Spotted earlier this week doing rounds of the Nürburgring in Germany was a standard looking Porsche 992-generation 911 model but with an elevated ride height. The prototype appears to be featuring a raised suspension with a thick foam lining around the wheel arches. Although Porsche hasn’t confirmed any plans of launching a high-riding version of its 911 sports car, the concept of developing one was sparked by the automaker's sales and marketing chief, Detlev von Platen, in a 2018 interview stating that such a car could be a good idea but it could be launched as a limited-edition model.
As seen in the spy pictures, the wheel arches are covered in foam cladding which generally helps the engineers to evaluate the gap between the wheels and the vehicle body. Porsche could also be hiding a new type of suspension setup underneath the casing. Look closely and the car can be seen raised a bit for high ground clearance. On the inside, we can also spot the roll cage behind the front seats. Other than that, there are no evident changes to the overall design and proportions of the car.
Now, if at all Porsche is actually materialising the idea of a 911 crossover, it could take cues from its very own successful heritage. Porsche has decades of experience in rally and off-road racing. Back in the year 1968, Porsche jacked-up the 911s with taller suspensions and sturdy off-road tyres which won the Monte Carlo Rally for three straight years. These models however were never available as a production model. Further details of the Porsche 911 ‘Rallye’ are awaited until the next sighting of the prototype.
