It's a question no one would ever think to ask, but Porsche has answered it. If a 911 GT3 were to have a wild night with a military-spec Humvee, what would the resulting baby look like? Enter the Cayenne Transsiberia rally edition you see here. Following a very successful performance by two privately-owned and modified Cayennes in last year's rally, Porsche is putting a full factory effort behind this year's event. Twenty-six special models will be built, all painted either silver or black with orange wheels, graphics, and detailing. They'll be loaded up with Porsche's whole arsenal of electronics, including traction management, chassis control, and active suspension systems. At the same time, they'll be stripped down, with no rear seat and minimal creature comforts (other than the soft leather and alcantara covering the interior-it is still a Porsche.) The Cayenne Transsiberia has a full roll cage, reinforced A- and B-pillars, underbody protection, and diamond plated floorboards. Other add-ons include a winch, roof-mounted light bar, and the most streamlined, precision-built snorkel we've ever seen. Two spare tires and a tool kit fill the rear cargo area. It is, without a doubt, the classiest off-roader we've ever looked at--but what else would you expect from Porsche? We only wonder why higher-powered Turbo S models weren't used.
The 2007 Transsiberia rally runs over 6600 km from Moscow to Mongolia, August 2-17. We haven't heard of any other factory-supported efforts, and if last year's results mean anything, Porsche could finish first through twenty-sixth. We're just excited to see these trucks in action.