This off-road Porsche Cayenne is surprisingly affordable
The so-called overland is a hype in the car world. SUVs and pickups convert into off-road vehicles in the driveway, ready to spend days in the wilderness. This remarkably affordable Porsche Cayenne got the same treatment. Manners spoke to the man who converted this car himself.
Looking after a Porsche Cayenne sounds like madness. Knock on any Porsche dealership and you’ll quickly find that you’ve lost over a tonne even for the base version. Fortunately, there are cheaper alternatives too.
Porsche Cayenne is the only affordable off-roader
If you are not averse to an older copy, there is a large selection available. The first-generation Cayenne can often be found as a cheap used car these days. “Remarkably, many other options were beyond my budget when I bought this Porsche Cayenne two years ago,” says owner Geno Foster Manners.
For overlanding, cars like the Jeep Wrangler or the Toyota Landcruiser are much more common. But the very fact that the Cayenne is more unique attracted American Foster. According to him, not only was the Porsche Cayenne more eccentric and cheaper, the SUV was also remarkably good off-road.
The Porsche Cayenne has one low rangeMode, a locking differential, four-wheel drive, a naturally breathing 4.8-liter V8 and the luxury of a Porsche. Not a crazy combo. However, they are not there yet. It takes more to turn your Cayenne into the monstrous off-roader that the Americans made it. blood, sweat and tears. Oh yes, and some money.
Conversion and maintenance of the Porsche Cayenne cost 9,400 euros
Still, we’re surprised at how many piggy banks Foster smashed for his daring project. He estimates he spent around $10,000 on remodeling and maintenance. Sounds like a lot of money, but every car enthusiast knows that the costs of such extreme projects can quickly get out of hand. In this respect, $10,000 is still modest. However, the owner was fortunate to be able to secure a sponsorship deal now and then.
Incidentally, the American got a lot in return for the money. In the past two years, the Porsche Cayenne has been raised and equipped with special wishbones, 17-inch wheels with huge off-road tires, additional lighting and custom bumpers.
“Everyday car full of adventure”
Since then, Geno Foster has had numerous adventures with the brutal Porsche Cayenne. “Every time you drive this car off-road, it’s an adventure per se. My favorite places are rugged Sedona, Arizona, and California’s Anza Borrego National Park.”
But Foster uses the Porsche Cayenne for more than just off-road driving. “This is my everyday car!” So it’s not a garage queen this is only published occasionally and we can appreciate that. This ensures that he turns heads every day on the street. “I didn’t know those things could go off-road,” “You’re crazy,” and “Is that a Porsche?” are comments Foster hears regularly.
Do you also long for all the attention that you get with such an all-terrain Porsche Cayenne? Then you have to find a used one first. “The Cayenne is a great platform that can take you almost anywhere. An ideal project for people for whom a 911 Dakar is over budget.
Cultivated occasion
Just make sure you do your homework and find a well-maintained used car.” But once you’ve found one, the project can begin. “I would certainly recommend others to start such a project. Definitely worth it.”