Our shop vehicle, Warthog- Cassie Burt

Our shop vehicle, Warthog

When many people imagine a Porsche Cayenne, the first thing that comes to mind is a luxury vehicle - an SUV, able to get you from point A to B with class. Here at Berg, we recognized the Cayenne for that same talent - but we wanted to take it a few steps further. We imagined a Cayenne getting you from point A to point B despite any obstacles that might possibly lie in your path.

We started to imagine how to take advantage of a car that was already incredibly capable. From the factory, the first generation (2003-2006) Porsche Cayenne came equipped with low-range gearing, towing capabilities up to 7,716 lbs, center-locking differentials - there are a few rare beasts out there with a locking rear differential - four-wheel drive, and (for our model) a 4.5-liter V8 Turbo engine capable of 440 horsepower. As an SUV, it also comes with a good amount of ground clearance, which is essential when taking any vehicle off maintained roads. We decided the best way to make our Cayenne stand out, and better than any others around, was by enhancing what it already had going for it! We liked the ground clearance offered, but it simply wasn’t enough. Supplied with factory air suspension, we added spacers (produced by PRG Products) which gained us two inches more in height. We also upgraded the wheel and tire size, adding an additional bump to the height. The modification of the tire size was a slippery slope, and we started to run out of clearance room to turn the wheels without rubbing components in the engine compartment. That couldn’t slow us down, though! We made the necessary modification to the intercoolers on both sides of the front end and pulled them forward enough that our improvements in tire size were fully functional. It would be hard to believe that while making all these improvements, we didn’t consider the power output available and how we could make more. We opted for a software tune from APR to upgrade to Stage 1. This software modification, requiring no hardware modifications, got us to 487 horsepower. We made the switch to Evans waterless coolant, which keeps the cooling system under less pressure and helps to run better under strenuous conditions. We made one more power upgrade by using Fabspeed’s catalytic convertor bypass pipes. This allows for more exhaust flow and also gives the Cayenne a nice, deeper sound.

All of these upgrades to the height and ride of the car were for the overwhelming fear that is rocks. While we now had the means to climb almost any rock that could stand in our way, there was the inevitable requirement of armor. A first-generation Cayenne comes stock with aluminum rock rails, but we considered them to be a weak point at this point in the build, and it wasn’t enough! We worked with a local welder (Noble Metal Shop) who was willing to take on the huge project of designing front and rear steel bumpers, as well as additional steel rock rails for both sides of the vehicle. After the gentle care and consideration for how they fit to the frame of the car, down to how sturdy they were when smashed against an unforgiving surface, we were starting to see our project coming together. But we couldn’t come this far to have something unexpected take us down. We gathered skid plates for the entire front end, the transfer case, fuel tank, and rear control arms from Eurowise, for the absolute certainty that this Hog would be invincible. But there was still something missing.

This is a shop car, after all. So we needed a design that represented Berg Performance. We got together with a friend of the shop, K.Craft Dsgn., and brainstormed some ideas. We work on German vehicles (Audi, Volkswagen and Porsche) so we had a special connection with the Porsche Martini style. We wanted to incorporate the Martini look with our Berg logo, and came up with the beautiful mountainscape and classic colors fitted to it now. With the design created, we reached out to another friend, Forged Auto Styling, to work their magic and turn our sketch into something real. They printed and meticulously laid our design across the body of the vehicle, to give it that one-ofa-kind look and the indisputable fact that it was our creation. With the overall look of the body completed, we added some finishing touches to make it absolutely unstoppable! KC HiLiTES fitted us with two arched LED light bars, one mounted to the top and one mounted to the front of the hood. We installed a roof basket, complete with rescue ramps, two threegallon Jerry cans for gas, two threegallon Jerry cans for water, and a high-lift jack. Added to the custom front bumper is a wench, and inside the vehicle are several tow straps with the worst-case scenario in mind for every excursion.

After months of preparation, and many friends willing to help out along the way, we were lucky enough to take our completed Warthog into the wild where it belonged. We got some footage of it in action from our videographer, Kreation Films, in November of 2020, just in time before the trails were closed for the winter. While it is set up for absolutely every situation we could face, we have a never-ending desire to make it better! In the future we plan on adding a rear locker, which will help to overcome more than a center locker can provide, an IPD Plenum which offers more airflow/intake, and a rear light bar. Our motto at Berg Performance is “Everything is Important,” and we are heart-set on proving that motto through a unique vehicle that we can quickly cruise around town or slowly migrate up any mountain side! Thank you to everyone who helped make our vision a reality!

Cassie Burt

www.instagram.com/BergPerformance

www.facebook.com/BergPerformance

www.youtube.com/BergPerformance

www.bergperformance.com