The ever-growing Porsche 911 range looks set to expand further.

    Along with the variants we already know about, from the Targa to the GT3 RS, it looks like Porsche is readying a modern-day 911 Safari for rear-engined enthusiasts with an adventurous streak.

    This isn’t the first time we’ve seen a high-riding 911 out and about. What looked like a Safari was snapped testing at the Nürburgring last year, piquing our suspicions, but the latest set of shots is our best look yet.

    With a taller ride and chunkier tyres than the regular 911 Carrera, the Safari is clearly more suitable for (slightly) off-road running than its brethren.

    There are unique bumpers at both ends, although the fact this mule rides on mixed wheels would suggest it’s not quite production-ready just yet.

    Under the skin? We don’t know, but it stands to reason Porsche will use the all-wheel drive Carrera 4 or 4S as the base for a Safari.

    The company has flirted with the idea of a modern 911 Safari before.

    As part of its recent drop of unreleased concepts it whipped the covers off the 991-generation 911 Safari concept. With a raised ride, tougher looks, and a classic Martini livery, the concept was designed to hark back to the 1978 911 SC Safari.

    Porsche has a long history of high-riding sports cars. Along with the 911 SC Safari, it turned the legendary 959 supercar into an off-road racer for the 1985 Paris-Dakar.

    There’s also a strong community of owners who’ve taken their road-ready sports cars and made them into rally racers.

    Even Singer has been bitten by the Safari bug, recently revealing its (very expensive, very pretty) take on the formula.

    MORE: Porsche 911 news, reviews, comparisons and videos
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    Scott Collie

    Scott Collie is an automotive journalist based in Melbourne, Australia. Scott studied journalism at RMIT University and, after a lifelong obsession with everything automotive, started covering the car industry shortly afterwards. He has a passion for travel, and is an avid Melbourne Demons supporter.

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