High-powered, off-road capable SUVs are quite abundant. Old icons are back, and they’re better than ever. A new Hagerty video shows off four of the hottest examples to see which is the quickest in the quarter-mile. The lineup includes the Ford Bronco Raptor, the Jeep Wrangler 392, the Land Rover Defender, and the Mercedes-AMG G63.
The first drag race sees the two American machines compete for supremacy. The Bronco Raptor packs a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 engine that delivers 418 horsepower (311 kilowatts) and 440 pound-feet (596 Newton-meters) of torque. All that oomph has to move the 5,731-pounds (2,599-kilogram) SUV. The Wrangler 393, the only naturally aspirated SUV of the bunch, makes 470 hp (350 kW) and 470 lb-ft (637 Nm) of torque. It does have the advantage of being lighter than the Ford, weighing 5,259 lbs (2,385 kg).
Gallery: 2022 Ford Bronco Raptor First Drive
The Wrangler’s extra power and lighter curb weight see the Jeep get a victory over the Ford. It took the Jeep 12.9 seconds to cross the finish line. The Bronco needed 14.7 seconds to complete it, sending the Jeep to compete against the Land Rover and Mercedes.
The Land Rover’s supercharged 5.0-liter V8 engine produces 518 hp (386 kW) and 461 lb-ft (625 Nm) of torque. That’s more than the Bronco and Wrangler but much less than the AMG G63. The Mercedes’ 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 produces 577 hp (430 kW) and 627 lb-ft (850 Nm) of torque.
The G63’s extra power is enough to keep the big SUV ahead of the other two, crossing the quarter-mile finish line in 12.5 seconds. The Wrangler finishes a close second. While the Defender came in third, it was close to the pack and gaining, completing the drag race in 12.9 seconds.
A final bit of fun puts the G63 against a 2004 Lamborghini Gallardo. Its 5.0-liter V10 makes 493 hp (367 kW) and 376 lb-ft (509 Nm) of torque. The supercar is much lighter than the Mercedes, but it takes 12.4 seconds to complete the quarter-mile. The Lamborghini beats the AMG, but by just 0.1 seconds. Today’s SUVs are quick.
