Today’s gold standard for SUVs is the Lamborghini Urus. Sure, the Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk has 707 hp whereas the Urus delivers 650 ponies, but the Lambo is superior in all other categories, like luxury, technology, and refinement. However, there are other SUVs that are not only more powerful, but are as luxurious and focused on the finest of details as the Urus. While some are the products of aftermarket tuning firms, like the Urus, these ten SUVs pride themselves on being outlandish, some more so than others.
Bentley Bentayga by Mansory (700 HP)The Bentley Bentayga may be built in the UK, but Swiss aftermarket tuner Mansory will be more than happy to inject the SUV with additional testosterone, for a price of course. There are several possible enhancement modifications, such as a wide body kit, 22-inch wheels and a sport exhaust system. But why settle for the Bentayga’s stock twin-turbo 6.0-liter W12 with 600 hp and 660 lb-ft of torque when Mansory will work its magic to create a new output of 700 hp and 774 lb-ft? Bentayga’s aren’t exactly cheap, but if you’re willing to spend at least $195,000 then what’s a few bucks more?
Hennessey Escalade HPE800 (805 HP)Welcome back to America. Time for some Texas lunacy with the one and only Hennessey Escalade HPE800. Starting with the always bling-tastic Cadillac Escalade, Hennessey Performance sticks with its familiar formula of leaving the exterior and interior stock (save for some Hennessey badges), and making all modifications under the hood. The result is a large and luxurious SUV with 805 hp and 812 lb-ft of torque. This was accomplished by, among other things, adding a 2.9-liter supercharger to the 6.2-liter V8, a new high-flow air to water intercooler system, high-flow intake manifold, and a stainless steel exhaust upgrade. The performance result is a 0-60 mph time of 3.7 seconds and a quarter-mile sprint of 11.7 seconds at 116 mph.
Mercedes-AMG GLE 63 S Coupe by Brabus (850 HP)…and back to Germany. Meet the Mercedes-AMG GLE 63 S Coupe by Brabus. Why accept the slick GLE 63 S Coupe with its stock 576 hp when you can add up to 274 hp more? That’s right, you’re looking at an output of 850 hp and a beyond nuts 1,069 lb-ft of torque. Performance is equally impressive. Zero to 62 mph takes no more than 3.8 seconds and top speed, according to Brabus, is electronically limited to 200 mph. Could it go even faster? Probably. Along with engine modifications, Brabus has attached a front lip spoiler to the AMG’s lower front bumper for a visual upgrade as well as further optimizing handling speeds and handling ability. Out back there’s a new diffuser, upgraded exhaust, and roof spoiler.
Tesla Model X P100D (762 HP)Let’s switch gears here slightly with something similar but different: the 762-hp Tesla Model X P100D. With its 0-60 mph time of just 2.9 seconds, the top of the line Model X is an all-electric SUV that can haul up to seven passengers. It also has plenty of advanced safety features and a towing capacity of up to 5,000 pounds. The interior is not only luxurious, but also high-tech, thanks to the 17-inch touchscreen display that receives regular over the air updates. For an extra few thousand bucks, one can add Autopilot, Tesla’s somewhat controversial self-driving aide. The P100 D (‘P’ stands for ‘Performance’) begins at around $150,000, some $50k less than the less powerful Urus.
Jon Olsson's Mercedes-Benz G500 4x4 Squared (800 HP)Professional Swedish skier Jon Olsson has long been known as an all-wheel drive supercar enthusiast. Turns out he’s a fan of off-road SUVs too. A couple of years ago he purchased a Mercedes-Benz G500 4x4 Squared. He didn’t waste any time before beginning modifications. The result is the 800-hp Lord Hans SUV, named for his brother “who loves exploring the wilderness.” The G500 4x4 Squared already comes with 400 hp, but hey, technology enables that figure to be doubled, so why not just go for it? Dutch aftermarket tuner Absolute Motors was tasked with reworking the engine and modifying the suspension. Oh, and did we also mention Olsson sliced off the SUV’s roof after discovering it was too tall to fit in parking garages?
TechArt Porsche Cayenne Magnum Sport (720 HP)Meet the 720-hp TechArt Porsche Cayenne Magnum Sport, built to celebrate the tuning firm’s 30th anniversary. This modified Porsche Cayenne has a twin-turbo 4.8-liter V8 which produces an impressive 570 hp and 590 lb-ft of torque. But TechArt has managed to squeeze an extra 150 hp and 88 lb-ft for a grand total of 720 hp and 678 lb-ft. This was accomplished by improving the turbochargers, altering the engine control software, and a new exhaust system. Based on the previous generation Cayenne Turbo S, TechArt’s creation has the same 0-62 mph time as the stock version but top speed is another matter. The TechArt Cayenne Turbo S can hit 193 mph, whereas the stock version goes no faster than 176 mph.
BMW X6 M Typhoon RS Ultimate V10 by G-Power (888 HP)And how could we not include a BMW X6. Fortunately, we found one with 888 hp: the X6 M Typhoon RS Ultimate V10 by G-Power. It’s not exactly new, dating back to 2010, but its output remains formidable. G-Power wanted to pay tribute to the then outgoing BMW M V10 engine, so it swapped out the first generation X6 M’s twin-turbo V8 with a 5.0-liter V10. And then it modified it. Displacement was increased to 5.5-liters, a pair of superchargers were added, the ECU revised, among many other upgrades. The result? 888 hp and 642 lb-ft of torque. Heck, there’s even a six-speed manual sending power to the rear wheels. Does the Urus offer a manual? Nope. G-Power claims a 0-62 mph time of 4.2 seconds and a top speed in excess of 205 mph.
Hennessey VelociRaptor SUV (650 HP)Okay, so you perhaps you want another U.S.-built option. No problem, because Hennessey Performance is here once again to offer something wonderfully bonkers. It’s the special order only VelociRaptor SUV, based on the Ford F-250 Lariat pickup truck. Essentially it’s a truck to SUV conversion project that requires 6 months to build. The most powerful engine option available s a supercharged 6.2-liter V8 with 650 hp – exactly the same output as the Lamborghini Urus, but the VelociRaptor SUV offers a third row bench seat for a total of up to seven or eight passengers. With exterior styling directly from the ferocious F-150 Raptor, it’s hard to see how one could go wrong here. Hopefully you have at least $159,000 to spend.
Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG Sahara Edition by Mansory (828 HP)First and foremost, Mansory focused on the love it or hate it styling with its Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG Sahara Edition. With its camouflage paint scheme, and unique grille, headlights, hood scoop, rear spoiler, and roof-mounted lights, it’s obvious this won’t appeal to everyone. Riding on a set of 22-inch alloys, the Sahara Edition also features a modified interior with a similar camouflage theme. But at its heart, the SUV is a horsepower beast. Mansory increased output of the twin-turbocharged V8 to 828 hp and 737 lb-ft of torque. That’s actually a 292 hp and 177 lb-ft improvement over the stock version. The Swiss tuner didn’t provide performance figures, but that increased output will surely make things quite a bit quicker.
Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk (707 HP)And last, but not least, is the Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk. It comes straight from the factory with 707 hp and 645 lb-ft of torque thanks to its supercharged 6.2-liter Hellcat V8 engine. With its 0-60 mph time of 3.5 seconds, the Grand Cherokee Trackhawk is actually faster off the line than the Dodge Challenger Hellcat. Top speed is a claimed 180 mph, only 10 mph less than the Lamborghini Urus. It also costs a lot less. While the Lambo begins at $200k, you can buy a Trackhawk for just under $90k. That’s more than half the cost, but at the sacrifice of luxury, refinement and the prestige of owning a Lamborghini. But hey, fast is fast.
