Forget Pikes Peak; Porsche 911 – Ojos del Salado holds the title of the highest volcano on Earth. Towering at over 22,000 feet, this Chilean giant is the new battleground for automotive prowess. Enter the Porsche 911 named Edith, ready to tackle the world’s most extreme elevation challenge.
This daring feat is the focus of the upcoming documentary, “Edith: Volcano Ascent”, which captures a bold engineering project that has been four years in the making.
The Challenge of Ojos del Salado
While Pikes Peak’s 14,115 feet is impressive, climbing Ojos del Salado involves far more than just high altitudes. With no roads leading up the volcano and oxygen levels thin at 20,000 feet, the journey is fraught with obstacles.
The documentary reveals how a small team of engineers, working under what can only be described as near-magical conditions, prepared Edith to conquer this formidable peak. This drive is as much about overcoming the environment as it is about reaching the summit.
Inside the Porsche 911 Edith
MotorTrend had the exclusive opportunity to test drive Edith, along with its development car and support vehicle, Doris. These vehicles are far from ordinary. Equipped with lightweight designs and portal axles, Edith is built to crawl over rugged terrain. The specialized 4:1 rear end and enhanced off-road capabilities make this Porsche 911 a unique blend of performance and endurance. MotorTrend’s review highlights the vehicle’s impressive capability and traction, proving it’s ready for extreme adventures.
Creating “Edith: Volcano Ascent”
This extraordinary project was brought to life by TangentVector in collaboration with Porsche Cars North America. Directed by Will Barber, Niko Myyrä, and JF Musial, the documentary explores the passion and innovation behind the ascent.
As JF Musial shared with MotorTrend, the project was a rare opportunity to push boundaries without conventional constraints. “The most fascinating part was working on a project where we had the freedom to do what we love, aiming to climb one of the world’s highest peaks with just one objective: Build the ultimate car for the challenge.”