In today's luxury SUV 1/4-mile battle, we have the very British Range Rover Sport P400, the BMW X6 40i, and the Mercedes-Benz GLE 450 Coupe. The rules are as simple as they come, but instead of going at it all at a time, they will pair off and see which one crosses the finish line from Ontario's Dunville Autodrome first.
The Range Rover Sport Dynamic SE is the first to present itself, proudly carrying a 3.0-liter straight-six turbocharged engine capable of producing 395 horsepower and 406 lb-ft or 550 Nm of torque. That power and twist are sent to all four corners via its 8-speed automatic gearbox. It weighs roughly 5,387 lbs. or 2,443 kg and comes in the top trim edition worth 95,000 US dollars.
Next, the very handsome 2024 Mercedes-Benz GLE 450 Coupe is equipped with a 3.0L inline-six turbocharged engine. The hybrid drivetrain produces 375 hp and 369 lb-ft (500 Nm) of torque, which powers the all-wheel drive system through its 9-speed automatic transmission system. This puppy tips the scale at 5,060 lbs. or 2,295 kg, roughly costing $82,000.
Last but certainly not least, the BMW X6 40i also dons a 3.0-liter turbocharged straight-six mill that outputs 335 hp and 330 lb-ft (447 Nm) of torque. It has an 8-speed automatic gearbox that violently applies those power figures to the AWD system.
Photo: Sam CarLegion
The X6 might be the lowest-rated from the trio, but it's also the lightest, weighing only 4,713 lbs. or 2,137 kilograms. The asking price for this precise model is 83,000 dollars, which is just $1,000 more expensive than the Merc.
The first roll race, which began at 37 mph or 60 kph, occurred between the Range Rover and Mercedes, with Sam from the "Sam CarLegion" YouTube channel behind the latter's wheel. The Land Rover had a great start, but by the end, it was four car lengths behind its adversary.
The second race from 50 mph or 80 kilometers per hour ended in a photo finish, where the Range Rover finally scored. At least, that's what Sam claimed, but if you look at the footage, it sure seems like it could have gone either way.
The first drag race followed, and while they both launched at the same time, the GLE won by a landslide. Sadly for Britain, nothing changed for the second attempt. The Mercedes SUV got from 0 to 60 mph in 5.4 seconds and finished in 13.6 seconds, while the Range Rover reached 60 in 5.8 seconds and crossed the 1/4-mile in 14.3 seconds.
Photo: Sam CarLegion
That's a 0.7-second difference, which is quite significant if you consider the price. If you're paying an extra $13k on a car, you wouldn't want it to sorely lose against much cheaper ones.
Finally, it was time for the BMW X6 to join the fight against the previous winner. After two roll races, the "underpowered" 335-hp Bavarian SUV beat the 375-hp GLE. In all fairness, the Mercedes was really catching up toward the end, so it probably would have won if it were a 1/2-mile race. The drag races weren't any different, with the Beamer winning each time by less than a car length.
The BMW X6 pulled a 0 to 60 mph time of 4.8 seconds, considerably faster than the GLE with 5.4 seconds. However, by the time they both crossed the finish line, there was only a 0.1-second difference in favor of the BMW, which did 13.5, while the Mercedes did 13.6.
It was a very close and entertaining match between these last two that will certainly raise some eyebrows when it comes to the Range Rover's specs, price, and results.
Codrin just loves American classics, from the 1940s and ‘50s, all the way to the muscle cars of the '60s and '70s. In his perfect world, we'll still see Hudsons and Road Runners roaming the streets for years to come (even in EV form, if that's what it takes to keep the aesthetic alive). Full profile
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