The cause of the problem lies with an automaker that does not even rival Stuttgart's offerings.
According to the director of the 911 Dakar program, Thomas Krickelberg, the off-road-friendly sports car eschewed the Safari name due to a trademark dispute. Speaking with Edmunds.com at an event in Morocco, the executive revealed that the program “started with 911 Safari” as a name but that the rights to the Safari name in reference to an automobile are owned by Tata Group, which also controls Jaguar Land Rover.
“We talked to them,” said Krickelberg. “But they didn't give us permission for that. That was Option A. And then we switched to Dakar.”
But as it turns out, the Dakar name was not free of issues either.
As the name of the capital of Senegal, one would think that the Dakar name would be without restrictions, but it turned out that the Amaury Sport Organization that arranges the annual Dakar rally owns the rights to the name when used in an automotive context. Some money changed hands (probably a lot of it), and “then it was smooth,” chuckled Krickleberg.
When we first learned that Stuttgart was developing such a machine, the 911 Safari name seemed like a shoo-in. Porsche had entered 911 SC Safari racers in the East African Safari Rally numerous times over the course of the 1970s, creating a cult-like following among Porsche fans who loved off-road motorsports. The influence of Porsche's East African exploits was so great that modern overlanding Porsche builds created by aftermarket outfits are almost always referred to as Safaris.
Moreover, in 2012, Porsche's design team created the 911 Vision Safari concept on the bones of the 991-generation 911. Due to management's concerns that such a vehicle would not be profitable, the idea was practically shelved. Engineers continued their work, and after the current 992 generation arrived, they transferred their ideas to the new car. After many discussions and some in-person experience with the car, the bosses finally agreed that it could be brought to production.
“It's sometimes difficult for them to see [the allure of a concept] on a piece of paper,” said Achim Lamparter, general project manager for the 911 Dakar. “It helps if they get directly put in the car.”
Interestingly, had these delays not happened, Porsche would still not have been able to use the Safari name.
Tata has been building an SUV called the Safari since 1998, but it's slightly perplexing to learn that the Indian conglomerate would deny Porsche's request. Tata may have even benefited from increased exposure when people inevitably Googled terms like 'Safari car' or 'Safari off-roader.'
Alas, it was not to be, and we have the 911 Dakar instead. Regardless of what it's called, the 911 Dakar's affiliation with the East African Safari Rally is inextricable, particularly since retro liveries are available. While the Safari name may feel more romantic, naming your special-edition off-roader after one of the most grueling races in the world is still pretty awesome.
Source Credits: Edmunds.com
Keyword: This Is Why The Porsche 911 Dakar Is Not Called Safari