Porsche 911 Prototypes With Portal Axles Climbed The World’s Tallest Volcano

Greater than 30 years in the past, Porsche engineers fitted an all-wheel-drive system to a 911 for the primary time and let it free on the Paris-Dakar rally – which it received in 1985. However Porsche’s historic win at Dakar virtually pales compared to what engineers just lately completed throughout an outing to certainly one of South America’s hardest trails.

Porsche took two extremely modified 911s and drove them up an energetic volcano. Not simply any volcano, both, however the Ojos del Salado in Chile, the tallest volcano on this planet. Led by legendary racing driver Romain Dumas, the duo reached an elevation of 19,708 ft (6,007 meters) whereas dodging boulders and coping with temperatures as little as minus 22 levels Fahrenheit (minus 30 Celsius).

New portal axles helped enhance the bottom clearance to 13.8 inches (350 millimeters) whereas revised entrance and rear clips gave the pair of Porsches higher off-road angles. A set of 12.2-inch vast off-road tires afforded each vehicles tons of grip, whereas inside, a roll cage, carbon fiber seats, and security harnesses helped shield Dumas and his group on their method up.

Engineers additionally added what the corporate calls the “Porsche Warp-Connecter.” Initially designed for observe use, it creates a mechanical hyperlink between all 4 wheels and creates fixed wheel load – even when the chassis is below excessive articulation.

Despite the fact that these two 911s have been extremely modified for off-road responsibility, they did retain a number of manufacturing unit parts, significantly the powertrain. Porsche took an unmodified model of its turbocharged 3.0-liter flat-six engine from the 4S, good for 443 horsepower (330 kilowatts), and paired it to an ordinary seven-speed guide transmission.

After all, the vehicles wouldn’t be full with out correct racing liveries. One automotive wears the identical scheme discovered on the present 963 LMDh racer whereas the opposite sports activities a 911-themed livery designed by Porsche’s group in Weissach.

Hopefully this excessive off-road check is a preview of issues to return.