Porsche 911 Dakar shows what it can do on gravel, sand and snow

Ahead of its public debut during the LA Auto Show later this month, the Porsche 911 Dakar underwent testing on gravel, sand, and snow. The Dakar model name is a nod to the victory by Porsche in the 1984 Paris-Dakar rally with a purpose-built Porsche 911 car.

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Overall, Porsche tested the 911 Dakar for 300,000 miles in different weather conditions, including 6,000 miles of off-road testing. These varying environments gave Porsche the best baseline on how the car drives in any type of weather or terrain.

During testing on sand dunes in Dubai and Morocco, the 911 Dakar conquered a 160-ft. steep dune climb with outside air temperature topping 113 degrees Fahrenheit.

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Here is what Frank Moser, VP of the 911/718 model line at Porsche, said in a statement:

"The 911 Dakar delivered strong performance even in the desert. Especially here, the 911 Dakar can make the most of its conceptual advantages - the combination of low weight, higher ground clearance, a powerful rear-mounted engine and a short wheelbase make for an exhilarating driving experience. I was able to experience it myself on test drives in the Sahara."

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The snow tests were especially interesting to Porsche, with a specific interest in traction and steering precision. Frozen lakes in Sweden hosted the test drivers with 90 percent compacted snow surface to mimic winter driving.

Porsche will wait until the LA Auto Show to offer specifics about the car, which is expected to have extra ground clearance, modifications to make it off-road better, and all-terrain tires to help get the job done. The 911 Dakar's powertrain and full details will be revealed soon, but don't be surprised if the 911 turbocharged flat-xis engine and the eight-speed PDK automatic transmission are included.

Recently, Porsche took a pair of modified 911 cars to climb the world's tallest volcano, proving the sporty luxury vehicles aren't just for the road.