Fast SUVs with stonking V8s | Six of the Best
Land Rover has finally put its V8 out to pasture - but that shouldn't prevent you buying something very much like it
Land Rover Defender 90 V8, 2023, 20k, PH Auction
In the end, it seems, it was more whimper than bang. JLR’s supercharged V8, the bedrock of its performance offerings since 2010, was declared done for good last week as it was left out of the refreshed Defender lineup. And with Euro 7 looming, the era of old-fashioned (i.e. non hybridised) V8s in mainstream cars is likely drawing to a close across the board. This will have an outsized impact on large SUVs - the Defender was the perfect example, alongside several other Land Rover products, of just how satisfying the combination of unfettered petrol V8 and high-sided 4x4 could be. Prime example: the Carpathian Grey 90 about to make its way through PH Auctions. Bit show off-y? Yes - but that’s very much all part of the fun of powering your off-roader with eight rumbly cylinders.
Mercedes GLE 63 AMG, 2018, 71k, £33,990
If you’re looking for someone to blame for the crowd-pleasing amalgamation of large petrol engine and modern SUV, you might end up at Mercedes door courtesy of the ML 55 AMG, which dates all the way back to 1999. The firm hasn’t resisted the urge to install a V8 in every generation that followed - meaning that by the time it turned into the GLE, it could be had with the omnipresent turbocharged 5.5-litre unit that outputted 585hp in this 63 S AMG from 2018. Only one owner has contributed to the 71k odometer reading, and was apparently conscientious enough to see every MOT knocked off without incident. The Night Edition look isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but £34k might be…
Audi SQ7, 2017, 73k, £27,740
With a very similar amount of miles but none of the bling - and for a significant saving, mind - you could have this sober-looking SQ7 from a year earlier. Presumably you’ll pay less for the perceived desirability gap between petrol and diesel, but don’t let that put you off: the 4.0-litre V8 that features in the Audi (and numerous other places) is one of the best oil burners you can buy at any price. Think colossal torque and molasses-smooth presence, both of which were considered good enough for Bentley, after all. And while you wouldn’t call it exactly frugal, it’ll certainly get you and yours a lot further down the road than anything else listed here. And for less than £28k, too.
Maserati Levante Trofeo, 2020, 28k, £55,880
Of course, if for you the thought of a diesel engine negates the whole point of splurging on a secondhand V8, then there’s always an option as preposterous as the much more expensive Levante Trofeo. This is not one of those fast SUVs to astound you with its handling capabilities - but there will not be a day that goes by where close proximity to the turbocharged 3.8-litre fails to bring you joy. This is the unit Maserati co-developed with Ferrari, let’s not forget, and while it may ‘only’ have 580hp compared to the 710hp you got from, say, an F8 Tributo, you don’t have to tell your friends that. You just need them hear what happens when the throttle opens.
Porsche Cayenne Turbo, 2018, 60k, £43,995
If handling prowess is a consideration, you can do no better than a used Cayenne. Pretty much any variant will do on that score, though if you want to push the V8 boat out (without breaking the bank), you’ll be wanting the Turbo-badged version that featured the 4.0-litre V8. Spared the bulky hybrid gubbings that came later, you’ll get 550hp from the omnipresent VW Group motor, which is more than enough to make your head spin. This one has seen plenty of owners in its time, but repeatedly changing hands hasn’t left a mark on the MOT history. Any way you slice it, the third generation Cayenne is a lot of car for less than £45k.
Jaguar F-Pace SVR, 2019, 48k, £33,990
Okay, second bite of the AJ-V8 cherry - but surely allowed by virtue of a totally different setting. If the Defender is all about rough hewn nonchalance in the face of mud and wet leaves, the F-Pace was about doing a fast SUV, Jaguar-style. And it’s worth reiterating just how well they did that: the SVR was not pointlessly hunkered down, it breathed with the road like a panther, and accelerated like one, too. Granted, the newer versions were much nicer inside, but the older ones sound better. This one, from 2019 and with middling miles on the clock, is used hot hatch money. Expect it to be no less fun where it counts.
At the other end of the scale, the Merc, Maserati, jag, and cayenne are going to be far too expensive to run, put a huge run on your face, but ultimately not as practical as their smaller engined counterparts and just not worth the extra expense. The Audi is the only one that retains the practicality and usability of the smaller engined model. The diesel 4 litre is only fractionally more thirsty than the 3 litre diesel in real world use and it s worth it for the additional refinement in this car. The newer petrol sq7 is glorious, but slightly too thirsty (for a family bus) for my wallet.
Harry Metcalf is currently running a Maserati Levante Trofeo and loves it. Again won’t be cheap to run but is a solid left field choice and will be way more fun than the Audi or Porsche.
The GLE looks like a good buy, absolutely cracking engine and great noise.
The Maserati and Jag don't really interest me.
GLE is a big old beast and far from pretty, but great engine. Those Jags sounds fantastic but I don't want one. Defender very appealing but not sure the V8 is the one to have. Maserati looks excellent and a good left field choice. Good list, basically!
From this list it would be the Maserati for me. Trying to get the price under 50k though,
But the looks and the sound in this bracket, is best in class.
Knowing that the reliability might be not on Audi, Merc etc levels.
From all those, the most fun car
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