At the 1981 Motor Show, Porsche had already presented a prototype that summed up the following strong points: cabriolet, turbo and all-wheel drive. Its name: Porsche 911 Turbo 3.3 4×4 Cabriolet.
This prototype was then extensively tested, notably by Walter Röhrl. And when Jacky Ickx, four-time Le Mans winner with Porsche, saw this technological precursor in Weissach, he wanted to take part in the Paris-Dakar Rally with an all-wheel-drive 911 Rallye.
This extreme 11,000-kilometer rally, which was run outside the World Championship, had been gaining in popularity year after year since 1979, and Jacky Ickx had already won it with a Mercedes 280 GE in 1983.
The 911 Dakar’s internal name: 953
For Porsche, Jacky Ickx’s idea was an opportunity to break new ground. After receiving the agreement of former development director Helmuth Bott, Jacky Ickx persuaded the Rothmans cigarette brand to sponsor Porsche in the Paris-Dakar. Three 911 Carrera 3.2s were fitted with all-wheel drive and many of the rally’s characteristic reinforcements under the official name of Porsche 911 Carrera 3.2 4×4 Paris-Dakar. Internally, the car was simply called 953.
In addition to Jacky Ickx and co-driver Claude Brasseur, Frenchman René Metge and co-driver Dominique Lemoine, as well as Porsche project manager Roland Kussmaul accompanied by Erich Lerner, took the start of the rally. Jacky Ickx and René Metge would race for victory, while the Kussmaul/Lerner duo would take to the track in a fast assistance car. A team of mechanics also took part in the truck class, to help out the three 911s.
At first, the well-established competitors with their off-road cars didn’t take Porsche’s participation seriously, but they soon realized their mistake. Although Jacky Ickx’s 911 Carrera 4×4 was damaged by stone-throwing on the first day in the desert and required several hours of repairs, René Metge lived up to his reputation as king of the desert and flew over the sand and gravel at 150 km/h. The 911 weighed several hundred kilos less than the larger off-road vehicles, and its Boxer engine developed 225 hp (165 kW), both of which immediately gave Porsche an edge. As in all rallies, the great advantage of rear-engine driveability was also felt in the Paris-Dakar. Teams could also use a special lever on the center console to cross the large, soft sand dunes, establishing a rigid link between the rear axles, resulting in a rough ride with maximum traction.
In the end, Metge took the overall victory. Jacky Ickx climbed from 139th to sixth place, while Roland Kussmaul finished a respectable 26th, giving Porsche first place in the team standings. Of the 313 cars that started the Paris-Dakar that year, only 98 made it to the finishing line.
Pictures courtesy Porsche AG and Laurent Errera
