For a brand traditionally dedicated to the development of sports cars, making an off-roader it was like jumping into the pool without knowing if there is water inside. That sensation of vertigo was the first felt by the creators of the Porsche Cayenne when they began their development back in 1998. It is true that they had already had experience in the off-road field with the 597 Jagdwagen, but it had nothing to do with making a simple military vehicle than an SUV that would please the general public.
We have already talked about the origin of the Cayenne and the success it has had, practically becoming a savior for Porsche that allows them to survive and make other cars today. But what many will not know is that their commissioning took place in Spain, specifically in a small town of Lleida. The German brand was looking for locations that could put it to the test off the asphaltbecause the key was to get a vehicle that would perform well on rough, soft or slippery terrain.
And by chance they ended up coming to Spain. A Porsche worker saw a German advertisement offering off-road driving experiences. The promoter had discovered years before a center of activities in the municipality of Basella, located in the Alto Urgell region. Part of that area had been flooded when the Rialb reservoir was built and the surroundings were a quiet enclave with many possibilities. So they contacted the activity center and went to try some training sessions.
They took various competitive models and they thoroughly tested them to see the parameters that the Porsche Cayenne had to meet. Then they began with the fine-tuning of the prototypes, which required extensive work at the mechanical level and also with the electronic driving assistance systems. Luckily, the Basella facilities they were perfect for their development. In fact, the German technicians fell in love with a ramp, which they named “Estanis Hill” in honor of one of the owners, Estanis Soler.
It is striking that although more than 20 years have passed since the launch of the Porsche Cayenne, relations with the Basella Center have been maintained. It is the place where the Porsche Iberian Off Road Experience and it remains an ideal place to put any off-roader to the test.
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