New Porsche Off-Roader Blurs Line Between Sports Car and SUV

KALMAR Automotive, a British company known for enhancing and restoring bespoke sports cars, has unveiled its first water-cooled model in the new “Adventure Range” of ruggedized Porsche 911s built for off-road travel.

The KALMAR RS-6 is the latest in the company’s line of all-terrain 911s engineered to expand perceptions of what the classic rear-engine sports car can do. After customers raved about driving the heavily modified KALMAR cars on various adventures, the company began offering to build custom versions for buyers seeking to bring one home. Previously only available in air-cooled variants, the RS-6 represents KALMAR’s first water-cooled 911 conversion.

Inspired by the original KALMAR RS (short for “Rally Special”), the new RS-6 starts with a 996-generation Porsche 911 Carrera as its base. With prices for older 964 and 993 models continuing to rise, the RS-6 provides a more affordable entry point to go-anywhere capability while retaining the practicality, usability and driving feel of its air-cooled ancestors, according to the company.

After 12 months of testing, KALMAR unveiled the RS-6 in January at its Beyond Adventure “Spirit of Speed” driving events in Lapland, Finland, where customers tested it on snow, ice and frozen lakes in temperatures as low as -35°C.

Despite formidable off-road talents, the lightweight 1,440 kg RS-6 retains sports car agility, according to KALMAR founder Jan Kalmar. He said the car is equally adept on ice and desert terrain as it is carving mountain switchbacks or high-speed roads.

Bespoke Builds Ready for Any Adventure

Each RS-6 build is bespoke, limited only by the customer’s imagination. At its heart is the original water-cooled Mezger flat-six Porsche engine, available in Carrera 2, Carrera 4 or Turbo variants, producing 300 hp or more. A limited-slip differential comes standard for added traction, with power tuning options up to over 500 hp.

To deal with rugged conditions, the RS-6 gets a raised suspension with 80mm more ground clearance than stock 911s along with KALMAR’s own shocks, springs, subframe and components providing 210mm total clearance – on par with a Porsche Cayenne SUV. Optional adaptive shocks automatically adjust firmness while lowering the ride height 50mm for spirited on-road driving.

For extreme expeditions, the RS-6 can be equipped with a roof storage system for fuel cans and spare tires. An auxiliary LED light bar comes standard. Custom livery designs match each vehicle’s unique personality.

Function Meets Form in Rugged Style

Extensive underbody protection, front shielding and a reinforced tow hitch enable the RS-6 to explore places most 911s can’t, while bespoke details inside and out highlight its adventurous spirit. Unnecessary trim and sound insulation are removed to reduce weight.

“RS-6 is designed to challenge perceptions of where a 911 can take you,” said Kalmar. “With more affordable 996 models as the base, we can bring the thrill of off-road Porsche driving to a new audience.”