Publications
Partners
Yes, we know what you're thinking... another performance SUV is on its way to South Africa. But there's something special about the BMW X3 M Competition due in the third quarter of 2019.
On paper, it has the most powerful version of the automaker's go-to M-car engine.
BMW quotes performance figures of 375kW and 600Nm. That number is on par with the E60 M5, from the mid-2000s, which produced 375kW from an F1-inspired 5.0-litre V10 engine.
Same power output as the E60 M5
It's startling to think about how much power engineers are able to squeeze out of smaller capacity engines with the assistance of turbochargers and other tweaks.
The X3 M has a claimed 0-100km/h sprint time of 4.1 seconds
We look at four other mid-size SUVs with lots of power, slick automatic gearboxes and four-wheel drive to put all that power down that'll do battle against the X3 M.
1 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadriofoglio -
The Italian SUV borrows the same brilliant 2.9-litre V6 engine from the Guilia QV. Like the BMW, it produces 375kW and 600Nm.
Did we mention the QV's engine is built by Ferrari?
Power goes to all four-wheels via a eight-speed automatic gearbox, and this car holds the record around the Nurburgring for the quickest SUV.
Price: R1 675 000 (Verde)
Price: R1 825 000 (Race Edition)
Image: Quickpic
2 Audi SQ 5 -
The SUV with a four-ringed badge is down on power compared to its rival from Munich. The SQ 5 employs a 3.0-litre V6 TFSI engine with an output of 260kW. The turbocharged, aluminium engine delivers a constant 500Nm of torque from 1370 to 4500r/min.
The sprint from 0 to 100 km/h is completed in a claimed 5.4 seconds; while top speed is an electronically governed 250 km/h.
Price: R1 053 000
3 Jaguar F-Pace SVR
The British SUV (via India) is the most powerful car on the list, engineered by Special Vehicle Operations (SVO), with a 44% uplift in power, the F-Pace SVR’s 5.0-litre V8 supercharged petrol engine produces 405kW and 680Nm.
This enables it to reach 0-100km/h in 4.3 seconds with a top speed of 283km/h.
Price: R 1498 600
4 Mercedes-AMG GLC 63 S -
Easily the best sounding car here, the GLC 63 S is powered by a 4.0-litre bi-turbo V8 engine, producing 375kW and 700Nm.
The 0-100km/h sprint is a claimed 3.8 seconds and it has ti physically restrained at 250km/h.
