Engineers drove the 2018 Cayenne through extreme temperatures and environments around the world to shake out its weaknesses.
Porsche is familiar with endurance. The 911 is still going strong after more than 50 years. Porsches identified by such numbers as 956, 962C, and 919 have driven to victory in the 24 Hours of Le Mans race. The 2018 Cayenne may not be a legend like the 911 (yet) or a race car, but it still needs to be the product of everything Porsche has learned about lasting longer.
Like other SUVs, the 2018 Cayenne will be expected to haul families around town for groceries and games, and out of state for summer and winter vacations. Some owners will use it to escort clients to investment properties and deal-sealing dinners. Then there will be those rare few who take it off road to go hunting or camping or just to see what a big, expensive SUV with a Porsche shield on its nose can do in the mud and muck.
To make sure the 2018 Cayenne can withstand years of use and possible abuse, Porsche has thoroughly tested it for nearly three years in a variety of places at a multitude of temperatures.
In the deserts of Dubai and Death Valley, the mercury soared to levels as high as 122 degrees Fahrenheit. Temps like those tested the Cayenne’s cooling system, transmission, traction control, and rear differential lock. In Canada, the Cayenne had to power through temperatures that plunged to -40 degrees Fahrenheit – a great test of engine oiling, defroster speed, and tire grip.
Of course, Porsche also took the 2018 Cayenne to the Nürburgring-Nordschleife and Nardo tracks for high-speed development and evaluation.
Porsche will reveal the fruits of its globetrotting labors on August 29. Less than a week away? We can endure that long of a wait. Can you?
Derek Shiekhi's father raised him on cars. As a boy, Derek accompanied his dad as he bought classics such as post-WWII GM trucks and early Ford Mustang convertibles.
After loving cars for years and getting a bachelor's degree in Business Management, Derek decided to get an associate degree in journalism. His networking put him in contact with the editor of the Austin-American Statesman newspaper, who hired him to write freelance about automotive culture and events in Austin, Texas in 2013. One particular story led to him getting a certificate for learning the foundations of road racing.
While watching TV with his parents one fateful evening, he saw a commercial that changed his life. In it, Jeep touted the Wrangler as the Texas Auto Writers Association's "SUV of Texas." Derek knew he had to join the organization if he was going to advance as an automotive writer. He joined the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) in 2014 and was fortunate to meet several nice people who connected him to the representatives of several automakers and the people who could give him access to press vehicles (the first one he ever got the keys to was a Lexus LX 570). He's now a regular at TAWA's two main events: the Texas Auto Roundup in the spring and the Texas Truck Rodeo in the fall.
Over the past several years, Derek has learned how to drive off-road in various four-wheel-drive SUVs (he even camped out for two nights in a Land Rover), and driven around various tracks in hot hatches, muscle cars, and exotics. Several of his pieces, including his article about the 2015 Ford F-150 being crowned TAWA's 2014 "Truck of Texas" and his review of the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider, have won awards in TAWA's annual Excellence in Craft Competition. Last year, his JK Forum profile of Wagonmaster, a business that restores Jeep Wagoneers, won prizes in TAWA’s signature writing contest and its pickup- and SUV-focused Texas Truck Invitational.
