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Porsche revisits the 911's dirty side with rally history film

It might not be a coincidence that there are rumors of Porsche revealing a safari version of the 911 at April's Beijing Motor Show, just as the Dakar Rally is about to begin. Adding fuel to the dusty desert fire is a just-released official video of Jeff Zwart driving the Porsche 953 that Jacky Ickx drove to victory in the 1984 edition of the race.
In the video, the seven-time Pikes Peak International Hill Climb winner talks about how he grew up with the 911; it wasn't only the car he learned to drive in, it was his choice of racecar no matter whether the course was tarmac or the dirty stuff.
You can decide for yourself if these recent events are mere coincidence while you enjoy the 953's exhaust note in the video below. If you've got the time to see the 953 during its race-conquering drive and find out what the ersatz Paris-Dakar Rally used to be, we've also included a broadcast of that 1984 race below as well. Fast-forward to 19:44 to see the Porsches cross the open dessert and 29:09 to watch one of them tackle the dunes.

What hardcore 911 is Porsche working on now?

Porsche has been spotted testing a new hardcore version of the latest 911. The prototype appears to blend the best elements from the recently facelifted 991.2 with those of the outgoing GT3 RS, which both follows logically and bodes well for the German automaker's latest track-focused performance machine. That means new lighting and other touches, but also more ventilation than a toxic chemicals facility. The bigger question, however, is what engine Porsche is hanging off the back. If history teaches us anything, we could be looking at one of several possibilities. For one, this could be a prototype for the updated 911 GT3 RS, carrying a modified version of the existing model's 4.0-liter flat-six, still naturally aspirated, but maybe with a few extra horses kicked in over the outgoing version's 500 hp. For another, it could follow in the footsteps of the previous limited-edition GT3 RS 4.0, but since the existing model already boasts that displacement, this one could go a step further at 4.2 liters. But then it might not be a GT3 at all: we could be looking at the rebirth of the GT2, the primary difference between the two being the absence or presence of turbochargers. Porsche hasn't done a forced-induction GT model since the GT2 RS of 2010, and that was essentially a 911 Turbo sans the all-wheel drive and any shred of sanity. Whatever is lurking under all that aggressive bodywork, we're looking forward to finding out. And we get the distinct feeling that it won't disappoint. Related Video: Featured Gallery 2017 Porsche 911 GT2/GT3 RS: Spy Shots View 14 Photos Image Credit: CarPix Spy Photos Porsche Coupe Performance porsche 911 gt3 porsche 911 gt2 rs

Watch a Porsche 918 Spyder being built by hand

No music track, no dialogue, no voiceover, just a group of women and men in a very clean room in Zuffenhausen assembling the Porsche 918 Spyder. It's the antidote to the adrenaline that the open-topped hybrid coupe encourages in most enthusiast bloodstreams, but this nearly-11-minute video is the most captivating B-roll we've seen in a while. From hand-sewn leather to hand-wrapped trim, monococques being wheeled about, the copious use of shims and the rear brace being fitted over the engine, plus the Christmas-like joy of opening a box of body panels, it's all in there. You can't buy a new one anymore, but you can see how they're built for those who did buy them in the video above. Related Gallery 2015 Porsche 918 Spyder: First Drive View 51 Photos Related Gallery 2015 Porsche 918 Spyder Factory Tour View 28 Photos News Source: Cars via YouTube, Road & TrackImage Credit: Copyright 2014 Michael Harley / AOL Green Plants/Manufacturing Porsche Convertible Hybrid Luxury Performance Supercars Videos porsche 918 spyder zuffenhausen