Bored Of Safari-Style Porsche 911s And Can’t Wait For Lamborghini’s Sterrato? How About A Safari Cayman?

We’ve seen plenty of aftermarket Safari-style conversions of Porsche 911s in recent years, and now even Porsche itself is getting ready to drop its own version based on the 992 and rumored to be called the 911 Dakar.

So there’s nothing new about the idea of a lifted 911 on knobbly rubber. But apply the same thinking to the 911’s little brother and you’ve got an even more unique take on the concept that’s guaranteed to turn heads.

The 987 Boxster’s mid-engined layout, two-seat configuration and pocket-supercar profile means this rally-spec Cayman currently being auctioned on PCar Market is arguably closer to the upcoming Lamborghini Sterrato than it is to the new 911 Dakar.

This one-owner 72,000-mile Cayman S started its American life in Beverley Hills in 2006 without an inkling that it would one day be transformed into the beast it is today. The conversion was carried out by Vali Motorsports, who refreshed the white paint and rebuilt the 3.4-liter flat-six with an upgraded IMS bearing and GT3 muffler, and fitted the six-speed manual transmission with a new clutch, limited slip differential and Auto-Blip system.

Related: Is This The New Lamborghini Huracan Sterrato Off-Roader Before We’re Supposed To See It?

Vali also upgraded the suspension, fitted a custom roll cage and a hydraulic handbrake and swapped the stock Porsche sports seats for a pair of buckets complete with Sabelt harnesses.

But it’s the other changes, the stuff you can see from the outside, that make this car. Starting at the front there’s an aggressive splitter (arguably not what you want in an off-road car, but it looks cool), a VMS hood containing a rally light pod, a functional roof vent, a custom spare wheel mount and a fiberglass ducktail rear spoiler.

But what really grabs your attention are those 16×8-inch Braid wheels and their chunky 215/85 BF Goodrich off-road tires stuffed under newly flared fenders. There doesn’t appear to be a ton more ground clearance than stock, and the seller admits you’d want to fit skid plates to protect the mechanical components before really pushing this Cayman on the trails. But this fun build definitely looks the part, which, let’s be honest, is why most people will buy the 911 Dakar and Huracan Sterrato.