The Porsche 911 Dakar Is Coming Back… With Hybrid Power

The Porsche 911 Dakar felt like a surprise that made sense right away. A 911 built for dirt sounds odd on paper, but it worked once you saw it in action. It also tied back to cars like the Porsche 953 and Porsche 959, so it carried real history, not a random idea.

All 2,500 units sold out fast, which left a lot of people watching from the sidelines. Now it looks like it is coming back.

Fresh spy shots point to a facelifted version based on the updated 992.2 generation, which confirms this was never a one-off. Porsche is giving it another run, and the intent looks clear.

The test car still feels early. You spot it as a Dakar from the stance. It sits higher and runs chunky tires. Beyond that, it stays stripped back. No plastic wheel arch cladding, no rugged bumpers, none of the off-road details from the first car. It is still in a working phase, focused on testing rather than looks.

There are a few clear clues on this prototype. Up front, a tow hook sticks out, and it looks temporary. The large yellow lights are test units for snow, not part of the final car. Around the back, it stays basic, with what looks like a standard 911 bumper for now.

One detail stands out. The old Dakar spaced its exhaust tips wider apart, matching the earlier 911 GTS. The updated GTS brings them closer together, so the new Dakar will likely follow that layout. This prototype also runs a deployable rear spoiler, which marks a change, since the first Dakar used a fixed one.

Under the skin is where the shift really happens. The old car ran a 3.0-liter twin-turbo flat-six with 473 hp. Strong, but familiar.

The facelifted Porsche 911 GTS moves to a T Hybrid setup. A 3.6-liter engine with electric assist, 478 hp as standard, and up to 532 hp in short bursts.

If Porsche keeps the same approach, and it looks likely, the next Dakar gets that system too. That puts you over 500 hp when you need it, with instant response from the electric side. That matters off-road. Less lag, better control, and power right when you ask for it.

It’s still early days, so don’t expect it to show up tomorrow. A proper reveal will likely happen later this year, with the car arriving as a 2027 model.

As for price, the last one started at around $223k before things got crazy with markups. This time, expect something closer to $250k before options. Not cheap, obviously, but given how fast the first one sold, it probably won’t sit around for long either.

Source of spy photos: Autoblog