SUVs are versatile, demonstrate a good balance of comfort and traction, and their ample cargo space inside is a major, practical plus point. For those who are looking for practicality but still want to keep the thrills and spills, these are the best luxury high-performance SUVs on the market today.
Ferrari Purosangue
Image courtesy of Ferrari
Meet Purosangue, the Prancing Horse’s first-ever four-door four-seater in its 75-year history. The new SUV is equipped with the marquee’s 6.5-litre V12 engine, which can unleash a massive output of up to 725 CV and a peak torque of 716 N⋅m. This allows the car to run at a top speed of over 310 km/h and complete the 0-100 km/h sprint in 3.3 seconds. The car features a configuration of a mid-front-mounted engine with the gearbox at the rear, resulting in a fantastic 49:51 weight distribution, which is deemed optimal for a mid-front-engined sports car by the marquee’s in-house engineers.
The Purosangue also comes with the latest iterations of the vehicle dynamic control systems introduced on Ferrari’s most powerful and exclusive sports cars, including the independent four-wheel steering of the 812 Competizione and ABS “evo” with the six-way Chassis Dynamic Sensor (6w-CDS) of the 296 GTB. The Ferrari active suspension system, which can effectively control body roll in corners as well as the tyre contact patch over high-frequency bumps to ensure high performance and handling response, also makes its debut in this newly unveiled performance SUV.
Aston Martin DBX707
Aston Martin’s first SUV DBX got an upgrade last year, with the brand new DBX707 model, featuring a comprehensive suite of engine, transmission, suspension, and brake upgrades.
The high-performance SUV takes its name from its metric horsepower rating—707 PS, an increase of 157 PS compared with its predecessor. This is realised with its 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 and a new nine-speed wet-clutch automatic transmission. This system also allows the vehicle’s torque to be lifted to 900 N⋅m. Meanwhile, the 0-62 mph acceleration can be achieved in 3.3 seconds, and it can reach a peak speed of 310.6 km/h.
In addition to power and speed, the new DBX707 also takes pride in its handling performance, which Aston Martin attributes to the car’s air suspension system. While the basic structure and triple volume air chambers of DBX are retained, the new SUV also features a dedicated chassis tune.
Images courtesy of Aston Martin.
Lamborghini Urus Performante
As the word “Performante” in its name implies, this is a more powerful variant of Lamborghini’s Urus SUV range. Ahead of its premiere, the Urus Performante already set a new record in the production SUV category on the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb Road, where it crossed the finishing line at 4,302 metres in 10:32.064, smashing the previous record by more than 17 seconds.
The car features extensive use of composite materials and with the highest number of carbon fibre parts in its segment. Meanwhile, its stance is lowered to improve aerodynamics. Lighter, lower, and wider, the new SUV has its power increased to 666 CV. This gives it a best-in-class weight-to-power ratio of 3.2 and a top speed of 306 km/h. Producing 850 N⋅m of torque at 2,300 to 4,500 rpm, it rockets from 0 to 100 km/h in merely 3.3 seconds.
Images courtesy of Lamborghini.
Bentley Bentayga Speed
Officially unveiled in 2019, Bentayga Speed is the most powerful and performance-oriented model of Bentley’s Bentayga SUV family. The vehicle comes with a 6.0-litre W12 twin-turbocharged engine, which delivers a peak power of 635 PS, contributing to an increased maximum speed of up to 306 km/h. The 0-62 mph acceleration can also be delivered in 3.9 seconds, thanks to 900 N⋅m of torque. When the full power of the engine is not demanded, the engine control unit can deactivate a complete bank of six cylinders as required to ensure maximum engine efficiency.
Regarding driving experience, drivers can choose from four on-road Drive Dynamics modes, including “Comfort,” “Sport,” the balanced “Bentley” mode, and “Custom” for further configurations. The “Sport” mode has been recalibrated to enhance response from the W12 engine and the eight-speed automatic transmission. The Bentley Dynamic Ride electric active roll control technology is another highlight, ensuring maximum tyre contact to guarantee cabin stability, ride comfort, and handling when the car is cornering.
Images courtesy of Bentley / James Lipman.
Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT
Another record-setting high-performance SUV is, unsurprisingly, Porsche. The new Cayenne Turbo GT, the latest and the fastest model in the Porsche’s Cayenne SUV family was recognised as the fastest SUV at the “Green Hell” of Nürburgring in 2021 with a lap time of 7:38.9 minutes.
The car comes with all chassis and control systems currently available for the Cayenne as standard, which are specifically tuned to ensure optimum performance and handling. It is also equipped with a four-litre biturbo V8 engine, currently Porsche’s most powerful eight-cylinder unit. The most extensive upgrades can be found in areas such as the crankshaft drive, turbocharger, direct fuel injection, induction system, and intercooler.
With this specially tuned and upgraded system, the car enjoys a peak output of up to 640 PS and the top speed is increased to 300 km/h. With a maximum torque of 850 N⋅m, the 0-100 km/h sprint is reduced to 3.3 seconds.
Images courtesy of Porsche.
Maserati Levante Trofeo
Launched in 2018, this is the most extreme and most powerful model of Maserati’s Levante SUV collection. Equipped with a 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8 engine that has been engineered to mate with the Q4 Intelligent All-Wheel Drive System, the Levante Trofeo delivers an output of 580 horsepower and 730 N⋅m of peak torque. This allows it to reach a maximum speed of 302 km/h and complete the 0 to 100 km/h sprint in a mere 4.1 seconds. Its remarkable weight/power ratio of 3.6 kg/hp and the ideal 50:50 weight balance also add to its outstanding performance.
The car also comes with several new functions, including the new “Corsa” driving mode, which brings faster throttle response, quicker gear shifting, lowered air suspension height levels, and more intense exhaust note, while the Corsa Launch Control electronic aid helps achieve a rapid acceleration from a standing start. The Maserati Integrated Vehicle Control (IVC) system that helps to prevent vehicle instability is another new feature to be incorporated in a Levante for the first time.
Images courtesy of Maserati.
Audi RS Q8
As the “sportiest” model in Audi’s Q product line, the RS Q8 showcases the flexibility of an SUV and the power of an RS model. The car’s 4.0-litre biturbo V8 engine generates a peak output of 600 PS and 800 N⋅m of torque. While the electronically governed top speed is limited to 250 km/h, the optional dynamic package can further increase the top speed to 305 km/h. The time needed for acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h is only 3.8 seconds.
Also contributing to its high performance are the quattro permanent all-wheel drive, eight-speed tiptronic, adaptive air suspension sport, and all-wheel steering, which all come as standard. Meanwhile, the Audi drive select allows the driver to choose from a variety of driving modes, including off-road and the customisable RS-specific RS1 and RS2 modes, which can be enabled directly via the new additional “RS Mode” button on the steering wheel.
Also contributing to its high performance are the quattro permanent all-wheel drive, eight-speed tiptronic, adaptive air suspension sport, and all-wheel steering, which all come as standard. Meanwhile, the Audi drive select allows the driver to choose from a variety of driving modes, including off-road and the customisable RS-specific RS1 and RS2 modes, which can be enabled directly via the new additional “RS Mode” button on the steering wheel.
Images courtesy of Audi.
Mercedes-AMG GLS 63
One of the most spacious AMG models, the seven-seater Mercedes-AMG GLS 63 is another outstanding player in the luxury SUV segment. For the first time, the 4.0-litre V8 biturbo engine is equipped with an integrated EQ Boost starter-alternator, which combines a starter motor and an alternator in a single electric motor integrated between the engine and the transmission, providing additional output and torque. With this system, the car benefits from an overall output of 450 kW and a torque of up to 850 N⋅m. Acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h takes 4.2 seconds, and the electronically limited top speed is 250 km/h, while a higher peak speed at 280 km/h is possible with the optional AMG Driver’s package.
At the same time, the variable AMG Performance 4MATIC+ all-wheel drive, AMG SpeedShift TCT nine-speed automatic transmission, and the AMG Active Ride Control air suspension with active roll stabilisation based on AMG Ride Control+ all help to raise the car’s dynamic capabilities. The AMG Dynamic Select comes with six driving modes to enrich the overall driving experience.
Images courtesy of Mercedes-AMG.
