Let’s be honest. The vast majority of luxury off-roaders on the market will never ever be called to do anything close to real rough-terrain driving. But that hasn’t stopped carmakers from releasing ever-hardier models. Nor has it dissuaded true-blue motoring enthusiasts from eagerly snapping them up. With a fresh crop of cars about to hit the market, we round up the best luxury off-roaders of 2018.
The G-Class is something of an aberration among Mercedes-Benz’s sleek, luxury-focused inventory – in a good way. Its three locking differentials offer cross-country drivers nimbleness and stability across the even the most challenging of terrains. The G-Class also makes short work of severe slopes thanks to tight front and rear overhangs. It can even ford waters up to 60cm deep with nary a drop leaking through. Small wonder, then, that in addition to being our Car of the Month (see our review here), it’s also made our list of 2018’s best luxury off-roaders.
The latest model of Land Rover’s rugged Range Rover Sport is nothing to be sniffed at. Fitted with a new V8 engine that produces 550bhp, it’s the brand’s fastest car. It also eats up even most difficult terrains with ease, thanks to the dedicated Terrain Response 2.0 technology onboard. Pre-set modes include Sand, Mud and Ruts, Grass/Gravel/Snow and even Rock Crawl.
Unsurprisingly, Bentley puts the ‘luxury’ in luxury off-roaders with its new Bentayga. The extremely personalisable SUV boasts all the high-quality creature comforts synonymous with the Bentley name.
But don’t let the fancy looks fool you. Under the hood, it’s a whole new beast. The 6.0-litre W12 engine produces a top speed of 301kmph, making it the world’s fastest SUV. Its off-road capabilities are equally spectacular – the Bentayga’s engine and gearbox are equipped to handle longitudinal and lateral angles up to 35 degrees.
For true adrenaline junkies, Howe & Howe’s new Ripsaw EV3-F1 is THE gold standard for extreme luxury off-roaders. Dubbed ‘the most obnoxious vehicle ever made’, every aspect of this arresting one-man tank cranks the dial up to the max.
A close-up look at the Ripsaw EV3-F1 reveals enormous tank tracks, an extra-strength tubular exoskeleton and a Hellcat motor that delivers up to 1,500bhp. Capable of traversing any terrain and angles up to a whopping 70 degrees, this is the ultimate joy ride for today’s millionaire petrol-heads!
Text: Tenzing Thondup
Videos: Mercedes-Benz, Land Rover, Bentley, Howe & Howe