ESSENTIALS

Ask the expert

Got a question for our Porsche technician? Email us editorial@total911.com Dear Sir, I have a 996 Turbo, which is coming up with a spoiler warning. I’m worried that I need a new system, which is very expensive. What options do I have? Ethan Ake Yes, this is a fairly common issue with the 996 Turbos and there can be a number of issues that can cause the warning light to come on. The spoiler drive is operated using an electric motor and hydraulic pump. Failures can include warning messages, hydraulic leaks, the spoiler coming up not level, or sticking up. Over the years I’ve seen the relays by the DME control unit and the micro switches on the offside ram play up and create problems that are fairly straightforward to…

1 min