If you’re a fan of loud V8 SUVs you’re going to want to stick around. Although most SUVs are practical quiet family haulers, there is a select breed of special performance SUVs that add fun to this popular formula. Today we have two of the most exciting supercharged V8 performance SUVs. From America, we have a family-friendly Dodge Durango Hellcat, which is competing against the Land Rover Defender V8 in a drag race. Can the Defender V8 beat out the Durango Hellcat? Let’s find out.
The Dodge Durango Hellcat is quite a special performance SUV. Limited to a production run of only 2,000 units for the 2021 model year, if you see a Dodge Durango Hellcat you’re seeing an impossibly rare performance vehicle.
The Dodge Durango Hellcat may be a special vehicle, but it follows the familiar Dodge Hellcat formula. Power comes from a supercharged 6.2-liter V8 engine that produces 710 horsepower (530 Kilowatts) and 640 lb-ft (868 Newton Meters) of torque. This powerful V8 is mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission that sends power to all four wheels via a performance-tuned all-wheel-drive setup borrowed from the Jeep Trackhawk. Thanks to its all-wheel-drive setup, the Dodge Durango Hellcat can sprint from 0 to 60mph in only 3.6 seconds despite its 5334lb curb weight.
In fact, the Dodge Durango Hellcat is a very practical family hauler with seating for seven and a towing capacity of 8,400lbs. It also has a top speed of 180mph in case you find yourself on the unrestricted Autobahn in Germany and need to get somewhere very quickly.
To take on the impressive Dodge Durango Hellcat in this drag race we have the Land Rover Defender V8. The new Land Rover Defender V8 is the most road-capable version of the new Land Rover Defender, which is an impressive off-roader in any trim level. The Land Rover Defender V8 uses a supercharged 5.0-liter V8 that produces 518 horsepower (386 Kilowatts) and 461 lb-ft (625 Newton Meters) of torque. The Defender V8 can sprint from 0 to 60 mph in 5.1 seconds and weighs in at 5700lbs or 400lbs more than the Dodge Durango Hellcat.
Which of these supercharged V8 SUVs is your favorite?
