Pop-up store: Inside a crystal dome at the top of the French Alps is a Porsche Cayenne

If you are currently on a ski trip at Méribel, a town in the French Alps, you might want to take some time away from the slopes to check out Porsche’s newest pop-up store. As you could see in the photos, it is a Porsche Cayenne displayed inside a crystal dome. The German brand claims that this is their highest ever pop up store, at the top of the French Alps, with an altitude of 7,546 feet (2,300 metres).

If you aren’t too tired from skiing, you might want to head there and schedule a test drive in the Cayenne. The automaker has even set up what they call a Fun Zone in Val d’Isère that lets drivers experience the new SUV through a downhill segment, as well as through a snow-covered off road obstacle course.

As you can imagine, it was definitely not an easy task for the automaker to bring the Cayenne to the French Alps, and it definitely required a lot of effort and some smart thinking. The display alone, weighing 6,614 pounds (3 metric tonnes), had to be flown by the Hélicoptères de France. And for the Cayenne, it had the help of several snowmobiles to get to where it is now.

For those of you who are going to France, the Porsche Cayenne will be sitting in the crystal dome until mid-April, and visitors will be able to schedule test drives until March 9.

Even if the new Cayenne is just three inches longer than its predecessor, the physical change gave it a sleeker shape. The extra length also gives it an extra 15 percent cargo space as well with the rear seat up. This model had also lost around 100 pounds (45 kilograms), depending on the trim.

Now, the 2019 entry level Cayenne comes with a turbocharged 3.0 liter V6 that produces 340 horsepower (253 kilowatts) and 332 pound feet (450 Newton metres) of torque. The more powerful Cayenne S, on the other hand, is equipped with a 2.9 liter V6 with 440 horsepower (328 kilowatts) and 406 pound feet (551 Newton metres) of torque.

Both models are available with an eight speed automatic, and an all wheel drive. We are sure that a hybrid variant will be available later on to join the range, as well as performance variants like the Turbo and GTS.

Who amongst you are now planning to head to the Méribel, for a once in a lifetime experience of test driving (or course, besides skiing or snowboarding), or just even seeing this Porsche Cayenne on the snowy alps of France. It definitely is something a Porsche enthusiast will want to experience.

PRESS RELEASE

Highest Porsche pop-up store in the heart of the French Alps

With a temporary pop-up store at the top of the slopes and the opportunity for test drives on the mountain roads until 9 March, Porsche invites holidaymakers and customers to experience a skiing holiday like no other.

Organised for the first time in 2014, Porsche’s temporary test drive centres at Kaïla Hotel in Méribel and Le Yule Hotel in Val d’Isère offer a unique experience at the wheel of the Macan, Panamera Sport Turismo or all-new Cayenne, alongside a Porsche instructor on some of the finest roads the Alps have to offer. This year, thanks to a new partnership with the concept store Events by Events Homme in Megève, Porsche has come to a brand new destination. Aimed both at the resort customers and holidaymakers, the operation is a sporty and convivial way to showcase the Porsche models.

The all-new Cayenne and the Porsche atmosphere

New for 2018, Porsche is introducing a “Fun Zone” near Val d’Isère, including a special route offering a unique downhill experience and an off-road obstacle course on the snow, showcasing the full capabilities of the Porsche models. But the real highlight of this ground-breaking event can be found at the top of the slopes. Skiers can admire the all-new Porsche Cayenne in the “world’s highest pop-up store” until mid-April, outside the Rok restaurant in Méribel at an altitude of 2,300 metres. The vehicle sits majestically in a Crystal Dome mounted atop a podium surrounded by breath taking panoramic views, just waiting to be discovered. A hostess will be on hand along with a Product Genius to offer personalised advices and book test drives at the resort.

Putting together the display was a feat of logistical and technical skill. The structure weighs in at over three tonnes, and the assistance of Hélicoptères de France was needed to carry it up to this altitude. The Cayenne itself was lifted onto its podium using snowmobiles. Since the display was installed, the dome has successfully withstood storm Eleanor with gusts of up to 170 km/h at altitude, heavy falls of snow and extreme outside temperatures as low as -25°C.