These SUVs are Super Saloon Killers

Go big or go home. Is the super SUV the new super saloon?

Who needs a supercar when you can have a super saloon? And who needs a super saloon when you can have a super SUV?

Why not take things one step further than the super saloon, after all? For those that want to experience the thrills of a sports car/supercar but also need practicality in terms of seating, boot space and ground clearance, why stop at the saloon?

Although SUVs attract their fair share of disgust from motoring enthusiasts for being too big, brash and bulbous, there is still an argument to be made for the super SUV. After all, their influence in today’s current car markets is undeniable with sales of SUVs skyrocketing over the past couple of decades. Even marques such as Maserati and Aston Martin have released their own SUVs, a move that would never have been expected ten or twenty years prior.

Even Ferrari, a brand that has been observed to be particularly anti-SUV thanks to the comments of Flavio Manzoni, claiming “Enzo Ferrari would turn in his grave” if there were ever to be an SUV with the Prancing Horse logo on it, is now producing a rendition of the infamous sports utility vehicle. Well, turn he shall!

Whether you love them or hate them, SUVs offer undeniable practicality over saloons. Higher ground clearance, greater visibility (for the occupants, certainly not other motorists or pedestrians!), more storage space, all-wheel drive, superior safety (again, for the occupants and no one else) and in some cases, more seats.

One such example would be the Porsche Macan GTS which is now Porsche’s flagship SUV. Fitted with a 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6 engine producing around 434 horsepower, the Macan GTS may be big but it’s plenty nippy. 0-60mph in 4.1 seconds and ¼ mile in 12.7 seconds is nothing to shake a stick at either! Performance features and technology options also include ceramic brakes, adaptive air suspension, recalibrated dampers and Porsche torque vectoring to name a few.

The Porsche Macan GTS is one of those cars that will turn naysayers into believers. Any who dare say SUVs will always be full of body roll and handle like a minivan due to all the weight that is being thrown around with their high centre of gravity, the Macan GTS is said to be the one to change that narrative. Despite its size, it feels agile. Despite its weight, it feels light on its feet. And one thing that it has over a comparative super saloon is that the Macan GTS, despite having a very sporty suspension, still has good ride quality.

Other examples of super saloon killers include the Tesla Model X, Audi SQ8 and the BMW X4 M Competition. These are cars, that despite their hulking size, can accelerate from 0-60mph quicker than a BMW M3 or AMG C 63.

They’re styled to look extremely sporty, their exhaust notes have been fine-tuned and under the bonnet, large beastly engines lie waiting to be put to the test. With the exception of the Tesla, of course!

SUVs haven’t always been at the forefront of ‘cool’ but that’s changing with these super saloon killers. The only problem is that they’re usually more expensive, so not exactly killing it in terms of competitive pricing but if money’s no object and you want something just as quick as a super saloon with a little more space, super SUVs are here to be considered.

Let us know your thoughts, in the comments.

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