Proving the durability of Porsche’s first-generation E1 Cayenne, Moussaoui set off with a simple plan: enter Kuwait into his GPS, pack a bag, and hit the road. What followed was an extraordinary four-month journey that showcased the resilience of a showroom-spec Cayenne.
The 22-year-old adventurer covered 28 countries and more than 34,000 km in his stock Cayenne V6 – a car that had already clocked 276,000 km before the trip began. “The whole point of my trip was to do it with a completely stock car,” Moussaoui explained.
Unmodified yet unstoppable: The Cayenne’s true test
Aside from upgrading the headlights with OEM Porsche parts, the Cayenne remained untouched – running on factory 21-inch wheels with low-profile tyres. Despite the risk of potholes, Moussaoui was never stranded.
Speaking at Icons of Porsche in Dubai Design District, Moussaoui shared his motivation: a lifelong passion for Porsche. “Porsche is my forever brand. I wouldn’t have chosen another car for this trip. My parents put me in a 911 (993) when I left the hospital as a newborn – my dad said there was just enough room in the back.”
The only maintenance required for the four-month journey that took him from the UAE deserts to the snow fields of Switzerland was regular oil changes and new spark plugs in London.
“Oil changes are the cheapest insurance to ensure the engine stays strong. It’s the ultimate testament to its durability and it didn’t skip a beat.”
Across deserts and mountains: The route to Icons of Porsche
From Dubai, Mateo drove to Kuwait via Saudi Arabia. From there he continued on to Iraq, Turkey and across to Europe crossing through England, Scotland and Wales.
“The most challenging part of the journey was negotiating the border entry from Kuwait into Iraq around Basra, which was an experience. I spent four hours at the border and there were 20 kiosks for documents and fees.”
After its return to Dubai, Mateo gave it another oil change but it’s still running on the same tyres after giving them a rotation in Monaco at the 13,000 km mark.
Despite conquering Saudi Arabian deserts, jagged mountains of Iraq, snow-capped peaks of Italy, fording lakes in Switzerland and cruising German Autobahns, Mateo decided his E1 Cayenne needed to complete a lap of the legendary Nürburgring Nordschleife.
“It’s insane to think that after completing this massive loop of the world in my Cayenne with over 300,000 km on it, the 20.8 km of the Nürburgring Nordschleife were still the toughest kilometres that car has ever done. But again, it survived without a problem.”
What’s next? Adventures still to come
After some rest for both car and driver, a new expedition is already in the pipeline with Mateo planning to take his Cayenne to visit Jordan, Syria and Lebanon as well as a few more Scandinavian countries and later plans to drive it through Asia, America and Africa.
“I’ve covered 28 countries without a hitch in a car that is absolutely as standard as the day it left the factory, so why would I stop now?”