Autoblog

Click above for high-res gallery of Porsche Cayenne S Transsyberia

Porsche has won the Transsyberia Rally that runs 4,400 miles across Russia, Siberia and Mongolia three times in a row using only slightly modified versions of its Cayenne S. Not only that, it swept the podium in 2007 and took the top six places in this year's rally that ended just a few weeks ago. In celebration of these achievements, the German sportscar and erstwhile SUV maker is offering a special edition Cayenne called the Cayenne S Transsyberia. Scheduled to debut at the Paris Motor Show next month, the Cayenne S Transsyberia features the 405-hp direct-inject 4.8L V8 from the Cayenne GTS mated to Porsche's six-speed automatic transmission with a final drive ratio shortened 15% to 4.1:1. That scoots the big ute to 60 mph 6.1 seconds, half a sec quicker than a stock Cayenne S.

What really sets the Cayenne S Transsyberia apart, however, are its exterior color combinations, which include Black/Orange, Crystal Silver Metallic/Orange, Black/Meteor Grey and Meteor Grey Metallic/Crystal Silver Metallic. These contrasting color combos are coordinated with the 18-inch wheels, rear spoiler, skid plates, and air intake slats. The large "Cayenne S Transsyberia" model designation graphic that runs across the doors and the roof-mounted light bar are also both no-cost options but really make the package what it is. The interior is adorned with ornamental trim and the exterior color combo is carried through, and there's also a twelve o'clock mark on the steering as an homage to this truck's motorsports connection.

Porsche says deliveries will start in Europe in January 2009, while 600 units of the Cayenne S Transsyberia are slated for North American consumption.


[Source: Porsche]

Click above for a gallery of the updated Cayenne S Transsyberia

Last year, Porsche built a series of race-ready Cayenne S Transsyberia SUVs for use in the rally event bearing the same name. Lessons were learned, and so for the 2008 running of the Transsyberia, Porsche is offering the teams who bought the trucks last year a conversion package that features a number of upgrades. These include a new sump guard, a beefier tire package, tweaked air suspension, a shorter final drive ratio (same as the new Cayenne GTS), plus updates to the transmission programming, dynamic chassis control and traction management systems. Driving from Moscow to Mongolia is no picnic, and these upgrades should make the already-robust Cayenne S Transsyberia even better-suited to handle the rough-and-tumble 4,400-mile course. You can check out the full specs after the jump, and see last year's post on the truck's unveiling for a peek at many of the other modifications that came as part of the standard package.


[Source: Porsche]

Rod Millen has another trophy for the cabinet. Along with co-driver Richard Kelsey, he took first in the Rally Transsyberia which ran the 7,100 kilometers from Moscow, Russia to Ulan Bataar, Mongolia. As Team North America 2, they were driving one of 26 special Porsche Cayenne S Transsyberia rally cars, which were factory-prepared with many of the mods privateers fitted to the SUV that won last year's edition.

Going against 21 other teams that included drivers like Walter Röhrl and Armin Schwartz, Millen and Kelsey had the race wrapped up before the last stage. The Cayenne S Transsyberia benefits from Porsche Traction Management with a transverse lock, Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control with a Special Offroad Mode, Porsche Active Suspension Management, and a snorkel. Millen called it the greatest challenge of his motorsports career. Porsche took the top three places, and six of the top ten.

[Source: Porsche]