The Porsche Cayenne was an early entry into the world of high-performance on-road SUVs, but over the last two decades, we’ve seen plenty of Cayenne owners enjoying life off the beaten path as well. Porsche decided to remind us of the SUV’s off-road chops, but instead of featuring a new model in a place like Moab, we’re treated to first-generation Cayennes road-tripping through the stunning scenery that is Patagonia.
Shared by Chile and Argentina, Patagonia encompasses the southern reaches of South America and it’s got a little bit of everything. Venture east and you’ll find deserts, while to the west you have rainforests, fjords, and of course the Andes mountains. Stefan Bogner of Curves magazine worked with Porsche on a 2,200-mile trip through the region, starting in Chile at the coastal city of Puerto Montt. Two Porsche Cayennes made the trip, a 2009 and 2010 model each packing the base 3.6-liter V6 engine and over 80,000 miles on the odometer.
Aside from showcasing the Cayenne’s capabilities, Porsche also mentions numerous accessories now available for the first-gen model through Porsche Classic. Each SUV was fitted with gear such as rooftop tents, skid plates, and naturally, each wields a set of grippy off-road tires. But that’s not why we’re sharing this trip with you, dear reader. Patagonia is indeed a special place, and the photos from this journey help bring it all to life.
To Porsche’s credit, the trip doesn’t stick to major roads for the duration. The Cayenne twins venture through narrow gravel passes, muddy terrain, volcanic slopes, numerous ferries to explore remote fjords, and one sketchy suspension bridge that apparently is rusty, crumbling, and barely wider than a truck. We don’t know if any hotels were visited during the trip, but at least a couple of overnight stays took place in the rooftop accommodations, Cayennes gloriously parked in the middle of nowhere.
The trip ended at Ushuaia, the southernmost city on the American continent, but not before making a stop at the Haru Oni eFuels plant where Porsche and its partners are working on synthetic fuels. Porsche is keen to mention this facility in its Cayenne road trip adventure, and we suspect it’s at least partly due to Germany’s lead role in altering the EU combustion engine ban.
Perhaps in 20 years we’ll see another Patagonia journey undertaken with “classic” 2023 model-year Cayennes, running synthetic fuel produced from the picturesque region. Hopefully, the landscape will be as stunning as ever.
