Find Your Happy Platz - Off-Road Porsche Cayenne

So you wanna go off-road, but you also want perplexing electrical problems? Then a Porsche Cayenne might just be the one for you bruv. Let’s get to it:

When it comes to the wide-world of 4×4 off-road vehicles…

Some of us like freedom I mean ducks I mean Jeeps. While others prefer Toyotas… mostly terrorists & narcos (I kid I kid). Some like big Sprinter vans they can live in, while others like to get quirky with Subarus. Then you have guys like Jason Platz here, who are drawn to 4x4s built by a sports car company. And heck – if one good thing ever came from Porsche making an SUV, it’s that now as 2nd/3rd/4th owners, we get to cut these fancy things up & drive them into rocks, trees, and rivers.

Variety is the spice of life…

And it’s what makes the aftermarket so multi-dimensional. It wouldn’t be very interesting or fun if we all did the same thing eh? The aftermarket is about expression, breaking barriers, turning heads, & doing what they said couldn’t (or shouldn’t) be done. And finding camaraderie along the way through common interests & curiosities. So if something like a lifted Porsche Cayenne tickles your pickle… tickle it hard.

Jason Platz comes from a motorsports background…

He was introduced to overlanding through Roam4lo, who were some of his track buddies who also spent a lot of time off-road. When it comes to exploring trails & backcountry, the cost of entry is low compared to track-day expenses. Therefore, Jason’s level of interest was naturally high. He started out with a 4th-generation V8 Toyota 4Runner, and Roam4lo got his feet wet & showed him the ropes. Due to outside circumstances, he had to sell the 4Runner. However, Jason made a ton of family memories camping & exploring in that thing… and promised his kids the fun wasn’t over. So keeping the positivity & possibilities high, when Jason came across this 2008 Porsche Cayenne S in the back of a buddy’s shop, curiosity peaked.

Jason knew there was an aftermarket niche for the Porsche Cayenne…

Plus he also knew some guys from the Euro & motorsports world, namely Bryson Richards of 380 Industries, & Mike Ngo of Eurowise, who’ve been pioneering functional off-road products (and a cult following) for rugged Cayennes. Jason figured what the hell… it looked like fun.

Different is fun…

As car enthusiasts, if we’re being honest, we all want to do something little outside-the-box. Plus, these 1st-generation Cayennes offer a surprisingly affordable point of entry. Make no mistake though… that’s where ‘the affordability’ stops lol. Maintenance is stereotypically German, and these high-end European 4-wheel-drive vehicles are anything but simple. But there’s a solid fanbase & knowledge-base at this point to get you through. So as long as you know what you’re getting into, they’re a cool & capable selection.

The 1st-generation 955 & 957 Cayenne...

Tends to hold its own & crawl pretty well with 4lo and a center-locking diff (rear optional) that wasn’t available on the later model. Additionally, it has an incredible traction control system. Jason purchased this 2008 957 Cayenne S for just $4,000 with only 90,000 on the clock! Plus the ‘S’ has that gnarly-sounding 4.8 V8. As the used enthusiast buyer, you gotta love that Euro depreciation curve! Especially compared to the high resale value of Jeeps & Toyotas. All-in, Jason only has about $8,000 invested in this unique Cayenne off-road build.

Can it go anywhere a Jeep can go?

That’s a loaded question. And the answer is: Yes & no. First off – not every Jeep can go anywhere a Jeep can go. A lot of it comes down to experience level, approach, good crew/spotters… as well as solid modifications. And with off-roading, as with motorsports, there’s always gonna be some give & take. For example, what you might give up on the edge of the ‘technical climbing’ spectrum, you might gain on highway manners or all-around comfort. The fun is found in the challenge. And remember the bigger & badder the rig… the more extreme that challenge needs to be in order to have fun. So find your sweet spot.

Jason built this Cayenne S for the journey…

Not just conquering the obstacle. There’s a difference. It’s about packing up the family… and seeing the country. The best parts of it… not just the highway overlooks & Hiltons. And doing it with an a-typical, conversation-starting vehicle. This Porsche Cayenne makes memories… the kinds of memories that slow it all down a little bit, and include the family. Compared to weekend track days, hitting trails in a 4×4 is nearly free relatively speaking… yet truly priceless. And that’s something to consider for a generation of import tuners looking for new ways to use car culture to open life experiences.