A drag race for heavyweights
High-performance SUVs began to appear in the late 90s, with models like the Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited 5.9 and the BMW X5 4.6is. These powerful SUVs reached the legal limit in seven seconds. However, times have changed. This class has seen a lot of growth in the last two decades. These boosted juggernauts can run the 60 mph course in just four seconds.
Today we have three sports car-baiting high-riders. These include the BMW X5 M Competition and Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk, as well as the Range Rover Sport SVR. These SUVs, which can be described as athletic (sort of), will compete on the runway in a quarter-mile drag race. Which SUV is the most likely to win? Let’s look at the statistics.
The BMW X5 M is a benchmark in this area. The current breed was established by the first-generation X5 4.6is. The exact engine it uses is the same as the M5 Competition sedan that it’s based upon. Its twin-turbo V8 of 4.4-liters produces 617 horsepower (460 megawatts) and 553 lb-ft (750 Newton-meters). It also weighs in at 5,093 lbs, or 2,310 kilograms.
The Jeep, like the BMW is a pioneer in the performance SUV category. The Trackhawk, like the original hot Grand Cherokee went all out with power and displacement. The Trackhawk gets its power directly from Hellcat models, so it has some serious numbers. This group’s largest V8 engine is the 6.2-liter, which is also responsible for its 707 horsepower (527 Kilowatts) as well as 645 pound-feet (875 Newton meters) of torque. The SUV is a heavy one, weighing in at 5,363 lbs and 2,433 kilograms.
The Range Rover Sport SVR is last but not least. Land Rover is relatively new in the high-performance SUV category, but they have had a lot of success over the years. Range Rover Sport SVR is powered by a supercharged V8 engine, 5.0-liters, from Jaguar F-Type R P575. The Range Rover Sport boasts 575 horsepower (429 Kilowatts) as well as 516 pound-feet (706 Nm) of torque, just like the Jaguar F-Type R P575. Curiously, Range Rover Sport is the same curb weight at 5,093 lbs and 2,310 kg as the X5 M Competition.
We won’t spoil the results, so we recommend you watch the video. It was a close race at the beginning, but one of the two just started to pull away in the quarter-mile. These SUVs are pointless, but they make quite the spectacle when they’re flat out.