The Porsche 911 Dakar ended production late last year, but the rugged version of the iconic sports car is reportedly set to return in 2026 with hybrid power.
Autocar reports word from Porsche insiders that the 911 Dakar will come back, once again sharing a powertrain with the 911 GTS – which means adopting the carmaker’s new ‘T-Hybrid’ system.
Debuting in the facelifted 992.2-generation 911, the T-Hybrid system works through the addition of a single electric exhaust gas turbocharger, which sees an integrated electric motor placed between the compressor and turbine wheel to eliminate turbo lag.
It also acts as a generator to contribute as much as 11kW of power.
A separate 41kW/150Nm permanent magnet synchronous motor is now fitted to the eight-speed dual-clutch (PDK) automatic transmission, fed by a 1.9kWh lithium-ion battery.
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The hybrid system is mated to an even larger 3.6-litre flat-six engine, up from the twin-turbo 3.0-litre powerplant in the pre-update GTS and Dakar.
As a result, the 911 GTS’s outputs grew from 353kW/570Nm to 398kW/610Nm, resulting in a 0-100km/h sprint time of 3.0 seconds.
If the 911 Dakar does indeed return, we can expect a reduction to its 3.4-second 0-100km/h time, while its fuel consumption should also be reduced thanks to the hybrid system.
According to Autocar’s sources, production of the 992.2 911 Dakar will also be limited to 2500 examples worldwide, all fitted with all-wheel drive.
Major changes in the 992.1 911 Dakar compared to the Carrera range included 50mm extra ground clearance (with an extra 30mm available in certain conditions), all-terrain tyres, Rallye and Off-Road drive modes, unique bodywork, and engine mounts from the GT3.
While the 911 Dakar was previously available with the Rothmans cigarettes-inspired ‘Roughroads’ livery – paying tribute to the 1984 Paris-Dakar winning Porsche 953 – a new range of exterior finishes are reportedly being planned for its return.
The return of the 911 Dakar is expected to bring a price increase of about $30,000 with it. Porsche last sold the 911 Dakar in Australia for $491,400 before on-road costs.
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