Walter Röhrl Lays out Porsche's Five Best Rally Cars of All Time
Porsche holds a special place in rally history, and these five cars have a lot to do with that.
Rally Legends
Porsche has quite the history in motorsports, of course. But most people think of the automaker as an on-track menace, competing and winning at iconic events like the 24 Hours of Le Mans. But Porsche has also enjoyed its fair share of success in the world of rally racing, too. So they thought it would be prudent to narrow down those efforts and pick their five favorite/best rally cars from the automaker's star-studded history.
Photos: Porsche
911 Paris-Dakar
The predecessor of the victorious 959 Paris-Dakar, the 953, as this car is also known, took part in the 1984 Paris-Dakar rally. Drivers René Metge and Dominique Lemoyne won the famous rally at the wheel of this modified sports car. The conversion to the not yet series-ready all-wheel-drive 959, in particular, gave this particular vehicle a host of advantages. And it also gave birth to another nickname: the 911 4x4.
Photos: Porsche
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Cayenne S Transsyberia
The Porsche Cayenne S Transsyberia was modified for the Transsyberia rally, and it packs plenty of power courtesy of its V8 pulled from the Cayenne GTS. The resulting 385 horsepower delivered enough power in 2008 to finish in 1st to 6th place at this rally across the taiga, covering a distance of 4,416 miles.
Photos: Porsche
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924 Carrera GTS
Röhrl very successfully took part in the 1981 German Rally Championship behind the wheel of this Porsche 924 Carrera GTS with its shining gold paintwork. He secured an overall victory at the first trial start for this rally car, which had been built in only eight weeks. That win was followed by three more first-place finishes and one-second place effort.
Photos: Porsche
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911 SC Safari
In 1978, Porsche took part in the Safari Rally in Kenya with two vehicles. The Porsche 911 SC Safari was significantly modified for the competition, with an additional 11 inches of ground clearance, massive underbody protection, and a reinforced body that prepared it for the 3,106-mile rally. After suffering major damage to the rear axle, Porsche still managed to be the only team to reach the finishing line with both vehicles. They finished in second and third place in the end.
Photos: Porsche
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911 GT3 (996)
The top spot in Porsche's rankings is reserved for what is one of their most recent rally vehicles: the Porsche 911 GT3 (996). Apart from its striking zebra look, the vehicle is most of all famous for its sound in the German rally scene. Even more, interestingly, the Zebra was driven by a married couple - Ruben and Petra Zeltner.
Photos: Porsche
>>Join the conversation about these picks by Walter Röhrl right here in Rennlist.com.
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