The Porsche 911 Dakar is about to drop, but the delta 4×4 preparer has been offering an ‘offroad’ 911 with four-wheel drive for some time
A sports car like this, is it necessary? American psychologist Abraham Maslow (scientists like to put things a little more complicated) developed his “Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs” model from the observation that meeting basic needs is not enough for happiness.
He doesn’t explicitly mention the joy unusual cars bring, but at level 4 of his “Pyramid of Needs” he mentions the desire for prestige, appreciation, and importance. And all of that is certainly achievable with a super-vitaminated Porsche 911 like this one… that goes far beyond asphalt.
Design of the vintage 911 Carrera 4 delta 4×4
Is all this too much theoretical mumbo jumbo for you? Well, let’s pass the practice; Compared to the first version of the 992 delta, which seemed to be ready for immediate departure to cross Africa with a large roof rack including fuel canister, spare wheel, Hi-Lift and sand boards, the current “vintage” version ” is much more subtle and classic: this retouched Porsche is now more of a sports car than an expedition vehicle.
War paint in white with pink, blue and orange rally stripes has given way to matte green and dark red foil, and in place of the massive roof rack we now have a sleek row of six PIAA rally headlights. It is also fitted with delta’s new 9 x 20-inch beadlock wheels.
I enter the passenger compartment (it is much more comfortable to do so than in a normal 911, because it is 140 millimeters taller), the standard cockpit welcomes me. The only thing that stands out is the sign that I am supposed to sign the log book: a special approval as a test vehicle.
Beadlock rims take a while to get used to
The best breathalyzers you can buy
If you drink, don’t drive, but if you’re not sure if you can do it, it’s better to get healthy with a test before starting.
The six-cylinder wakes up quite discreetly, the automatic dual clutch makes starting an inexperienced driver easy. The beadlock rims, so heavy, feel a bit out of place. They really look good, that’s for sure, and in extreme sand, they’re great because the Continental tire still reliably grips the rim even at zero air pressure.
But such wheels are more intended for large and heavy off-road vehicles than for a sports car. You can feel that in the direction; and the heavy wheels also rumble somewhat awkwardly over potholes and over manhole covers.
Otherwise, the sports car drives quite civilized, following the winding country road well behaved and accommodating. The suspension is harsh, but the chassis, which delta 4×4 developed together with Eibach for the higher springs and with Bilstein for the gas-pressure dampers, still has a harmonious effect. And road tires do pack a lot of lateral support.
On the way to the test site, the actual destination of the trip, we also used a section of highway – it’s time to press the right pedal and turn the driving mode wheel on the steering wheel to “Sport Plus”.
This not only sharpens the response of the accelerator pedal and transmission, but also “angers” the exhaust, whereby the six-cylinder roars like there is no tomorrow, while the needle of the central rev counter – still analog – jumps to the left. right, and the coupe catapults forward.
Cars are reduced in the rearview mirror to meaningless dots in a matter of seconds. Somehow you feel a bit invincible right away; like Asterix when he’s just taken a deep sip from his canteen of magic potion.
And when it comes to braking, the Porsche slows down just as sharply as it picks up speed. And the little throttle when cornering and downshifting causes the rear end to swing out a bit; yes, it certainly hasn’t lost its 911 persona.
Off-road behavior
The driveway to the sandy and stony terrain goes through the forest. The Porsche moves slowly through the puddles, the depth of which I cannot estimate because they are full of water. But hey, that’s not a normal 911 where you would have to be constantly afraid of ripping off one of the skirts.
This one has a lot more air under the keel, so go full throttle! And the faster you let it fly, the more smoothly the undercarriage will absorb shock. The ESP, which at Porsche is called PSM, keeps the whole on the right track without messing up.
But I want more gear still. I head to the dune area and hold down the PSM off button so now no brake intervention inhibits wheel slip.
The sand splashes, I can drift aggressively, depending on the coordination of the gas and the steering wheel only on the rear axle or on all fours, thanks to the distribution of power.
After the test, it must take a good few minutes for the smile to fade from my face. Of course no one needs a car like that, but I’ve rarely had this much fun, reasonable or not. I think Mr. Maslow would understand me.
