Glamping, the portmanteau word that combines glamorous and camping, is used to describe comfortably camping under the stars. It also works when summing up the new roof tent on the elegant long roof of a Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo that has just worked its way up some of Southern California’s rougher dirt tracks.
During the Glamping Experience, the tent was mounted to the roof rails of the Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo. This is the particularly versatile bodystyle of the successful electric sports car, the 100,000th unit of which left the production line in November – roughly three years after series production started. Like the other derivatives, this Taycan started the summer with a comprehensive upgrade for the new model year.
The overnight camping took place on the wilder western sections of the Saddlerock Ranch, an expansive property that has been the setting for countless music videos, advertisements, films and TV shows, including the likes of Knight Rider and The A-Team. Day-to-day, the ranch is used to rear sheep and cattle as well as to produce wine.
Camping alongside: social-media star Brock Keen
Camping alongside the media was social-media star Brock Keen (@996roadtrip), who drove a 3,100-mile round trip with his wife Sara and dog Lucy in their famous roof-tent-equipped 996-generation Porsche 911. “I’ve seen this transition over the past five years going from one crazy idea of putting a rooftop tent on a 911 to it turning into an actual thing.
“I’ve made a 3,000 mile road trip loop and I’ve landed in Malibu in the mountains, camping with Taycans with roof top tents. I would have never dreamed that it could have got to this.
“I think the experience as a whole is something really special. The idea that Porsche had taken note at some point in my personal journey and thought that this looked like something that our people should do is a little bit surprising, a little bit flattering. It’s a little bit humbling also. Also understanding that what I do with this roof top tent/sports car camping is better than going on a big old SUV that’s lumbering around some awful roads. I mean you’re going to get to drive these amazing roads all day long and pop a tent just about anywhere you want in the US and that gives us the ability to do those things over and over again. In amidst these epic views.
The all-rounder among electric sports cars
The Taycan Cross Turismo features all the strengths that characterise the Taycan, such as a superior performance and long range. Added to this are additional headroom for rear-seat passengers and a maximum luggage compartment capacity of more than 1,200 liters (42.8 ft³) behind the large tailgate. The standard all-wheel-drive chassis, with its air suspension, features height adjustment. The off-road design elements include wheel arch covers, distinctive lower sections at the front and rear, and side skirts. In combination with the Offroad Design package, special flaps are fitted at the corners of the front and rear bumpers and at the ends of the door sills of the Cross Turismo. These make for a striking exterior look while also providing protection from stone impacts. The model line-up comprises four different powertrain options from the Taycan 4 to the Taycan Turbo S of which, when Launch Control is used, overboost power ranges from 350 to 560 kW.
The Porsche among roof tents
With the new roof tent from Porsche Tequipment, the sports car is transformed into a hotel room for nature lovers. For the hardcase, buyers can choose between Black/Light Grey and Black/Dark Grey, each of which is adorned with a matt black PORSCHE logo. The hardcase design can be installed on the roof transport systems of the 911*, Macan, Cayenne, Panamera and Taycan – both with and without roof rails.
In the extended position, the floor surface measures 210 x 130 cm (82.6 x 51.2 in). A comfortable, high-density polyfoam mattress is integrated. The tent walls are made of a breathable cotton blend. With water-resistant zips and a separate rain cover for entry, the tent is designed for wetter weather too. Highlights in the interior include the highly insulating quilted lining in Light Grey. A roof window and two side windows are standard. The latter can be fully opened for ventilation. An insect guard offers protection against mosquitoes and an additional black-out function helps keep the light out.
The Porsche roof tent can be set up quickly at the campsite. First, you open the lockable safety latches. Then, you lift the hardcase slightly and open it up with the aid of two gas pressure shock absorbers. The foot zone of the floor is then folded out and stabilised using the integrated telescopic ladder. By now, the tent is already unfolded. The last step is simply to erect the tent and make it taut with the four poles.
Additional optional Tequipment accessories are available. These include an inner tent, a heated blanket and a shoe and bag organiser.
*GT, Cabriolet and Targa models not included
