Beware, dear reader, as this is a video that requires some reading. When discussing something as dear to his heart as rally cars, Herr Röhrl tends to stick with his native German. Though the video is in German, the visual language of Porsche racing cars transcends the spoken word, and Herr Röhrl has brought some icons for the latest Top 5 video.
What is striking about this set of cars is its diversity. Among them are a Paris-Dakar competitor, a Transsyberia rally competitor, two German rally championship cars, and a top-level WRC car optimized for a single event. It’s a curious bunch, and really highlights the breadth of Porsche’s competition talents.
Several of the choices are icons in their own rights. The 953 debuted the 959’s all-wheel drive system and won the 1984 Paris-Dakar, the featured 924 Carrera GT was Walter’s personal car in the 1981 German rally championship, and the 911SC Safari set the stage for countless 911 Safari tributes.
The other two warrant consideration on their own. The Cayenne Transsyberia is the only factory-supported Cayenne racer, and won the 7,000-kilometer Transsyberia rally two years on the trot- in its second outing Cayennes claimed the top six positions. As a sort of halfway-house between the Cayenne S and GTS equipped for long-distance rallying, it’s a pretty special machine.
The car which clinched Walter’s top position is one which he apparently had not driven prior to filming the video. Though at first glance it appears to be a 997 GT3, it is in fact a 996 GT3 fitted with a 997 front clip, and which competes in the German rally championship driven by a husband and wife team. It’s a compelling entry on the list, as it shows that rallying a Porsche is not just for those with factory support, and the car sounds glorious.
Of course Herr Rohrl’s Top 5 is not a comprehensive list. What are your favorite Porsche rally cars? For me it’s a close pick between the Monte Carlo-winning 911Ts of 1968, and Reneé Binkerhoff’s perennially-competitive 356A.
