The Porsche 911 Safari refers to the rally-prepared 911s that Porsche campaigned in the East African Safari Rally during the 1970s. The most famous is the 1978 911 SC Safari, a Martini-liveried works car with 250 hp and 280mm of ground clearance. The name now also describes a popular aftermarket build style: lifted 911s with all-terrain tires and rally-inspired modifications. Porsche brought the concept full circle in 2022 with the production 911 Dakar.
Here is the full history of the Porsche 911 in off-road rallying, from Kenya in 1971 to the modern builds you see today.
Contents
- 1 Quick Summary
- 2 What Is a Porsche 911 Safari?
- 3 East African Safari Rally History
- 4 The 1978 911 SC Safari
- 5 The Carrera RS 2.7 Safari Cars
- 6 From Safari to Dakar: The 953 and 959
- 7 The 911 Vision Safari Concept
- 8 The Modern Safari Build Trend
- 9 How to Build a 911 Safari
- 10 The 911 Dakar: Factory Safari for the Modern Era
- 11 The East African Safari Classic Rally
- 12 Renn Driver's Take
- 13 Frequently Asked Questions
Quick Summary
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| First Safari Rally entry | 1971 (911 S) |
| Best Safari Rally result | 2nd overall (1974, 1978) |
| Most famous car | 1978 911 SC Safari |
| SC Safari engine | 3.0L air-cooled flat-six, 250 hp |
| SC Safari weight | 1,180 kg (2,601 lbs) |
| Ground clearance | 280mm (11 inches) |
| Vision Safari concept | 2012 (revealed 2020) |
| Production successor | 911 Dakar (2022) |
What Is a Porsche 911 Safari?
The term "Porsche 911 Safari" means different things depending on the context. In its original sense, it refers to the factory-prepared Porsche 911 race cars that Porsche entered in the East African Safari Rally during the 1970s. These were production 911s modified with raised suspension, reinforced underbodies, long-range fuel tanks, and additional lighting for the grueling 5,000 km race across Kenya.
In the modern sense, "911 Safari" describes an aftermarket build style. Enthusiasts take older 911s, lift the suspension by 3 to 4 inches, fit all-terrain tires, add underbody protection, and install rally-inspired accessories like roof racks and auxiliary lights. The trend took off in the 2010s and directly influenced Porsche's decision to build the 911 Dakar in 2022.
Both interpretations share the same DNA: the idea that a 911 can go anywhere, not just a racetrack or a highway.
East African Safari Rally History
The East African Safari Rally was one of the most demanding events in motorsport. Held annually in Kenya from 1953, the rally covered roughly 5,000 km of unpaved roads, river crossings, mud, loose sand, and mountain passes. Crews had to navigate terrain that would destroy most road cars within the first stage. The rally was part of the World Rally Championship from 1973 to 2002.
Porsche first entered the Safari Rally in 1971 with a team of 911 S models. The cars were prepared by the factory competition department with raised ride height, reinforced floors, additional fuel capacity, and rally lighting. The best result that year was fifth overall, a strong debut for a rear-engined sports car competing against purpose-built rally machines.
In 1972, Sobieslaw Zasada and co-driver Marian Bien finished second overall in a 911 ST. That result proved the 911 could compete at the very top of African rally racing. Porsche returned in 1974 with a pair of Carrera RS 2.7 models and again took second place, this time with Bjorn Waldegard behind the wheel.
The 1978 campaign was Porsche's most serious Safari effort. Two 911 SC models were entered under the Martini Racing banner, and both finished. Porsche was the only manufacturer to get both of its cars across the finish line that year. Vic Preston Jr. took second place, and Bjorn Waldegard came home fourth after hitting a boulder that damaged his rear axle.
The 1978 911 SC Safari
The 1978 911 SC Safari is the most famous of all Porsche's Safari cars. It was built by Porsche's motorsport department specifically for the 26th East African Safari Rally and wore the iconic Martini Racing livery.
The base car was a 911 SC with a 3.0-liter air-cooled flat-six. For the Safari, the engine was tuned from its standard 180 hp to 250 hp, with torque increased to 300 Nm. The chassis was extensively reinforced, with a toughened floor, strengthened body shell, and fiberglass-coated rear axle components to protect against the constant assault of rocks and debris.
Ground clearance was raised to 280mm, more than double what a standard 911 SC offered. A bull bar protected the front end, and additional rally lights were mounted on the hood for night stages. The car weighed 1,180 kg in rally trim.
The 1978 Safari covered 3,000 miles in 94 hours across Kenya. The cars crossed rivers, navigated loose sand, climbed mountains on unpaved roads, and pushed through red mud that would swallow lesser vehicles. Porsche sent 9.5 tons of spare parts and equipment to support the two-car team, with mechanics Roland Kussmaul and Jurgen Barth managing the effort from the service points.
One of the 1978 SC Safari cars now lives in the Porsche Museum in Stuttgart, still wearing its Martini livery and rally equipment.
The Carrera RS 2.7 Safari Cars
Before the SC Safari, Porsche campaigned the Carrera RS 2.7 in Africa. These lightweight M471 "Sport" specification cars were among the most valuable 911s ever built, and Porsche's competition department converted several of them for the Safari Rally.
The modifications were substantial. Body shells were reinforced and fitted with heavy-duty shock absorbers and aluminum skid plates to protect the flat underside. Ride height was raised to 250mm. Long-range 110-liter fuel tanks replaced the standard items. Steel bumpers and safari ram bars were bolted to the front and rear. External air horns and spotlights completed the rally equipment.
The engines remained standard 210 hp units, which were considered reliable enough for the multi-day event. Five-speed gearboxes from the RSR racing program were installed for their strength and closer ratios.
One of the most documented cars is Chassis No. 285, an M471 Lightweight originally finished in Grand Prix White with red Carrera side stripes. It raced the 1973 East African Safari under Bjorn Waldegard but retired three hours from the finish with engine issues caused by a loosened oil pipe. The car returned to the 1974 Safari under Edgar Herrmann but suffered a front spindle failure.
After its rally career ended, this car remained in Kenya for over two decades. It was registered locally as KPU 539 and survived in the African wilderness until the early 2000s, when it was rescued and returned to Germany for restoration. The car's story is one of the most remarkable survival tales in Porsche history.
From Safari to Dakar: The 953 and 959
Porsche's Safari Rally experience directly influenced its next off-road project: the Paris-Dakar Rally. In 1984, Jacky Ickx convinced Porsche to enter a modified 911 in the 7,500-mile race from Paris to Dakar, Senegal. The car was known internally as the 953, officially designated the Porsche 911 Carrera 3.2 4x4 Paris-Dakar.
The 953 ran a 3.2-liter flat-six with roughly 300 hp and a prototype all-wheel-drive system with a 31:69 front-to-rear power split. It carried 270 liters of fuel and had 270mm of wheel travel. Rene Metge and co-driver Dominique Lemoyne drove the 953 to an outright victory, marking the first time a sports car had ever won the Paris-Dakar.
The all-wheel-drive technology from the 953 fed directly into the development of the Porsche 959, which went on to win the Paris-Dakar again in 1986. The 959's all-wheel-drive system then evolved into the Porsche Carrera 4, the first production 911 with all-wheel drive, launched in 1988.
That lineage runs from the mud of Kenya through the Sahara and into every all-wheel-drive 911 sold today. The Safari Rally cars planted the seed.
The 911 Vision Safari Concept
In 2012, Porsche's design team built a secret concept car called the 911 Vision Safari. Based on the 991-generation platform, it featured a raised chassis, reinforced wheel arches, enlarged bumpers, and a motorsport-inspired cockpit with a full roll cage and racing seats.
The design paid direct tribute to the 1970s Safari cars. It wore a Martini-inspired livery and included all the visual cues of the original rally 911s: raised stance, additional lighting, and the general look of a car built to cross continents rather than carve corners.
Porsche's head of design, Michael Mauer, explained the thinking: no other car brand could combine the themes of sports cars and off-road as credibly as Porsche. The 911 had already proven it in the real world, decades earlier.
The Vision Safari was a fully functional prototype that drove on gravel test surfaces around Porsche's Weissach facility. It remained a secret until November 2020, when Porsche revealed it as part of its "Unseen" collection of design studies. Two years later, the production 911 Dakar arrived.
The Modern Safari Build Trend
The aftermarket 911 Safari build trend exploded in the 2010s. Builders started with older, more affordable 911s and transformed them into lifted, off-road-capable machines inspired by the factory rally cars of the 1970s.
The movement was led by builders like Leh Keen, who operates out of Georgia and turns classic air-cooled 911s into rugged Safari machines. Kelly-Moss Road and Race in Wisconsin pioneered the concept nearly a decade ago with their "Rat Rod" off-road build, which snowballed into one of the most recognized Safari 911 programs in the world. Their VICCI Safari 4 won SEMA's "Best Off-Road Vehicle" award and later sold for $204,000.
Russell Built Fabrication, Elephant Racing, and Tarett Engineering are among the companies producing dedicated Safari suspension kits and components. The aftermarket ecosystem has grown to the point where a complete Safari conversion is available for nearly every generation of 911, from long-hood cars through the 996 and 997.
The appeal is straightforward. A Safari 911 goes places a standard 911 cannot. It handles gravel roads, fire trails, and unpaved mountain passes. It looks different from every other 911 on the road. And it connects directly to a piece of Porsche history that most production 911s have nothing to do with.
How to Build a 911 Safari
A 911 Safari build starts with the suspension. Dedicated lift kits from companies like Elephant Racing, Tarett Engineering, and Kelly-Moss raise the car 3 to 4 inches using matched dampers, upgraded torsion bars (on air-cooled cars), revised bushings, and steering geometry correction components. Unlike a body-on-frame truck, lifting a unibody car like the 911 requires careful attention to suspension geometry to avoid poor handling and premature wear.
The best kits provide around 10 inches of wheel travel, a 2-inch extended wheelbase, and a widened track. Steering geometry correction is critical. Without it, a lifted 911 will have vague steering, uneven tire wear, and unpredictable handling at speed.
After the suspension, the next priorities are tires and underbody protection. All-terrain tires in the correct sizes for the 911's staggered setup are essential. Skid plates protect the engine, transmission, and fuel lines from rocks and debris. A roll cage adds safety for serious off-road use.
Popular additions include roof racks, auxiliary LED lighting, external rally horns, tow hooks, and vinyl wraps in rally-inspired liveries. Some builders fit long-range fuel tanks for extended off-road trips.
| Component | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Suspension lift kit | 3 to 4 inches of additional clearance |
| Geometry correction | Maintains proper steering and handling |
| All-terrain tires | Grip on gravel, sand, and dirt |
| Skid plates | Protects engine, gearbox, fuel lines |
| Roll cage | Safety for off-road and rally use |
| Auxiliary lights | Visibility for night driving off-road |
| Long-range fuel tank | Extended range for remote routes |
| Roof rack | Gear storage for overland trips |
The donor car matters. Air-cooled 911s (especially the 964 and G-body cars) are the most popular Safari bases because of their mechanical simplicity and the availability of aftermarket parts. Water-cooled 911s work too. The 996 is increasingly popular as a budget-friendly starting point because the cars themselves are affordable relative to earlier generations.
A basic Safari conversion on a 964 starts around $15,000 to $20,000 for a quality suspension kit and essential hardware, installed on a car you already own. A complete turnkey build from a specialist shop can run $80,000 to $200,000 or more depending on the base car and level of preparation.
The 911 Dakar: Factory Safari for the Modern Era
In November 2022, Porsche revealed the 911 Dakar, the first production 911 ever designed for off-road use. The Dakar is essentially what happens when the factory builds the Safari 911 that enthusiasts had been building for themselves.
The Dakar sits on the 992 platform with a 3.0-liter twin-turbo flat-six producing 473 hp. It rides 50mm higher than a standard 911 Carrera, with a lift system that adds another 30mm for a total ground clearance of 191mm. Pirelli Scorpion all-terrain tires, a CFRP hood from the GT3, stainless steel underbody protection, and two dedicated off-road driving modes complete the package.
Porsche limited production to 2,500 units at $222,000 each. Every car sold before production began. The optional Rallye Design Package in White and Gentian Blue Metallic referenced the Rothmans livery of the 953 and 959 Paris-Dakar racers, connecting the Dakar directly to the Safari and Dakar heritage.
The 911 Dakar proved that the aftermarket Safari builders were right all along. A raised 911 with off-road tires is not a contradiction. It is a return to what Porsche was already doing in Kenya fifty years earlier.
The East African Safari Classic Rally
The original East African Safari Rally ended in 2002, but the spirit lives on through the East African Safari Classic Rally. Held every two years in Kenya, the Classic version covers roughly 3,000 miles across nine days and is open to cars built before 1978.
The 911 dominates this event. British Porsche specialist Tuthill Porsche has built and prepared 911s for the Classic since its inception. A Tuthill-built 911 won the Safari Classic in 2011, driven by Bjorn Waldegard, the same driver who had raced Porsche's factory cars in the 1970s. Tuthill-prepared 911s won again in 2015, 2017, and 2019.
Tuthill's Safari-spec competition cars adhere to FIA regulations and feature carbon fiber body shells, 300 hp 3.0-liter engines, full roll cages, and all the safety modifications required for a nine-day, 3,000-mile event through the Kenyan wilderness. These are not museum pieces. They are serious competition cars that prove the 911 remains the best tool for the job, just as it was in 1971.
Renn Driver's Take
I have not driven this car yet. When I do, this section will have my honest take on what it is actually like to live with and drive.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Porsche 911 Safari?
A Porsche 911 Safari is either a factory rally-prepared 911 from the 1970s East African Safari Rally program or a modern aftermarket build that lifts a 911 for off-road use. The term covers both the original Porsche works cars (like the 1978 911 SC Safari) and the growing community of enthusiast-built lifted 911s with all-terrain tires, skid plates, and rally-inspired modifications.
Did Porsche ever win the Safari Rally?
Porsche never won the East African Safari Rally outright. The best result was second place, achieved in both 1974 (Bjorn Waldegard in a Carrera RS 2.7) and 1978 (Vic Preston Jr. in a 911 SC). Porsche did win the Paris-Dakar Rally outright in 1984 with the 953 and again in 1986 with the 959.
How much does it cost to build a 911 Safari?
A basic 911 Safari suspension lift kit costs $5,000 to $10,000 for parts alone. A complete conversion with tires, skid plates, and accessories runs $15,000 to $30,000 installed on a car you already own. A turnkey Safari build from a specialist shop like Kelly-Moss or Leh Keen starts around $80,000 and can exceed $200,000 depending on the base car and specification.
What is the best 911 for a Safari build?
The Porsche 964 is the most popular base for a Safari build. It combines air-cooled character with a more modern suspension design (coil springs at the rear instead of torsion bars), making it easier to lift properly. The G-body 911 (1974 to 1989) is the classic choice. For budget builds, the 996 offers the most affordable entry point with a strong water-cooled flat-six.
Is the Porsche 911 Dakar a Safari?
The Porsche 911 Dakar is the factory-built spiritual successor to both the Safari Rally cars and the aftermarket Safari build movement. It has raised suspension, all-terrain tires, underbody protection, and dedicated off-road driving modes. The Dakar is named after the Paris-Dakar Rally rather than the Safari Rally, but the concept is the same: a 911 built to handle any surface.
What happened to the original Safari Rally cars?
Several of Porsche's original Safari Rally cars survive today. The most famous 1978 911 SC Safari lives in the Porsche Museum in Stuttgart. At least one Carrera RS 2.7 Safari car (Chassis No. 285) spent over two decades in Kenya before being rescued and restored in Germany. These cars are among the most valuable and historically significant 911s in existence.
Images: Morio, CC BY-SA 3.0; Neil, CC BY 2.0; Rick W. Dryve, CC BY 2.0; Mariusz Bodnar, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
