From The End Of The World To Alaska In 100 Days: Porsche Cayenne Conquers 41,600km Pan-American Journey

A second-generation Porsche Cayenne Diesel has completed an extraordinary 41,600-kilometre journey from Ushuaia in Argentina’s Tierra del Fuego to Deadhorse, Alaska, as part of the #ThePanamericana100Project.

The adventure was undertaken by 54-year-old German Rainer Behrendt and 57-year-old Dutchman Jan Bongers to fulfil their lifelong dream of driving the Pan-American Highway across 15 countries in just 100 days.

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The journey began in Ushuaia, widely known as the “End of the World”, before taking the pair north through South and Central America, the United States and Canada, through challenging routes and elevations of more than 4,500 metres, and finally into Alaska.

Their second-generation Porsche Cayenne Diesel was prepared for the demanding expedition with off-road tyres, auxiliary driving lights and a 100-litre fuel tank, which helped the vehicle cope despite facing several serious challenges along the way.

At elevations above 4,500 metres in the Andes, the thin air prevented the Cayenne’s diesel particulate filter from regenerating properly, forcing the vehicle into limp mode, with its engine restricted to 2,000 rpm.

The Cayenne also faced an AdBlue shortage in Ecuador, forcing the team to search extensively for diesel exhaust fluid. The expedition also tested the pair personally, with Bongers suffering from altitude sickness in the Andes.

Despite the setbacks, the Cayenne eventually reached Deadhorse after crossing the Arctic Circle and travelling through Alaska’s remote landscapes. The Cayenne had to be shipped around the Darién Gap between Colombia and Panama, where the road network ends.

Beyond the driving challenge, the expedition carried a humanitarian message. The Cayenne wore a “Race against ALS” livery to raise awareness and donations for research into amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a devastating and still incurable disease to which Behrendt’s mother-in-law succumbed last year.

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