Tire. Keep that in mind because, as you’ll soon see, tires are a key component in this three-way super-SUV drag race. OK, they are key components in many ways every competitions involving wheeled vehicles with motorbikes. But as Jason Cammisa pointedly points out in his recent work Hagerty drag race videos, grip trumps outright strength in this fight.
Let’s consider the competitors. With 631 horsepower, the Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT has the lowest output of this SUV trifecta, though it’s certainly no slouch. Porsche says the high-performance people mover can reach 60 mph in 3.1 seconds, which just so happens to coincide with the same time Aston Martin published for the DBX707. It packs 697 hp under the hood, but is also several hundred pounds heavier than the Porsche. And then there’s the Rivian R1S many heavier than the Cayenne – 1,200 pounds to be exact. But it also puts 835 hp to the ground via a quad-motor electric powertrain.
Now, about the tires. Of the three SUVs, the Rivian R1S is the only one equipped with tires to suit any vehicle that might venture off the pavement. Its all-terrain shoes have a very high treadwear rating, meaning they’ll last for miles but aren’t too sticky. Meanwhile, Cayenne Turbo GT has very high performance tires with very low treadwear. They won’t live long, however Wow, Nellie will they claw the asphalt to the bitter end. Aston Martin is comfortable in the middle. You probably see where this is going.
If you guessed Rivian would win, you guessed wrong. In fact, it was Porsche that crossed the line first, followed by the Aston Martin DBX in second. The R1S finished last by a significant margin thanks to the speed limiter set to 110 mph, but fell behind even before that electronic barrier.
Cammisa notes that Porsche, despite having the lowest power rating in the group, slides madly thanks to those sticky tires. With a slightly firmer grip than the DBX707, racing can go well. As for Rivian, it’s not far off the mark even though it has hard tires that are completely unsuitable for racing. Given a similar set of racing rubbers, it could beat the GT. At least up to 110 mph.
For a little extra context, the video ends with the Maserati MC20 racing the Cayenne GT. Can a twin-turbocharged mid-engine supercar prevent a five-seater family vehicle? For at least a quarter mile, this is the final photo.
