LUXURY SUVS

Luxury SUVS OUR 2021 PREVIEW

Luxury SUV's are bigger, faster and some come with all the comforts of a private jet

THE SUV SCRAMBLED UP 5,000 FEET AND AROUND 164 CORNERS AVERAGING 66 MPH

to the top of historic Pikes Peak in 10 minutes and 49 seconds. A world’s record for any vehicle

in that climb.

And the SUV was a Bentley. A what?

Yes, the Bentley Bentayaga, one of the world’s most expensive SUV’s with a starting price of

$300,000, a top end of 190 mph on the highway and a head-turning 3.8 seconds in 0-60 with an

optional 626-horsepower 12-cylinder engine

Bentley is just one of the big-name, top-dollar luxury-car manufacturers turning out SUV’s that Lamborghini Urus

SUVs are outselling sedans two to one, with all the luxury add-ons and safety features of sedans plus more cargo space and better views.

with new technology can jam up and down hills, win highway drag

races or coddle you as you drive around town in extreme luxury and

with the ultimate in safety add-ons.

Luxury SUVs offer an extraordinary driving experience combined

with more cargo space and better views. That’s why SUVs are out-

selling sedans two to one.

Seats that massage, heat and ventilate with 22-way power set-

tings (an extra $11,855 on the Bentley) along with 20-speaker sound

systems, 10.2-inch touch-screen infotainment displays, self-parking,

Bluetooth, GPS navigation and a multitude of safety features like pe-

destrian detectors that will slam on the brakes if you don’t — are all

available with the top-end models. Some have hybrid assistance. All

that, in addition to the extra bulk, typically means mileage of between 12 and 20 per gallon, so prepare to open your wallet at the gas tank.

And if the Bentley Bentayaga doesn’t suit you, how about a Rolls Royce Black Badge Cullinan? It’s named for the largest diamond (3,107.6 carats) ever discovered, found in 1906 in South Africa, now safely locked up in the Tower of London and worth about $2 billion. The Rolls has a bare-bones starting price of $382,000.

It’s not as fast as the Bentley with a top end of only 155, but with a

Bentley Bentayga Hybrid

ENGINE: 4.0-liter, turbocharged V-8

POWER: 641 hp 0-60: 3.2 sec

TOP SPEED: 190 MPH BASE PRICE: $300,000

bounce a bit while drinking a glass of Champagne from the $47,000

optional cooler, while sitting in specially padded $27,000 “sanctuary

seats” in the back.

The wildest and crazy-cool looking SUV is the $222,004, 664 hp

Lamborghini Urus in outrageous orange paint it calls Arancio Borealis

Lamborghini Urus

ENGINE: 2.7-liter, turbocharged V-8

POWER: 654 hp 0-60: 3.8 sec

TOP SPEED: 170 MPH BASE PRICE: $222,004

with a matching interior. It still looks like a Lambo racing sedan, very

sleek and mean, but it can tow 7,000 pounds and it can equal Bent-

ley’s 190 mph top end. Plus it has an adjustable suspension and

can raise or lower itself by six inches to accommodate terrain.

Another luxurious and very popular all-terrain SUV is the Mer-

cedes AMG G63, starting at $259,000. It has three different locking

differentials and a low-range gear, which means it can tackle any steep grade very, very slowly, or turn that off and zip from zero to 60 in under five seconds while all five of you are sitting in contoured Nappa leather seats and enjoying a massage.

And opt for the roof with obsidian black metallic paint for $1,100 extra, and a matching obsidian black ring around the spare-tire housing on the back for an extra $1,000, and a carbon fiber engine cover for $1,500. When you lift the hood, this Mercedes should

Mercedes AMG G63

ENGINE: 4.0-liter, turbocharged V-8

POWER: 550 hp 0-60: 4.8 sec

TOP SPEED: 150 MPH BASE PRICE: $259,000

There are many other SUVs to choose from, far less expensive than the ultra-luxurious and super-fast, among them the all-American Jeep, nastier-looking than ever in the $43,895 Gladiator Rubicon model, which is bigger than the Wrangler you’re used to seeing. It comes with extra storage capacity and an optional three-piece $2,295 body-paint-coordinated hard top. An unusual feature is the $595 forward-facing camera so on the 8.4-inch touch screen, you can see objects on the trail or forest floor as close as two feet in front of you and provide a view of distance as well.

And how about going camping with your SUV? Hit the trail in a $72,895 Ford King Ranch with an optional $369 9-foot by 9-foot Sportz Tent by Napier that attaches to the cargo rear and sleeps four to six people. It has a waterproof floor, lantern holder, two entrance doors, storm flaps and mesh windows. And the SUV seats eight, with power folding heated rear seats.

Meanwhile, if you want to buy the most expensive SUV ever made, the $1.9 million Karlmann King, designed in China and assembled almost completely by hand in Italy can be ordered from the company, but only about 10 have been made so far. It’s a beast at machine, a PlayStation and the most luxurious seating imaginable.

But it is so heavy — over nineteen feet long and eight feet wide — the

top end is a meager 87 miles an hour.

If you’re not worried about getting attacked by an infantry pla-

toon, you can always settle for offerings by Maserati, Ford, Porsche,

BMWX7 and just about every other manufacturer. But most do not

have much standard off-road capability and are typically used around

town or for long-distance travel. For example, the $100,000+BMWX7

Karlman King

ENGINE: 6.8-liter, twin- turbocharged V-10

POWER: 360 Hp 0-60: N/A

TOP SPEED: 87 MPH BASE PRICE: $1.9 million

needs a $1,650 optional off-road package with skid plates and push-button driving modes labeled sand, gravel, rocks and snow.

Now that is entitled luxury.

And here’s an unexpected entry.

Ferrari. Yes, the renowned racecar and hypersport manufacturer

will be coming out with an SUV, the Purosangue, in 2022. Specifica-

tions have not been announced, but the word is it’s likely to have a turbocharged V-8 with hybrid assistance and to pump out around 650 horsepower.

Starting price is estimated at $350,000.