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In the novel Goldfinger, James Bond creator Ian Fleming laid down a phrase that’s quoted to this day: “Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence. The third time it’s enemy action.”
Well, we’d be hard-pressed to say that three off-road custom Porsche 911s to surface within the span of a couple weeks is a sign of malicious intent, but we would say that it’s the sign of a movement — one that we’re very much on board with.
The latest example of this nouveau off-road 911 comes from Gemballa — not the new company created by Marc Philipp Gemballa that’s working on its own 959-inspired all-road 911, but rather, the original German company founded by Marc Philipp’s deceased father. Called the Gemballa Avalanche 4×4, as it’s called, will be available to purchase later this year; examples will be based on either the 991- or 992-generation 911, the company says, though the renderings suggest the newer 992.
While the press release was light on details, based on said renderings, the Avalanche 4×4 will offer the sort of capability usually reserved for Jeep Wranglers and Toyota Land Cruisers. Massive off-road tires sit beneath expanded fenders, with the body riding high enough to scramble over rocks with ease. A giant spoiler, roof-mounted air scoops and side intakes behind the doors play with the airflow, while antennae on the roof suggest this Gemballa is ready to radio back to base while running the Dakar Rally.
Gemballa says the car is based in part on its Avalanche 4.2 RS concept car of 2017, which was effectively a modified 911 Turbo jacked up to 820 horsepower and 700 pound-feet of torque. Assuming such figures carry over to the production 4×4 version, this should be one speedy off-roader.
Between the two off-road Porsches wearing Gemballa names and Ruf’s new Rodeo Concept, it seems that the idea of a rally-esque 911 is generating a whole bunch of new energy that builds on the interest created by the likes of Kelly-Moss’s Safari 911s. If there was ever a time for those rumors that Porsche might build its own official off-road 911 to start up again…
