Porsche 911 Modified

The vehicle in detail

First held to celebrate the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, the Safari Rally has endured as one of the ultimate motorsport challenges. Drivers and machines are tasked with navigating the unforgiving terrain of Kenya’s Great Rift Valley. Competitors aimed to conquer soft sand, rough roads, river crossings, wildlife incursions, and mud in order to achieve victory and the vehicles where accordingly modified with rugged equipment to handle the environment. Bull bars, increased ground clearance, snorkels, and extra lighting were established as necessities over the years creating a unique class of motorsport machine which combined speed and ruggedness.
Having contested six previous editions of the Safari Rally without grasping victory, Porsche went all in for 1978 and entered three factory-backed 911s into the competition. Unfortunately for the Stuttgart firm, the Martini-liveried specials only managed to finish 2nd and 4th but consequently established a legacy recognised by many 911 enthusiasts.
Built as an homage to these competition machines, this Porsche began life as a standard 1977 911 2.7 Coupé but was transformed in the mid-2010s into its current rally-ready specification. Initially dismantled, the chassis and suspension attachment points received additional reinforcement while the body structure’s mass was drastically reduced. The interior was additionally stripped and fitted with a 10-point roll-cage. The windows were replaced with polycarbonate units.
Mechanically, the suspension received specially modified elements, which allow for a ride-height 12 centimetres above the stock setting. Dampening is controlled via shock absorbers made from thicker tubes and longer travel to handle uneven surfaces with greater compliance. The modified, rear-mounted, flat-six, 2.7-litre engine breaths through custom Weber carburettors and feeds power through a special aluminium racing clutch to a type 915 manual gearbox. A front-mounted oil cooler aides in the maintenance of proper operating temperature. In June 2020, the engine was rebuilt and invoices on file reveal the sum of CHF 24,949 to complete the project.
This iconic Porsche 911, which weighs just 960 kilograms fully loaded, is sure to provide an exhilarating driving experience. It has already been proven in the hands of several professional racing drivers and is fully ready for any road or terrain in the world. Like the original Safari cars, it is fitted with Oscar headlights, a roof rack made to measure and designed for raids or safaris equipped with a fuel drum, a spare wheel, plates to get out of mud or sand, shovel, and a pneumatic jack that works with the exhaust gases. Please note, this 2025 catalogue description has been compiled with older photos. Interested parties are encouraged to inspect the car prior to bidding, and newer photos are available upon request. Please contact an RM Sotheby’s Car Specialist for more.
This ‘Safari Recreation’ is a wonderfully executed homage to one of the 911’s most unlikely outings to date and will surely be enjoyed by its next owner both on- and off-road.