Stock 2008 Cayenne S Takes on Hell’s Revenge Trail

With no other modifications other than a set of all-terrain tires a 2008 Cayenne S proves it has serious off-road chops.

The screams of the Porsche faithful could be heard around the world when the Porsche Cayenne was first revealed. A freaking SUV? From Porsche? This is the end of the world as we know it. Well, it is about 20 years later, and the world has not ended. In fact, Porsche is stronger than ever with a portfolio of amazing sports cars. And SUVs. Oh, and wagons, and sedans. One of the reasons Porsche is in such a position is that while building an SUV was a departure, Porsche made sure they built a good SUV. A capable SUV. And we see that capability here with this stock 2008 Cayenne S taking on some serious off-road trails.

A video was recently uploaded to the Harrison Schoen YouTube channel. In this video we see this stock 2008 Cayenne S go through Hell’s Gate to tackle Hell’s Revenge Trail in Moab, Utah. Now some of you hard core off-roaders may be saying that is not the most difficult trail in the world. And you are correct. However, this is a luxury SUV with only all-terrain tires being the difference from how it was delivered in the showroom. And no matter what you think of the trail it is a heck of a lot more difficult than the average Whole Foods parking lot which is the typical Cayenne stomping ground.

2008 Cayenne S

2008 was 14 years ago now so maybe a quick refresher is in order. The 2008 Cayenne S had a V8 engine that put out 385 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque. This Cayenne tips the scales right around 5,000 pounds so the more power the better. The SUV could accelerate to 60 mph in about 6 seconds. But this video is not about acceleration. It is about going off-road. Afterall, isn’t that one of the main reasons you should buy an SUV? This Cayenne came with full-time all-wheel drive. It has the ability to send up to 100 percent of available power to the front or rear wheels. It has 8.6-inches of ground clearance. The angle of approach is 28.6 degrees, and angle of departure is 22.8 degrees. This is not a poseur SUV.

On Trail

Seeing a Porsche SUV on a trail like this is a little surreal. Even though it was engineered to take on tough terrain, you rarely see a Porsche in this type of environment. But it seems right at home. To say the Cayenne completed the trail easily would be a bit of an exaggeration. It was not a cake walk but it did manage to get past all the obstacles. If you take your Cayenne on a trail like this, you should expect some bumps and scrapes. But you should also expect to make to wherever you want to go.

Give it a Try

A first- or second-generation Porsche Cayenne is a reasonably affordable vehicle right now. And it has shown here just what it is capable of. It is only a matter of time before people begin to catch on to what an off-road performance bargain the Cayenne can be. If you are interested in getting out into the woods a bit or climbing up some rocky terrain you owe it to yourself to consider the Cayenne.

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Joe Kucinski

Joe has been obsessed with cars since he got his very first Matchbox toy in the ‘70s. In 2003, he found a new obsession in track days that led to obtaining his SCCA competition license in 2015. In 2019, he became a certified driving instructor for the National Auto Sport Association. His love for all things four wheels has never wavered, whether it's driving some of the best cars in the world on the racetrack, tackling 2,000-mile road trips in 2-seat sports cars or being winched off the side of a mountaintop in a Jeep. Writing for the suite of Internet Brands Auto Communities sites, including Rennlist.com, Ford Truck Enthusiasts, 6 Speed and more allows him to share that knowledge and passion with others.