The Porsche 911 Dakar embarks on an epic journey.
Defying the conventions of typical sports and performance cars, the Porsche 911 Dakar demonstrates the ability of the legendary Porsche 911, one of the most legendary cars in automotive history, to go beyond the asphalt and conquer off-road terrain. However, one owner of the exclusive off-road supercar decided to put its ability to thrive off the beaten path to the ultimate test.
Nguyen Hoang Anh, a 54-year-old logistics company owner, decided to take his Porsche 911 Dakar from Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, to the Mongolian part of the Gobi Desert through China and return, driving over 20,000 miles in 75 days after only having the car for six weeks. Despite the incredible distance between the Gobi Desert and Vietnam, the Gobi is the closest desert to the Southeast Asian country. In September 2023, when Nguyen Hoang Anh embarked on his drive, he fulfilled his dream of driving an off-road sports car in the desert before winter took hold in his destination, far to the north.
One of only 2,500 examples of the 911 Dakar, his car, unmodified for the journey, is finished in GT Silver Metallic, and its extensive modification compared to the standard 911 makes it prepared for what is still an incredibly daunting journey, even in the most off-road-ready vehicle. The first stage saw the Dakar drive through Laos to the border with China, after which the second stage’s destination was Chaka Salt Lake in Qinghai, China, with its stunning views. Following that, the fourth stage was to Tian Shan, to the beginning of the Gobi Desert. The fifth stage ventures into Mongolia, where the desert terrain presents its challenges to the highly capable 911 Dakar.
After hitting some rocks, the car was repaired in Mongolia’s capital, Ulaanbaatar. Beginning the journey back towards Vietnam, the Porsche 911 Dakar was now met with snow. Along the journey home, the intriguing and ambitious adventure that Nguyen Hoang Anh and his Porsche 911 Dakar embarked on made the pair local celebrities, with people along the route filming the car and posting it, documenting the journey and earning popularity on Chinese social media. From intense heat to winter snow and from tropical landscapes to a vast desert, the immense journey confirmed the incredible adventuring capabilities of the off-road-ready Porsche 911 Dakar.
Image Source: Porsche
