The Porsche 911 Dakar pays homage to the automaker’s rallying heritage, right down to the available two-tone paintwork that replicates and draws inspiration from the classic Rothmans livery worn by some 1980’s Dakar Rally cars became. Applying the paint to the car is quite a process.
Applying the two-tone paint job takes about 34 hours, Porsche officials said in an interview with Motor1 during the November 2022 Los Angeles auto show where the 911 Dakar was unveiled.
The paintwork is part of the optional Rallye Design package and part of the application process is handled by the personalization department at Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur, which handles small series orders such as the Tribute to Carrera RS package for the 911 GT3 RS as well as the occasional one-off build.
2023 Porsche 911 Dakar
The process begins with a white painted 911 body, which is sprayed with clear coat and sanded, then masked off and prepped for the second color of the two-tone combination, in this case Gentian Blue metallic. This color is applied manually, after which the masking is removed and two more coats of clear coat are sprayed on. According to Porsche, this stage alone takes 7.5 hours.
Once the paint and clear coat have dried, the body is sent to the production line for assembly. The finished car then goes to Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur where the red and gold stripes are applied, completing the Rothmans livery. This requires partial disassembly and takes 8.5 hours. The car is then reassembled, inspected and delivered to a dealer.
There is almost a day and a half of work between painting and stripping and actually assembling the car.
2023 Porsche 911 Dakar
The retro livery is the key feature of the Rallye Design Package, which adds $28,470 to the base price of the Dakar. The package also includes black seats with Shark Blue seat belts and Ceramica trim, in case you were wondering.
Mechanically, the Dakar gets 2.0 inches of suspension over a base 911 Carrera, as well as a hydraulic lift system that can increase the ride height by an additional 1.2 inches. A fixed rear spoiler, flared wheel arches and all-terrain tires round off the rally look, while the 3.0-liter boxer 6 with biturbo charging from the 911 Carrera 4 GTS provides power. It sends 473 horsepower and 420 lb-ft of torque to all four wheels through an 8-speed dual-clutch transmission.
Production is limited to 2,500 units worldwide. It will be interesting to see how many end up with this iconic – and complex – livery.
