To prove a point I left the Cayenne at its regular 217 mm (8.5 in) ground clearance for the majority of my rocky climb. Shawn crouched down outside to make sure I didn't ground out any expensive bits - camera in hand as witness if I did - as I negotiated some rather deep dry gulches that crossed our path. Not once, and that includes the few moments that a front or rear wheel was in the air, did the Cayenne touch bottom.
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| Even with it set to its regular 217 mm (8.5 in) ground clearance and one wheel in the air the Cayenne didn't bottom out. (Photo: Shawn Pisio, Canadian Auto Press) |
Just for fun I popped the sport utility up to its fully extended 273 mm (10.8 in) ground clearance maximum, which looked impressive enough. Truly, this would be wonderful if traversing extremely rocky, muddy or otherwise foreboding terrain, but for most off-road activity it's not necessary.
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| Once at the top of the hill, I sat in awe at the thought I had just negotiated some pretty intimidating road surfaces in a Porsche. (Photo: Shawn Pisio, Canadian Auto Press) |
Once at the top of the hill, or at least as far as we were willing to take it with Whistler Village so close by and hunger panging away on our insides so mercilessly, I sat in awe at the thought I had just negotiated some pretty intimidating road surfaces in a Porsche. I mean, let's put this into perspective. Last year the farthest off the roadway I would have taken a Stuttgart product would have been the driveway to the Chateau, which is cobblestone I believe. In other words, unless race prepped for the Paris Dakar rally, you'd have to be a complete imbecile to off-road a 911 or Boxster. Not so any more. While some might think I'm a complete imbecile for clambering up a mountain in such an expensive vehicle, the truck itself is easily up to the job.
