This is how you reach the top of the highest volcano in the world by car

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Two experimental units led by resistance pilot and adventurer Romain Dumas climbed the steep slopes of Ojos del Salado, in Chile

For almost 60 years, the Porsche 911 has been pushed to the limit, both on the track and on the road. Now a new chapter is being written with the proof of
two experimental units of a unique 911. Tests have been conducted in places where there are no roads, where the air is thin, where the temperature is well below freezing and even where plants do not exist.

A team led by
resistance pilot and adventurer Romain Dumasset out to see just how far the 911 can go and chose one of the most difficult places in the world to embark on the adventure: the steep slopes of Ojos del Salado, in Chile, the highest volcano in the world.

This is where the first test of the team and the cars took place. And in that field, a Porsche 911 has become one of the few vehicles of any kind to reach such an extreme height.

To reach 6,007 meters (19,708 feet), the 911 with Romain Dumas at the wheel conquered steep inclines and ice patches that tested the skills of both the car and the accompanying team, in
temperatures of about 30 degrees Celsius below zero and with half the oxygen in the air than at sea level. Impenetrable walls of seasonal snow and ice at the summit were the final challenges of the test, where the 911 showed what it is capable of in extreme conditions. The test was successfully completed and the team was amazed at the experience.

“It has been an unforgettable and special adventure, in a place that is as beautiful as it is brutal. I think today the only machines in the whole world taller than ours were airplanes! For the team it was all about learning and from the start the car was seen as tough and agile. We were very demanding and squeezed it to the max from the start, but he acted like he was at home,” he says.
Roman Dumas, 911 pilot and team leader. Despite the large amount of ice and snow on top of the volcano, we climbed more than 6,000 meters, to the point where
the frozen walls They prevented us from going any further. We are very proud of what the 911 has been able to achieve for the first time; Hopefully we will have the chance to experience many more adventures in the future.

Frank-Steffen Walliser, Vice President of Complete Vehicle Architecture at Porsche AG, entrusted the project to his engineer Michael Rösler, responsible for the Porsche 911.

“It was great to make a 911 like never before, a car made possible by a small team of engineering enthusiasts. The 911 has already been extensively tested on the track and of course on the road, but with this project
we change the focus into uncharted territory,” explains Rösler, Range Manager 911. “Testing our theories means finding the toughest environments possible to see if they work. And in the highest volcano in the world we have reached it».

The basis of each unit was the 911 (Type 992) Carrera 4S, equipped with
with a six-cylinder boxer engine standard turbocharger, developing 450 hp, mated to an original seven-speed manual transmission. This base proved to be excellent, thanks to the combination of a strong yet lightweight chassis construction, short wheelbase, high power and the ability to handle extreme heights. With this premise, the engineers at the Porsche Research and Development Center in Weissach, in close collaboration with
Romain Dumas Motorsportunleashed their creativity to prepare the 911 for the specific demands of the mountains.

The two units were equipped with anti-roll bars, carbon fiber seats and harnesses to meet the safety requirements of such a project.

Portal axles were then added to increase ground clearance (now 350mm). The new gear ratios, shorter, allowed to accelerate
precise and smooth at low speed and they worked great with the big, newly mounted off-road tires. In addition, the cars were equipped with a special underbody protection made of lightweight but extremely strong aramid fiber that slides on rocks.

Also added a device called
Porsche Warp Connector. Originally designed for racing applications, it forms a mechanical link between all four wheels to constantly load them, even when they are at the extreme ends of the suspension travel. This allows maximum pulling power. Manual and interchangeable differential locks were used, along with an advanced steering system. Finally, a winch has been added to the front, on a restyled body
to allow room for wheels and 310mm wide off-road tires. The cooling system also had to be moved upwards to allow the car to handle the roughest sections without damage. As a finishing touch, the body was finished in two eye-catching liveries: one in the same Porsche Motorsport color scheme that graces the 963 LMDh, and a second with a 911 theme from the Weissach design team.

“More than 30 years ago, a team of Porsche engineers installed four-wheel drive in a 911 to investigate ‘what if…?’ Today, I am proud that this natural curiosity of our engineers to push the boundaries, try new ideas and most importantly inspire, is still alive,” concludes Walliser. “Projects like these are vital for those under us who work at Porsche When the journey begins,
the team literally went for the highest. I hope it was the first of many other adventures.”

Source: La Verdad

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