Porsche’s New 911-Based Pickup to Feature 40-Pound Tow Capacity

Porsche announced today its 911-based sporty pickup, the Schleppen, will feature a diminutive tow rating of just 40-pounds.

The meager rating is due to the location of the trailer hitch directly behind the trucklet’s rear-mounted flat six engine.  According to Porsche spokesperson Shiatsu Schmidt, the light-duty hitch is attached to the rear valance with “high-tech glue dots and double-sided tape.”  

The Schleppen (German for “tow”) is equipped with the 911’s 3.0 liter base engine and full-time all-wheel-drive.  However, the flat six has been detuned from the 911’s 443-horsepower rating to just 147 to provide improved low-end torque.  Keeping with the light-duty nature of the vehicle, the standard eight-speed automatic features a non-functional tow/haul button.  

Porsche claims the 36-inch square, four-inch deep pickup bed is perfectly suited to carry photographs, flattened shoeboxes or small, short-legged dogs with flat heads.  

Prices have not been announced, but options will reportedly include a massaging dead pedal, heated visors and carbon fiber mudflaps.