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It started in Stuttgart. Engineers at Porsche, one of the most respected German automakers in the industry, set upon the task of devising a rooftop tent (RTT) option, ostensibly, to provide outdoor enthusiasts with an overland opportunity. As road trip travel continues to trend, it does make sense that automakers are providing rooftop tents for adventuresome travelers, usually seen on rugged trucks and SUVs.
One thing led to another, and now the awkward looking contraption has been designed for Porsche 911 models. In short, one of the most iconic sports cars ever can be fitted with a tent. Let that sink in. Porsche announced the news of its new overland offering Sept. 8, 2022, sharing images from their Porsche Roof Tent Experience. In this one, a very happy camper is pictured smiling wide because he was chosen for the 2022 Experience, and, of course, because he is sitting a top a 911 Carrera AG in a tent.
Showing Off Taycan Turbo S Rigged With A Roof Tent
Porsche was not alone at the RTT rodeo. At the influential Los Angeles Auto Show this fall, many car brands were already there. Jeep, Ford, and Subaru showcased one of their 2023 models rigged with an RTT. Conspicuous among the myriad of automotive displays showcased at the annual Los Angeles Convention Center extravaganza was the Porsche campout set up. Surely causing many a double-take, Porsche’s display featured the new electric Taycan Turbo S Cross Turismo topped with a tent. It was one of several automotive brands outfitted with an RTT, but seeing a tent atop a Telluride is not as surprising as witnessing a Porsche luxury coupe crowned in camping gear.
Flash forward to November 2022, and we learn the rooftop tent by Porsche Tequipment is green lighted for sale. Following a sprinkling of sponsored rooftop camping highlights, Porsche announced the addition of the tent accessory added to its inventory. Besides the 911 and Taycan, the RTT is suited for the following Porsche models: the Boxster, Cayenne, Panamera, and Macan. Check the company website for a detailed list of RTT-capable models.
The Roof Tent Mission: Porsche Engineering Excellence Put To Good Use In Weissach
The approximately 400-pound hard shell case RTT, was designed at the renowned Weissach research center, the echelon of Porsche where it has been thinking up new concepts since 1971. The company simply calls it, “The think tank of Porsche.” For our purposes, the final product is a well-designed rooftop assembly apparatus that can unlatch into a tent.
The hard shell case was designed to make the rooftop apparatus more aerodynamic. Having said that, safe driving speeds with the RTT attached, are limited to 81mph. Kudos go to the engineering division, because 81mph is a remarkable speed for that kind of contraption. At the same time, it seems to curb a sports vehicle’s allure. If a Porsche driver doesn’t mind that limit, he can purchase the factory-approved camping equipment for $5,000. Before scoffing at the price, one should know this model features a zip out skylight for stargazing and a “high-density polyfoam” mattress that reclines. It’s like having a couch in your tent. Despite the high-quality construction and “glamping” perks, it is fair to say that it is one of the most expensive camp tents ever made. Luckily, it can be protected by the anti-theft system. An added advantage to the reclined mattress setting is the view. Outdoor nature landscapes can be spied just outside one of the waterproof zipper windows. The RTT is found at Porsche’s 25-year-old Genuine Porsche Tequipment Accessories line. The roof tent is yet another product added to the notoriously pricey inventory.
It’s tempting finding out about the perks of Porsche sports car tenting. But let’s just step back a moment and think it through. Why did the people at Porsche engineer something so impractical for a 911? Consider, once luggage and personal belongings are packed, where does the camp gear go? The camp stove, the ice chest, chairs. Clearly, these items cannot be packed in a rooftop cargo box. Yet, the folks at Stuttgart’s savvy marketing division insists the RTT is, “Practical adventure equipment [that] transforms the sports car into a hotel room for nature-lovers.” (Room service not available.) At the end of the day, the reason Porsche engineered the RTT is not complicated. Tequipment is profitable for the company.
Porsche Rooftop Camping Experience And Influencer Highlights
Porsche opted to focus its RTT publicity around social media advertising. The overland culture and the popularity of road tripping is represented heavily throughout social media channels. So, reaching out to various key Instagram influencers, the company provided to them several different models equipped with the Tequipment RTT. In Germany, the lucky influencers set out to the Black Forest to camp, taking photos and determining the favorable results of the test camp. Another group of influencers camped in the Los Angeles area. German Influencer Marisa Hampe, who toured the Black Forest and the Rhine-Hesse region of southwest Germany, was just as excited about getting to drive a Porsche. She said it was a childhood dream. “The comfort, the design, the whole look of the car – it’s all really special, and it was an epic landscape to drive through.” As for the roof tent, she said she was lucky to be the first to try it out. She said the roof tent was “cozy” and she was “pampered with culinary meals.” The sponsored media event happened in the spring of 2022.
Taycan And 996 Glamping Experience
In November at the Porsche-sponsored L.A. Taycan Cross Turismo Glamping Experience, just in time for the L.A. Auto Show event, a different influencer joined the Taycan Turbo S Cross Turismo campers. His name is Brock Keen. He is an Instagram road tripper who posts awesome shares of his camping adventures featuring his 996 C45 Porsche 911. The trio of Porsche campers set up their glamping experience at an awe-inspiring location. Perched high above the city at a prime spot found trekking the back roads of Malibu, stunning views overlooking all of Southern California, even stretching to Catalina Island, impressed them all.
This Guy Put A DIY Roof Tent On A Porsche 996 C45 911
The somewhat famous Porsche road tripper has been posting to social media for years the various ways he has equipped his 996-generation Porsche 911 with tent modifications. This is someone who figured out how to camp in a sports car and proved it with myriads of photos. Keen posted a video of his amazing experience camping in Malibu, sharing his reaction to the Porsche “glamping experience.” He talked about having watched the roof tent trend build for five years. Referring to Porsche RTTs specifically, he enthused to his 138K followers, “[it went] from one crazy idea of putting a rooftop tent on a 911 to it turning into an actual thing.”
So there you have it. Owners of Porsche 911 sports cars wanted RTTs for camping, and Stuttgart responded.
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