How Porsche race driver René Metge won the 1984 Paris-Dakar Rally

How René Metge won the Paris-Dakar Rally in a modified 911

The story of how one man defied the odds to fulfill his dream of winning

September 13, 2022 | 1 min read

Porsche driver René Metge celebrating at end of 1984 Paris-Dakar

The Porsche 953 was a heavily modified 911 built to conquer the world's toughest rally – the Paris-Dakar. Here's how it did it

Over the course of almost 10,000km, race driver René Metge had to overcome many obstacles to fulfil his dream of winning the Paris-Dakar rally in 1984. Not least of which being the torrid heat of the desert and a brutal bone-dry course. Of the 313 cars that started the Paris-Dakar that year, only 98 made it to the finishing line. But, finally, after 19 days of battling the competition – and the elements – he took the chequered flag at the Lac Rose in Senegal ahead of the field. A racing experience and performance that will never be forgotten.

The Porsche 911 that won the Paris-Dakar rally

René Metge’s victory came as a surprise to some, who didn’t expect to see him rolling up to the starting line in his Porsche 953 in Paris on 1 January 1984. His vehicle stood out from most of the rally cars present that day. No wonder – it was a modified 911, specifically designed to compete in the Dakar Rally.

But this wasn’t Metge’s first rodeo; he had competed in the race before and knew what the course had in store for the racers. He knew that the 953 would help him to defy the conditions. That year, the rally’s route had been extended through Ivory Coast, Guinea, Sierra Leone and Mauritania to ‘enhance the dreams of those who stay behind’.

It wasn’t Metge’s dream to finish second. He led the way instead, crossing the finish line on 20 January to seal the win. What does it feel like when a dream comes true? For René Metge it meant dusty, sore and more than a little dehydrated. But also a winner.

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