Porsche Tests Safari-Style 911 Prototypes on the Side of a Volcano in Chile
Porsche tested two 911 prototypes with jacked-up suspensions and off-road tires on the side of a volcano.The prototypes were heavily modified versions of the 911 Carrera 4S, which has all-wheel drive and 443 horsepower.Along with stripped-down interiors and safari-esque styling, the prototypes scaled the volcano with an enhanced drivetrain and a handy winch.
The Ojo del Salado in Chile is the highest volcano in the world. With slopes made of treacherous terrain and areas where temperatures are well below freezing, it’s the last place anyone would expect to see a Porsche 911. Well, look again, because as these photos show, Porsche has literally taken its iconic sports car to new heights by testing a pair of safari-style 911 prototypes on the side of a volcano. Are they a sneak peek at the rumored Dakar version? It kinda seems that way.
Porsche
Not Your Lawyer’s 911
Obviously, the two prototypes involved in this wild experiment aren’t ordinary 911s. While they’re both based on the 443-hp all-wheel-drive Carrera 4S, the 992-generation coupes have been heavily modified. Porsche did keep their original seven-speed manual gearboxes, though. Bravo! On the other hand, the rest of the cars are barely recognizable with their extensive exterior alterations that include flared fenders, meaty off-road tires, rooftop cargo racks, and custom liveries. One of the latter’s color schemes is the same as Porsche’s 963 LMDh race car and the other features a 911 theme created by Weissach designers.
Porsche
Volcano-Scaling Hardware
Fitted with heavy-duty portal axles, the 911 prototypes have a towering 13.7 inches of ground clearance. That’s a half-inch more than the Ford Bronco Raptor. The high-riding Porsches also feature lower gear ratios for improved crawling ability at low speeds and manual locking diffs for max traction. The 911s have underbody protection made of tough heat-resistant synthetic fibers, too. We’re not sure if it can protect against lava, but the Ojo del Salado is a dormant volcano—so we’re told.
Porsche
Porsche
It’s not clear what type of suspension the 911 prototypes are using, other than it’s clearly not a stock setup. It buoys a quartet of 12.2-inch-wide tires, all of which are mechanically linked by a device that Porsche calls a “warp connector.” We’re told it’s designed to maintain maximum traction during extreme wheel articulation. Should either of the lifted 911s get stuck (as seen below), both have a front-mounted winch to yank ’em out.
Porsche
How’s the Weather Up There?
The team that tested the Dakar-esque 911 prototypes was led by adrenaline junkie, er, adventurer and endurance racer Romain Dumas. He took the jacked-up sports cars as high as 19,708 feet. Not only were temperatures said to be around -22 degrees Fahrenheit, but the air was paper thin. The journey included such obstacles as boulder-strewn slopes, ice fields, and walls of snow. You know, typical stuff that 911 drivers encounter. However, Porsche says Dumas and his team accomplished their mission.
Porsche
“This was a truly memorable and special moment in a place that’s both beautiful and brutal at the same time, ” said Dumas. “I guess the only machines anywhere in the world higher than us today were aircraft!”
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