9 SUVs That Will Destroy A Mustang In A Drag Race

These are some very quick alternatives to the Mustang that are also capable of carrying the entire family and a week’s worth of groceries.

The Mustang is possibly the best rounded of the current crop of muscle cars. The introduction of a fuel-efficient yet still powerful base 4-cylinder motor and independent rear suspension to the latest generation showed that Ford is firmly focused on keeping it relevant for modern day driving. The advanced flat-plane crank 526-hp 5.2-liter V8 fitted to the top Shelby GT350 is the most advanced engine ever to power a Mustang, its handling is right up there with the best in class too.

Traditionalists will still gravitate towards the mid-range 5.0-liter model. This car produces 460 hp (25-hp more than in 2017) and can be fitted with either a 6-speed manual or new 10-speed automatic transmission. It's arguably the pick of the range if you intend to use it as a daily driver. Equipped with the 6-speed manual the 5.0-liter Mustang GT can race to 60 mph in 4.5-seconds. That is quick but if you want more then you will have to get the Performance Package and that 10-speed automatic. Equipped like that, the Mustang GT should be able to break 4-seconds to 60 mph. That is about what the more powerful 6-speed manual GT350 can achieve as well.

Even the 2.3-liter EcoBoost turbocharged four is no slouch, the automatic model gets to 60 mph in 5.0-seconds. Those times are as fast as some very expensive exotic machinery but are they quick enough to take on the latest crop of overpowered SUVs? We took a look at some very quick alternatives to the Mustang that are also capable of carrying the entire family and a week’s worth of groceries to see how they matched up.

Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT

Let’s start with the Grand Cherokee SRT. Its 6.4-liter V8 makes 475-hp which is not much more than the V8 Mustang GT but its all-wheel-drive grip advantage and huge torque levels allow the SRT to slingshot to 60 mph in a mere 4.3 seconds. That’s quicker than all but the Performance Pack equipped GT or the Shelby GT350.

Mercedes-Benz GLE63 S AMG

The AMG GLE63 S has a lot of letters in its name and the little S at the very end means that it is the quickest SUV Mercedes sells. 577-hp is provided courtesy of a 5.5-liter twin-turbo V8 and despite a curb weight of over 5,200 pounds, this huge beast will get to 60 mph in 4.1 seconds.

BMW X5 M

The Germans have been making a good living out of producing overpowered SUV monsters for a while now and the BMW X5 M is the sort of head-scratcher that has you wondering who actually needs a 567-hp family vehicle that can blast through the 60 mph barrier in 4.0 seconds. You better be alert at the lights if you don’t want to become familiar with the tailgate design of this BMW.

Bentley Bentayga

The Bentley may be British but underneath all of that leather and luxury is a thoroughly German drivetrain. 600 hp, 12-cylinders and a 0-60 mph time of 4 seconds is as fast as the fastest Mustang and it will keep going to 187 mph which is the fastest official speed for any current production SUV.

Porsche Cayenne Turbo S

When it comes to indecently quick German cars, Porsche is bound to come up with something that trumps just about everything else out there. The Cayenne Turbo is a massively powerful SUV and just as in the Mercedes AMG, that little S at the end means that it is the top dog in the range. This means 570-hp and a 0-60 mph time of 3.8 seconds. But wait, those stats are for the old model. The recently launched new generation 550-hp Turbo does it in 3.9-seconds, we can’t wait to see what the S version will be capable of.

Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio

The Stelvio is not quite the same size as the rest of the SUVs on here but it sure does punch above its weight category. The Ferrari derived 2.9-liter twin-turbo V6 sends 505-hp to all four wheels and thanks to the slightly lower curb weight gets to 60 mph in a Mustang beating 3.9-seconds.

Lamborghini Urus

The Urus is the first SUV ever made by Lamborghini. Not a company known for producing slow cars, it decided that its first attempt should be powered by a 650-hp twin-turbo V8. That gives it a claimed 0-62 mph time of 3.6 seconds. The 0-60 mph time should be about a tenth quicker and once it actually goes into production its claimed 190 mph top speed will make it the fastest SUV on the planet.

Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk

Big engines, big bodies and way too much power are surely what the American automotive dream is made of so you may be pleased to hear that the biggest and baddest of the lot is home grown. The Grand Cherokee Trackhawk definitely didn’t need to be made, but sometimes the balance of power needs to be reasserted and what better way to do it than stick the 707-hp 6.2-liter supercharged V8 from the Dodge Charger Hellcat into an SUV? The result is a Porsche 911 beating 0-60 mph time of 3.5 seconds and enough torque to wrinkle the very road itself.

Tesla Model X

The Model X is Tesla’s take on the SUV. Available in three trims, the P100D is the one most people are familiar with thanks to its 2.9-second 0-60 mph time. That is fast enough to see off the 647-hp Ford GT, despite it weighing in at a very hefty 5,500 pounds. The somewhat more affordable 75D is still pretty rapid and will just about match the EcoSport powered Mustang to 60 mph.

We may live in a world where an SUV can take on a sports car away from the lights but there is more to performance than pure straight-line speed. The latest Mustang is a far more rounded product than ever before and when it comes to cornering ability and driving enjoyment few SUVs can hope to compete.

9 SUVs That Will Destroy A Mustang In A Drag Race

These are some very quick alternatives to the Mustang that are also capable of carrying the entire family and a week’s worth of groceries.

The Mustang is possibly the best rounded of the current crop of muscle cars. The introduction of a fuel-efficient yet still powerful base 4-cylinder motor and independent rear suspension to the latest generation showed that Ford is firmly focused on keeping it relevant for modern day driving. The advanced flat-plane crank 526-hp 5.2-liter V8 fitted to the top Shelby GT350 is the most advanced engine ever to power a Mustang, its handling is right up there with the best in class too.

Traditionalists will still gravitate towards the mid-range 5.0-liter model. This car produces 460 hp (25-hp more than in 2017) and can be fitted with either a 6-speed manual or new 10-speed automatic transmission. It's arguably the pick of the range if you intend to use it as a daily driver. Equipped with the 6-speed manual the 5.0-liter Mustang GT can race to 60 mph in 4.5-seconds. That is quick but if you want more then you will have to get the Performance Package and that 10-speed automatic. Equipped like that, the Mustang GT should be able to break 4-seconds to 60 mph. That is about what the more powerful 6-speed manual GT350 can achieve as well.

Even the 2.3-liter EcoBoost turbocharged four is no slouch, the automatic model gets to 60 mph in 5.0-seconds. Those times are as fast as some very expensive exotic machinery but are they quick enough to take on the latest crop of overpowered SUVs? We took a look at some very quick alternatives to the Mustang that are also capable of carrying the entire family and a week’s worth of groceries to see how they matched up.

Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT

Let’s start with the Grand Cherokee SRT. Its 6.4-liter V8 makes 475-hp which is not much more than the V8 Mustang GT but its all-wheel-drive grip advantage and huge torque levels allow the SRT to slingshot to 60 mph in a mere 4.3 seconds. That’s quicker than all but the Performance Pack equipped GT or the Shelby GT350.

Mercedes-Benz GLE63 S AMG

The AMG GLE63 S has a lot of letters in its name and the little S at the very end means that it is the quickest SUV Mercedes sells. 577-hp is provided courtesy of a 5.5-liter twin-turbo V8 and despite a curb weight of over 5,200 pounds, this huge beast will get to 60 mph in 4.1 seconds.

BMW X5 M

The Germans have been making a good living out of producing overpowered SUV monsters for a while now and the BMW X5 M is the sort of head-scratcher that has you wondering who actually needs a 567-hp family vehicle that can blast through the 60 mph barrier in 4.0 seconds. You better be alert at the lights if you don’t want to become familiar with the tailgate design of this BMW.

Bentley Bentayga

The Bentley may be British but underneath all of that leather and luxury is a thoroughly German drivetrain. 600 hp, 12-cylinders and a 0-60 mph time of 4 seconds is as fast as the fastest Mustang and it will keep going to 187 mph which is the fastest official speed for any current production SUV.

Porsche Cayenne Turbo S

When it comes to indecently quick German cars, Porsche is bound to come up with something that trumps just about everything else out there. The Cayenne Turbo is a massively powerful SUV and just as in the Mercedes AMG, that little S at the end means that it is the top dog in the range. This means 570-hp and a 0-60 mph time of 3.8 seconds. But wait, those stats are for the old model. The recently launched new generation 550-hp Turbo does it in 3.9-seconds, we can’t wait to see what the S version will be capable of.

Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio

The Stelvio is not quite the same size as the rest of the SUVs on here but it sure does punch above its weight category. The Ferrari derived 2.9-liter twin-turbo V6 sends 505-hp to all four wheels and thanks to the slightly lower curb weight gets to 60 mph in a Mustang beating 3.9-seconds.

Lamborghini Urus

The Urus is the first SUV ever made by Lamborghini. Not a company known for producing slow cars, it decided that its first attempt should be powered by a 650-hp twin-turbo V8. That gives it a claimed 0-62 mph time of 3.6 seconds. The 0-60 mph time should be about a tenth quicker and once it actually goes into production its claimed 190 mph top speed will make it the fastest SUV on the planet.

Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk

Big engines, big bodies and way too much power are surely what the American automotive dream is made of so you may be pleased to hear that the biggest and baddest of the lot is home grown. The Grand Cherokee Trackhawk definitely didn’t need to be made, but sometimes the balance of power needs to be reasserted and what better way to do it than stick the 707-hp 6.2-liter supercharged V8 from the Dodge Charger Hellcat into an SUV? The result is a Porsche 911 beating 0-60 mph time of 3.5 seconds and enough torque to wrinkle the very road itself.

Tesla Model X

The Model X is Tesla’s take on the SUV. Available in three trims, the P100D is the one most people are familiar with thanks to its 2.9-second 0-60 mph time. That is fast enough to see off the 647-hp Ford GT, despite it weighing in at a very hefty 5,500 pounds. The somewhat more affordable 75D is still pretty rapid and will just about match the EcoSport powered Mustang to 60 mph.

We may live in a world where an SUV can take on a sports car away from the lights but there is more to performance than pure straight-line speed. The latest Mustang is a far more rounded product than ever before and when it comes to cornering ability and driving enjoyment few SUVs can hope to compete.

Ford Mustang, lone survivor of brand's car cull, takes on bigger role

Ford Mustang, lone survivor of brand's car cull, takes on bigger role

DETROIT — After 10 million vehicles over 54 years, the Mustang remains one of the most vital nameplates in Ford's stable.

It's Exhibit A for what the Ford brand wants to stand for: bold, emotional designs that elicit passion among its customers.

The rest of its cars lack that cachet, which is why, after the Fusion sedan disappears from showrooms early next decade, the Mustang effectively will be Ford's last car standing as the brand shifts to a lineup dominated by pickups and utility vehicles.

Now, Ford is trying to re-create that Mustang magic in its crossover and SUV lineup. One vehicle in particular, a yet-to-be-named battery-electric crossover, was heavily inspired by the Mustang; Ford floated the name Mach 1 for it this year, though the production version is likely to get a different moniker.

"It's core to what people see Ford as," Carl Widmann, the Mustang's chief engineer, told Automotive News. "We wanted a vehicle that would draw people to the showroom floor. There's clear evidence that's the case."

The Mustang has been the best-selling sports coupe in the U.S. since its redesign in 2014. Ford began selling the Mustang globally in 2015 and now sells it in more than 140 markets, including China, Germany and Australia.

Despite the Mustang's importance to the company, CEO Jim Hackett reportedly pushed back the seventh-generation program by about a year.

A redesigned Mustang now is expected in 2021. The car rides on an exclusive rear-wheel-drive platform but could move to one of the company's five new modular architectures, presumably the rwd/all-wheel-drive unibody underpinnings it would share with utilities such as the Explorer and Lincoln Aviator. That would give Ford the option of building an awd pony car for better handling in winter and to compete with the awd version of the Dodge Challenger that launched in 2017.

The company also plans the first Mustang hybrid, set to arrive in 2020.

Members of the Mustang team were mum on details about the next-generation car but said the move to a modular architecture won't hurt their design creativity.

"Mustang is still going to be a strong, well proportioned vehicle," the Mustang's chief designer, Darrell Behmer, said. "The modular architectures will still give us flexibility; it's not going to bastardize Mustang."

'A tremendous trick'

Widmann said the move won't fundamentally change the car.

"The general layout of rwd has morphed over time, but it's still the general architecture that it has been," he said. "In the architecture world of a rwd — which you're going to end up with a rwd architecture — I think these pieces of it are pieces that will always work. As you tune it and put a top hat on it, you can get different combinations and can define a lot of the emotion."

The current-generation Mustang resonates so well, Widmann said, because of its styling, diverse powertrains and driveability on or off a racetrack.

The team worked to give the 2015 model a more aggressive look while keeping traditional design elements. The vehicle's footprint was unchanged, but the roof and hood were lowered about 1.2 inches. Visibility also was key, Widmann said, as the team tried to maintain the previous generation's proportions.

"It's critical to always have the ability to keep theme elements but not be stuck in a rut," Widmann said. "It's a balance of not being caught in the past but still moving forward, which is a tremendous trick."

Ford has made incremental improvements since the 2015 redesign, adding a 10-speed automatic transmission and dropping the V-6 engine in 2018. It also has reintroduced special editions, including the Bullitt and California Special, and revived performance variants such as the Shelby GT350 and Cobra Jet.

Although U.S. sales are down 4.8 percent this year to 48,362 through July, the car is outselling its chief rivals: the Challenger and Chevrolet Camaro.

"It's the heart and soul of Ford," Jim Farley, Ford's president of global markets, said at a celebration this month of the 10 millionth Mustang produced. "It's one of the reasons why we're different and it continues to inspire other vehicles in the lineup."

Performance and utility

The Mustang-inspired electric crossover, due in 2020, likely will borrow heavily from the pony car's front-end design and combine the performance of an EV with the utility of an Explorer-like crossover.

Just don't expect it to be called Mach 1, a name Ford used for a Mustang performance option at various times from 1968 through the 2004 model year.

"We put that out there to evaluate it," Farley said of the name. "There are pros and cons. I don't want to handicap it at this point, but we got a very strong reaction from people."

After Ford released a teaser video for the vehicle this year, one YouTube user responded: "If they end up calling an SUV a Mach 1, I will never buy a Ford car or truck as long as I live. Blasphemy!"

Another added: "As a man who owns a 2003 mach 1 5-Speed, I am DISGUSTED. The mach 1 is the most iconic stang and you're disgracing its name with this. Shame."

Regardless of what name Ford picks, people who have helped shape the Mustang are excited by the prospect of expanding its DNA to other vehicles.

"Mustang has a soul. It's a balance of performance and design," Behmer said. "If you can capitalize on the cachet and let that rub off on the rest of the portfolio, it's a good thing."

You can reach Michael Martinez at mdmartinez@crain.com.

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