Luxury tents in the middle of nature with a dream view of the Santa Monica Mountains and the autumnal colours of the vineyards. In the Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo Glamping Experience L.A., the Californian autumn shows its most beautiful side. Glamping, the portmanteau that combines ‘glamorous’ and ‘camping’, describes a comfortable holiday experience under an open sky. During the event, participants will sleep in the new roof tent from Porsche Tequipment. The location is the Saddlerock Ranch in Malibu. The expansive property has provided the setting for many music videos, advertisements, films and TV shows, including ‘Knight Rider’ and ‘The A-Team’. In reality, the ranch is used to rear sheep and cattle and produce wine.
Joining the group is Brock Keen – roof tent expert, 911 driver and professional adventurer. His road trips, on which he combines his passion for Porsche with his love of the wilderness, have attained cult status on social media. He is on hand to provide expert advice and assistance on the Cross Turismo Glamping Experience. Keen can be found on Instagram under @996roadtrip.
The new roof tent from Porsche Tequipment is a two-person model that can be used all year round. It is transported in an exclusive hardcase that was developed at the Weissach Development Centre and co-designed by Studio F.A. Porsche in Zell am See. Its strengths include its quick assembly, comfortable mattress and many practical details.
During the Glamping Experience L.A., the roof tent sits on the roof rails of the Taycan Cross Turismo. This is the particularly versatile body version of the successful electric sports car, the 100,000th unit of which left the production line on 7 November – around three years after the start of the series production. Like the other derivatives, this Taycan started the summer with a comprehensive upgrade for the new model year.
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 the maximum luggage compartment capacity of more than 1,200 litres 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 while also providing protection from stone impacts. The model programme comprises four different motor versions from the Taycan 4 to the Taycan Turbo S,and when Launch Control is used the overboost power ranges from 350 to 560 kW.
The Taycan Cross Turismo comes as standard with the additional Gravel Mode driving programme for journeys on light off-road terrain such as gravel tracks or muddy road surfaces. In this mode, the ride height is raised by 30 millimetres compared with the saloon. Gravel Mode also affects the Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM), Porsche Traction Management (PTM), Porsche Torque Vectoring Plus (PTV+) and Porsche Stability Management (PSM) suspension systems, as well as the rear-axle drive.
Since the summer, a more powerful 22 kW onboard charger can be retrofitted[1]. In Europe and North America, the retrofit also includes activation of the Plug & Charge function. The 2023 model year also started in August 2022. A whole range of improvements have also been made for the Taycan Cross Turismo: A number of driver assistance systems, such as the Vehicle Distance Assistant, can support the driver in even more situations in future. The search for available parking spaces has been improved, so that now even smaller spaces are offered to the driver as an option.
Better conditioning of the battery, especially at low outside temperatures, enables the Taycan to be rapidly charged more frequently overall and over a wider range of battery charge levels (SoC). The waste heat from the electrical components, for example, is used even more to temper the battery.
New functions, a colourful tile design on the start screen and even greater ease of use are the hallmarks of the model upgrades in the Porsche Communication Management (PCM). Additionally, the voice control has been optimised and the Spotify® app integrated. Android Auto® is available wirelessly. Charging stations can be filtered and selected in the navigation system based on charging capacity.
Functions on Demand (FOD) allows Taycan drivers to add what were previously different comfort and assistance systems following purchase and original configuration. One new FoD option is the keyless opening function (Porsche Entry) for the doors and tailgate. More Over-the-Air (OTA) software updates are also available.
Technical optimisations have already increased the range of the electric sports car for everyday use. For the ‘Normal’ and ‘Range’ driving modes in the all-wheel-drive models, the front electric motor is almost completely disconnected and de-energised in the partial load range. There is no drive torque on either of the axles when coasting and at a standstill. This reduces resistance in the drivetrain and power consumption, leaving more energy in the battery for additional kilometres of range per charge.
The Porsche among roof tents
With the new roof tent (€ 4,980.15[2]) 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[3], Macan, Cayenne, Panamera and Taycan – both with and without roof rails.
With roof rails the maximum load[4] when stationary is approx. 190 kg; when mounted without rails it is approx. 140 kg. The maximum top speed is 130 km/h.
In the extended position, the floor surface measures 210 x 130 cm. 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.
[1] Currently no offer for South Korea and Canada [2] Recommended retail price for Germany including 19 per cent VAT [3] GT, Cabriolet and Targa models not included [4] People and luggage