Porsche intends to present the off-road 911 (992) in the coming period, and the prototype is currently in the testing phase. To test the capabilities of the prototype in extreme conditions, a team of engineers and drivers went with two test prototypes to Chile. The destination was Ojos del Salado, the highest volcano in the world.
The South American wilderness was an ideal choice. In some moments, the use of shovels was unavoidable, and the temperature dropped to -30 degrees Celsius. However, the harshness of nature was not enough to stop the cars from their goal, the top of the volcano.
Porsche has equipped both prototypes with off-road tires for extreme conditions behind which a modified suspension is hidden, and the floor of the car is raised 350 millimeters from the ground. In order to meet safety requirements, Porsche equipped the cars with roll cages, carbon fiber seats and harnesses. There is also lightweight Aramid fiber underbody protection to allow sliding over rocks.
After success with road and racing cars, Porsche turns to extreme terrains. “Testing our theories means finding the harshest possible environments to see if they work – and on the highest volcano in the world, we succeeded,” said Michael Rösler, Director of the complete vehicle 911 Model line. Porsche also said that the prototype will not be made for the road.
When it comes to the powertrain, Porsche opted for a turbocharged 3.0L 6-cylinder engine with 443 hp (330 kW) 390 lb-ft (529 Nm) of torque. The same engine powers the Porsche 911 Carrera 4S. The engine is paired with the original seven-speed manual transmission.
Source: Porsche
