It’s not the typical Ford Vs. Chevy showdown.
We’re used to seeing some rather unorthodox drag race action from the folks at Hennessey. Truth be told, this one really isn’t that bonkers. Pickup trucks and SUVs have been steadily getting faster through the years, even in non-performance-spec trim. A Chevrolet Tahoe RST already makes 420 horsepower (313 kilowatts) and can rip to 60 mph in under six seconds. Meanwhile, a new Mustang GT dishes 460 hp (343 kW) but at approximately 3,700 pounds, the Pony Car is considerably lighter. In ideal conditions, it nabs 60 mph in just under four seconds.
For this race, the Mustang is factory stock but the Tahoe, well, isn’t. It’s actually fitted with Hennessey’s HPE650 upgrade, boosting the Tahoe to 650 hp (485 kW) courtesy of a few engine tweaks and a whopping big supercharger. The package is a turn-key setup from Hennessey that even comes with a 3-year / 36,000-mile limited warranty. But if you’re reading this article you’re probably not interested in such things.
You’re interested in seeing just how much hurt this big SUV puts on the muscular Mustang. The action takes place at Hennessey’s Texas facility, but not on a prepped race track. In other words, should such an encounter happen in everyday life, this is likely how it would shake out. And actually, it’s probably closer than you’d expect.
Yes, the modified Tahoe has nearly 200 more horsepower than the Mustang, but it also carries 2,000 more pounds and has the aerodynamic properties of a Rhinoceros with a box stuck on its back. Perhaps a small starting line advantage is in order to help the Tahoe compete, but here’s the plot twist: It’s the Mustang that gets a slight head start.
We’ll leave the final outcome to the video, but if you’ve perused our photo gallery already, you probably know how it’s going to end.
Source: Hennessey Performance via YouTube
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