No Chilean mountain is too high, and no Chilean valley too low as this special off-road 911 prototype climbs the highest volcano in the world, Ojos del Salado; 6 kilometres above sea level!
The 911 badge is steeped in almost every aspect of motoring, from open road racing to circuit racing, but this is a first for the almost 60-year-old badge. Overseen by seasoned endurance racer and bold adventurer, Romain Dumas. Behind the wheel of the Dakar car-Esque 911, Belgian Dumas led his team to the summit of the volcano approximately 6 007 metres making it one of the few cars to ever reach these astronomic heights. After passing 6 000 metres, the team was obstructed by a wall of ice and snow. Regardless this was one for the history books.
“It’s been magical to build a 911 like the world has never seen before – made possible by a small team of engineering enthusiasts. The 911 has already been proven on the track and, of course, on the road. With this project, we‘re shifting the focus to where there are no roads“ – Director of 911 model line, Michael Rösler.
Thirty degrees below freezing and 6 000 metres above sea level, the Ojos del Salado offered the harshest proving grounds for the optimistic team. To combat the freezing weather, icy floors and hospitable terrain, the 911 needed some serious upgrades. At the core is a Carrera 4s with a turbocharged flat-six motor producing 331 kW. First on the agenda were safety upgrades ranging from a roll cage, carbon fibre seats and harnesses. Next was an increase in ground clearance from 125 mm to 350 mm followed by lower gear ratios and off-road tyres. Curtailing the exterior is an Aramid fibre underbody to protect against the rough surface.
One of the most exciting innovations stuffed into the off-road 911 is a device called the “Porsche warp-connector” that creates a mechanical connection between all four wheels allowing for constant power distribution and resulting in maximum traction even during extreme vehicle articulation. Dumas was also able to manually select the differential lock that was complemented by a steering-by-wire system. The off-road 911 also received a winch, light bar, revised body to allow for the 350 mm clearance and a colour scheme reminiscent of the one found on the 963 LMDh car.
“Projects like this one are vital to who we are at Porsche. As they began their journey, the team literally aimed sky high. The first of what I hope will be many adventures.” – Dr. Frank-Steffen Walliser, Vice-President, Complete Vehicle Architecture and Characteristics at Porsche AG
