Porsche continues to test a higher-riding version of the 911 that we believe to go by the moniker Safari. It seems like the brand is developing a variant of the venerable model that takes inspiration from the vehicle's success in rallies.
This one was testing near the Nürburgring. This location makes sense because even if the 911 Safari has added off-road capability over a standard Carrera owners are still going to spend the vast majority of time driving on paved surfaces.
Gallery: Porsche 911 Safari Spy Shots
Don't worry about off-road ability. Earlier spy shots show Porsche developing this vehicle in the snow, so it can handle things when the road gets slippery.
The powertrain reportedly carries over from the Carrera 4S. This would give it 443 horsepower (329 kilowatts) and 390 pound-feet (528 Newton-meters) of torque from a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter flat-six engine.
This development vehicle appears to use a 911 Carrera S as a starting point. If you look closely, there is black cladding around the fenders. The suspension appears to be around 2.0 inches (5.08 centimeters) taller than a standard Carrera. It's riding on 20-inch Pirelli tires that seem to be size 295/40.
A 911 That's Ready To Get Dirty:
The leading speculation is that the 911 Safari has an all-wheel-drive layout because this would fit with the model's rally-inspired look. Another rumor suggests Porsche might build this as a limited-run special edition as something special for people looking for a 911 that's easily capable of four-season driving. The price is a complete mystery but is likely a bit more money than a comparably equipped Carrera S.
We have been seeing these Safari prototypes since October 2020. The long period of seeing its development suggests to us that a debut might not be too far away. We expect finally to see this more rugged machine at some point in 2022.
Source: Automedia
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