One word for it: extreme
The new Porsche Cayenne SUV will debut on August 29, but before getting the bells and whistles, Stuttgart's cash cow had to go through hell, whether hot or frozen.
During what Porsche calls global endurance, the new Cayenne (codenamed internally E3) swapped environments and temperatures ranging from -45 degrees to 50 degrees. In the process, the SUV also added 4.4 million km under its belt.
Putting a new model through a set of grueling tests is not a new practice in the car world, as everybody is doing it, from PSA to FCA and even Bugatti.
With the new Cayenne, however, Porsche wanted to test a few key aspects: drive, chassis plus display and control. Stuttgart says engineers tweaked these to create a larger "spread between sportiness and comfort."
The test includes on- and off-road sessions, artificial vibrations applied to the chassis and body via the Hydropuls unit. However, the conditions simulated are so harsh that it's unlikely owners would encounter during everyday driving.
Here's what the itinerary looks like for a Porsche Cayenne test mule: first it's Germany and the Hockenheimring and Nürburgring-Nordschleife, then off to Italy on the 12.6 km high-speed track at Nardò.
Testing gets hot once the Cayenne takes on Dubai's sand dunes and USA's Death Valley. Next, it's time for freezing temperatures in Alaska, Sweden, and Finland, high humidity in China and off-roading in South Africa, Japan, and New Zealand.
Yep, the new Cayenne is a traveler, but customers have specific demands that Porsche must meet.
Here's a first-gen Porsche Cayenne showing its composure in the mud. For your entertainment, of course.