Sam, the host of the Sam CarLegion channel on YouTube, has prepared yet another drag-and-roll race skirmish with mid-size crossover SUVs – and it was about time since he hasn't had one in a few weeks already.
A prolific YouTuber who not only does classic reviews and traditional comparisons (the latest one was between the new Hyundai Santa Fe and the established Toyota Highlander) but also has a passion for the traditional quarter-mile drag and roll races, Sam lives in Canada and uses a former airfield strip turned liaison road for corn and wind farming as his go-to 'dragstrip.'
That's a great venue, even though it's not as grippy as a regular American racetrack – mostly because it provides input for fans and owners about their car's real-world performance. That's why he's also adamant about mixing the digs with the roll races, just to cover all angles.
Usually, he gives us plenty of race skirmishes on a weekly basis, and now he's starting off 2024's week 20 with an encounter between the Ford Explorer ST, Dodge Durango SRT 392, and the BMW X6. They're all American, by the way, as the Explorer is built at the Chicago Assembly in Illinois, the third-gen Durango has been manufactured at the Jefferson North Assembly Plant in Detroit, Michigan, since 2010, and the BMW X6 is an expat that has always called home BMW's North American plant in Greer, South Carolina alongside the X5.
That's also one of the main reasons why they brought the X6 for the skirmish, as they're deeply related. Anyway, it was about time Sam brought some mid-size crossover SUVs on the tarmac, as the past encounters have all eluded the segment – he dealt with big trucks (F-250 vs. Tundra vs. GMC Sierra 2500), sedans (G70 vs. A4 vs. 330i), sporty cars (Golf R vs. Elantra N vs. Integra Type S), and more saloons over the past month or so.
Now, though, it's time for a wet battle – the Ford Explorer ST had to race the BMW X6 and Dodge Durango SRT 392 on a very humid day. Luckily, it wasn't raining anymore, but the asphalt wasn't too grippy either. So, to get the tires up to the right temperature, they first performed the usual roll races, two-by-two. Obviously, the Explorer ST and X6 have a handicap factor – the former is using a twin-turbo V6 with 400 hp, and the latter rocks a turbo inline-six with a rated 335 hp (but we all know BMW keeps a few spare ponies off the checkbook). Meanwhile, the Mopar has a 6.4-liter V8 and no less than 475 on tap.
So, the Ford and BMW fought each other first, with the Explorer ST leisurely beat the X6 during the 60 kph (37 mph) roll and then put a bus length gap between them for the 80 kph/50 mph trial. However, things weren't that simple during the digs – Sam narrowly won the first skirmish, and then the owners set the final drag times of 13.6s versus 13.9 seconds, with the X6 as the victor, this time around!
Secondly, the initial roll race between the Explorer ST and Durango SRT 392 was another photo finish, with the Ford narrowly taking the laurels from the V8-equipped SUV. At higher speed, the twin-turbo V6-equipped Blue Oval again proved the king of highway-style overtakes. Chaos again ensued when it was time for the regular quarter-mile drags, though – the Ford SUV just started too soft, and the Durango won by a 13-second quarter-mile (versus 14 seconds). Last but not least, there was also a drag race between the glorious-sounding Durango and the X6 – it was over in 12.9s versus 13.7 seconds for the Mopar, obviously!
Aurel has aimed high all his life (literally, at 16 he was flying gliders all by himself) so in 2006 he switched careers and got hired as a writer at his favorite magazine. Since then, his work has been published both by print and online outlets, most recently right here, on autoevolution. Full profile
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