Is there anything more retro-cool/cringe (depending on your point of view) in the Porsche lineup than a 911 Dakar dressed up in rally-themed stickers?
The German sports car maker isn't done yet with its outrageous 911 Dakar livieries. The model was launched with an optional Rallye Design Package that echoed the original Rothmans decals of the 1984 Paris-Dakar winning car (but with the cigarette brand cheekily replaced by "Roughroads"). Now, it has added three more "exclusive wraps", reprising the looks of its 1971, 1974 and 1978 East African Safari Rally cars.
The 1971 campaign was Porsche's first works effort. The modified 911 S models were only identifiable by simple black decals on the bonnet, front wings and the doors. The "Rallye 1971" decal set for the new 911 Dakar revisits this design and adds the competition number 19, which belonged to the most successful 911 in this rally – Polish drivers Sobiesław Zasada and Marian Bie finished fifth.
In 1974, the race was divided into three sections of 1450-2019km, which the teams had to complete in just five days. Of the 99 cars that entered, only 16 made it to the finish line.
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Swedish rally champion Björn Waldegård, who had already won the Rallye Monte Carlo twice in a Porsche, held the lead for a long while alongside co-driver Hans Thorszelius in the 911 Carrera 2.7 RS and started the third section with a 36-minute gap on second place.
But a damaged wishbone cost him 72 minutes, and in the end Waldegård held on to finish second.
On that car, the blue stripes of main sponsor, the Kuehne+Nagel transport company, traced the shoulder lines of the white car. The "Rallye 1974" wrap echoes that, but with narrower stripes and Porsche logos on the lower edges of the doors.
Björn Waldegård returned for 1978, with one of two 911 SC Group 4 custom-built cars. But wishbone, shock absorber and driveshaft damage hampered the run, in some cases far from help. He had to be content with fourth place, while the South African duo of Vic Preston Jr and John Lyall took second.
The Martini Racing Team decals consisted of wave-shaped surfaces in orange and light and dark grey - one of the most famous motorsport-sponsor colour schemes of all time. The "Rallye 1978" deal set pays homage to that, with Viv Preston Jr's competition number 14 on the doors.
All decal sets can be ordered ex-works via Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur. The Rallye 1971 and Rallye 1974 decal sets can also be retrofitted.
