Tata Motors Had Rejected Porsche from Using the Safari Moniker For its 911 Rally Car: Here’s What We Know
Porsche launched its rally car, the Porsche 911 Dakar last year in November, 2023 and there is a story behind the name of the newly launched Porsche 911.
Read more about it below.
Porsche 911 Dakar
Porsche made the 911 Dakar as a rally ready car with all the off-roading capabilities and the looks such cars deserved. The car had large fendors, a high ride seat position along with thick off road wheels.
But did you know that there is a story behind how the car got its name.
The director of Porsche’s 911 Dakar Program, Thomas Krickelberg had shared that Porsche wanted to call its rally ready Porsche 911 as “911 Safari”. The name suited the car and for all its off-road capabilities was the apt name for the car.
But it was only later, that the brand came across the information that the rights to the name “Safari” was with Tata Motors. Porsche had approached Tata Motors for the permission to use the name for their car but Tata simply rejected their request.
Krickelberg said that the company did all they could inorder to receive the Safari moniker, but all their efforts went into vain. It was later that the car brand decided to go with the name “Dakar”.
But still there was an issue. Porsche had to seek the permission from an organization called Amaury Sport Organization or ASO who organizes the Dakar Rally. Dakar was also a place name as well so the brand thought that getting the name would be easy.
But due to copyrights, Porsche still had to seek permission and fortunately ASO granted Porsche the permission in using the name. However, the Porsche had to pay an undisclosed amount to ASO inorder to use the name for its car.
Porsche wanted to call their 911 rally car as '911 Safari'
But the copyright for the name Safari is with Tata Motors. Porsche says they had requested Tata Motors, to allow them to use the name Safari. But their request was declined.
Porsche named their car '911 Dakar' pic.twitter.com/enpn1YMJmo
— RushLane (@rushlane) January 31, 2023
Here’s more about the car
The Porsche 911 Dakar, as mentioned, is a rally ready car with all the off-roading capabilities it would require. The car has a 3.0 litre twin-turbo charged flat-six engine that has a peak power of 473 horse power. It also has an 8 speed PDK gearbox as well.
The car also includes a 2.0 inch suspension lift along with a lifting system which can raise the car to 1.2 inches more. The car also has Pirelli Scorpion thick off-road tyres as well.
The 911 Dakar from Porsche has a starting price of Rs. $223,450 and only 2,500 units of the car is available globally.
