In case you’ve ever lain in bed at night pondering whether the new Range Rover Sport SVR would outrun Hennessey’s->ke1863 ridiculous VelociRaptor and its 600-horsepower V-8, you’re in luck. TopGear Magazine have matched the contenders in a head-to-head drag race.
Don’t worry, I’m not going to spoil the race results, but I will give a background on both contenders. Up first is the VelociRaptor. The truck started life as an “ordinary” Ford F-150 SVT Raptor. Hennessey Performance then worked its magic on the mechanicals, bolting on a Whipple supercharger atop the Ford’s 6.2-liter V-8 and upgrading the suspension to take even more abuse than a standard Raptor. (After all, it had to survive Jeremy Clarkson and the Stig giving it the beans.) All told, the VelociRaptor makes 600 horsepower at the wheels and is capable of blasting its way over nearly any terrain.
In the other corner is Land Rover’s newest high-performance SUV, the Range Rover Sport SVR. Under its aluminum hood lies the same 5.0-liter supercharged V-8 found in the Jaguar F-Type R. It pumps out 542 brake horsepower and 501 pound-feet of torque. Of course with it being a Range Rover, AWD is standard. Land Rover engineers have tweaked the suspension and chassis control electronics to make this capable off-road traveler into an all-out track toy. The result is fantastic.
But which one takes home the quarter-mile victory? Well, the Raptor is no ballet dancer thanks to its 6,000-pound curb weight. A though Land Rover uses aluminum construction, the Range Rover still weighs roughly 5,500 pounds. The VelociRaptor might have slightly more horsepower, but its gearing is likely far lower than the Range Rover. So for the full battle, check out the video above.
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