Clearly, the rear-engine sports car can be far more practical than it looks.
A couple of years ago, Stuttgart's premier automaker shared the story of a Porsche 911 enthusiast named Brock Keen who added roof racks and a tent to his Carrera 4S. If Porsche approves, then so do we. But while the Cayenne may be a better adventure companion than any of Zuffenhausen's other products, the German automaker has been thinking out of the box and has even provided a rooftop tent for Taycan EV owners who wished to take part in an exclusive Porsche Experience.
Now, Porsche is going a step further by offering a two-person tent directly to customers. This looks awesome and should be the perfect accessory for the upcoming 911 Safari/Dakar.
The new offering from Porsche Tequipment comes in an exclusive hardcase designed to withstand the elements. Created at the Weissach Development Centre, the new hardcase can be installed on roof transport systems for the 911, the Macan, the Cayenne, the Panamera, and the Taycan EV, with and without roof rails. The tent itself is waterproof and has been described as an all-season two-person tent with two openable side windows with insect guards and a roof window. This ensures that you can keep the mosquitoes out without suffocating to death on your partner's flatulence. A blackout function can keep light out if you're camping in an area where the sun goes down late at night.
When open, the tent floor has a surface area of 83x51 inches. This space is underpinned by an integrated polyfoam mattress with quilting, and the tent walls are made from a breathable blend of cotton. The interior lining is quilted too and is presented in Light Grey. The head side of the tent shows off a mountain-shaped silhouette, while the outside of the tent displays side walls that "mimic the flyline of the 911." Naturally, a large Porsche logo is also visible so that shocked onlookers in their Broncos can see you shelled out the big bucks for an OEM accessory.
It's also easy to set up. Undo the lockable safety latches and lift the hardcase lid. This will be easy because of two integrated gas shock absorbers. As you do this, the foot area of the floor folds out and is stabilized by an integrated telescopic ladder. All you have to do then is erect the tent with the help of four included poles.
When it's rainy out, a separate rain cover is included for the entrance area, and the zips of the tent are water-resistant. The structure is strong, too, with a maximum stationary load of around 419 pounds with roof rails and roughly 309 lbs without them. With the tent packed away, you can do a maximum of 81 mph - more than enough for the average freeway.
The hardcase is available in Black/Light Grey or Black/Dark Grey, each of which can be embellished with a matte black Porsche script logo. Pricing starts at approximately $4,980 with delivery to begin in November. But you may wish to wait before placing your order - Porsche says additional Tequipment accessories, including an inner tent, a shoe and bag organizer, and a heated blanket, will soon be available too.
Sebastian jumped straight into the workplace after high school. Various vocations in sales, logistics, and project management helped him buy and modify several cars over the years, while his passion for motoring journalism saw him contribute to local print media while running car enthusiast clubs. But in 2019, the opportunity to join CarBuzz arrived. Originally handling reviews of new cars, his love of the technical led to writing detailed blog posts on various aspects of car care and ownership. He currently handles news sourcing, writing, and editing, along with social media management and the clarification of patent lingo. In his spare time, he's either reading, driving, or looking to collect more BMW Performance parts for the E82 and E9X platforms.