One of the most striking features of the Porsche 953 was its advanced four-wheel drive system, an innovation for Porsche at the time. This allowed the car to maintain excellent grip on the most challenging off-road terrains. The 953’s bodywork was reinforced and fitted with extra protection to make the car more resistant to the extreme rally conditions. A roll cage and other safety features were added to protect the driver while driving in rough terrains.
One of the most striking aspects of the Porsche 953 was its iconic Rothmans livery, which consisted of blue and white. This striking colour combination gave the car an unmistakable look and made it easily recognisable during rallying.
The 953 made its debut in the 1984 edition of the Paris-Dakar Rally and immediately scored a historic victory. It was the first time a 4×4 car had won the rally, and this achievement established Porsche’s reputation as a force to be reckoned with in the world of off-road racing.
The Porsche 953 Dakar has left a lasting impression in the history of motorsport and is still admired as a symbol of daring and innovation.
Our Porsche 953:
We don’t say it often, but we are immensely proud of the result! A special project, of course!
Giving a Porsche a completely new chassis, we are of course used to that. But a completely new, tailor-made 4×4 chassis is of course something that hardly ever happens in the Porsche world. Just like jacking up the car, where most Porsches are lowered, this was of course the opposite world.
Of everything has been done to make this 953 completely off-road ready! In addition, from the outside, the car is an exact copy of the original. For instance, the holes in the bumpers are made in the exact sizes and the spoiler is custom-made from reinforced fibreglass and also in the exact size of the original. Of course, for the rest, the car is fitted with a roll cage, custom-made exhaust system and Moton adjustable dampers. The entire chassis is new and modified from the axles to the shock absorbers.
The engine and gearbox have been overhauled and built to off-road specifications. Plenty of torque and plenty of horsepower!
For the inside, another wish was ‘comfort’. And that really makes this 911 Dakar a pleasure to drive. After all its modifications, the 953 is a pleasure to drive on public roads, but in addition, of course, for what it was made for: the roughest conditions. The seats come from a 930 Turbo, which are insanely comfortable. The Dakar is equipped with air conditioning, and switches to lock the differentials.
The entire build is captured in an extensive photo report.