NOT A DAKAR

Not a Dakar

Going the independent route to building a modern, Safari-inspired Porsche 911.

Lifted suspension, off-road tyres and a safari-style roof rack, you can see why people often mistake Domenic Savides’ 992 for a Dakar right? Give it a second look however, and you realise it’s something altogether more personal. The ducktail spoiler, the unique rear bumper, the “911 Safari” badge on the rear, and more besides. Speaking to Type 7, Dominic details why Porsche’s own lifted 992 wasn’t quite right for his purposes.

“The Dakar is a great car and Porsche did an excellent job with it, but it’s very focused, particularly towards sand and desert use. For me, the appeal was to create something that worked across a different range of scenarios.

I wanted to a modern 911 that didn’t feel precious. I’ve always loved rally cars, classic safari-911s and the idea of using a sports car outside of its expected environment. The 992 platform is incredibly capable, but most of them live relatively sheltered lives. I wanted to give it a sense of adventure, something you could drive hard, take on rough roads and not worry about every pebble or imperfection. It was never about copying the Dakar, it was about building MY version of what a modern 911 Safari should be.

From the first idea to the completed build took about a year and a half. The early phase involved a lot of research, sketching, and figuring out what felt authentic vs gimmicky. I didn’t want bolt-on ‘safari cosplay,’ every modification needed to serve a real purpose.

A lot of shops either didn’t want to take it on or simply didn’t know how. I had to find the right partners who were willing to experiment, problem-solve and build things from scratch where necessary. The biggest challenge is integration. Modern cars are extremely complex and once you step out of factory parameters, everything has to work together - suspension geometry, electronics, drivability, durability. There’s no safety net.

I actually drive it, that was the whole point. Canyon roads, rough back roads, city driving, long highway stretches, it’s incredibly versatile. The raised height and suspension setup make bad roads disappear, which completely changes how relaxed and confident the car feels.”

"I wanted to a modern 911 that didn’t feel precious. I’ve always loved rally cars, classic safari-911s and the idea of using a sports car outside of its expected environment."

"A lot of shops either didn’t want to take it on or simply didn’t know how. I had to find the right partners who were willing to experiment, problem-solve and build things from scratch where necessary."

Far from just a show car, Domenic’s 992 Safari was a long time in the making. There are cheaper, more expedient ways of building a car like this, fitting a basic lift kit and a roof rack is the work of a single weekend if all you want is a bit of click-bait for the internet, but Domenic wanted to develop something genuinely robust, and these things take time.

“The car still drives very much like a stock 911 in the best sense, just with an added sense of indestructibility. You stop planning routes around pavement quality and just go. The car encourages you to drive more, explore more and enjoy the journey instead of protecting the object, which is rare in modern performance cars.

Once on a trip to Oregon, we were separated from the car we were supposed to be following and accidentally ended up on a trail that even the Cayennes in our group refused to take. No cell service, deep ruts, middle of the woods. My fiancée and I were able to navigate back using the car’s infotainment and onboard systems alone. That moment really proved to me what the car was capable of.

There may be more to do on it, but nothing drastic. I see the car as a constantly evolving project rather than ever being ‘finished.’ Any future changes would be small refinements based on real-world use. So protection, minor setup tweaks, subtle functional upgrades. Right now though it feels very balanced, and I want to be careful not to lose that.”