Want to take a Porsche 911 off road? You’re in luck; a 911 Safari Concept is headed to Beijing

By Stephen Edelstein December 27, 2013

porsche 911 safari concept rumored for beijing reveal 2013 carrera 4s — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Get ready to trade in that Cayenne.

Porsche will reveal an off-road version of the 911 at the 2014 Beijing Motor Show, Germany’s Motor Revue reports (via Car and Driver).

This unusual take on Porsche’s iconic sports cars will reportedly be a concept called the 911 Safari and will be based on the all-wheel drive Carrera 4.

However, the 911 will be bulked up with new suspension, which will provide better ground clearance and will be able to survive obstacles more severe than the average pothole. Larger tires and skid plates will complete the look.

A rally-style roof rack with spare tire, Jerry cans, and spotlights would look pretty cool, too.

Type 953 911 - 1984 Paris-Dakar Rally Winner — Type 953 911 – 1984 Paris-Dakar Rally Winner Image used with permission by copyright holder

Dressing a 911 up like wouldn’t just be a shameless attempt to draw people to the Porsche stand at Beijing; it would be a nod to the car’s rally pedigree.

Porsche entered a 911 SC Safari in the 1978 East African Safari Rally, and has raced 911s in the treacherous Paris-Dakar Rally. The 959 – Porsche’s first supercar – was also battle-tested in the Dakar.

However, Porsche’s latest attempt at a mud-slinging 911 reportedly has more to do with sales than race wins.

A production 911 Safari could appeal to buyers in China, Russia, South America, or the Middle East, where there is plenty of demand for sports cars, but a shortage of sports-car worthy roads.

Such a car would also make the Cayenne and Macan crossovers look seriously uncool by comparison.

The 2014 Beijing Motor Show opens April 20. We’ll have more details on the 911 Safari concept as that date approaches.

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Stephen Edelstein

Contributing Editor

Stephen is a freelance automotive journalist covering all things cars. He likes anything with four wheels, from classic cars…

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