I’ll bet we got you with “2,700 hp,” right? How much fun would it be to blow off some Bugatti Veyron or Koenigsegg Agera with an SUV? This particular SUV is a Nissan Patrol, which can hit over 200 mph in half a mile. So those are two good reasons, for starters, why you need this insane Nissan. 

Are supercar SUVs the next big thing?

And there are other super-SUVs like this that recently congregated for the Tilal Swaihan Mile race held in the United Arab Emirates. The idea of a supercar SUV isn’t as crazy as you might think. First, most of the supercar makers have one or are developing one now. 

Lamborghini has its Urus, and there is the Bentley Bentayga Speed. Stepping down a notch, there is the Porsche Cayenne Turbo S E-Hybrid, the Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk, and the Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat. All worthy supercar SUVs with their 600-plus horsepower, but ones like this Nissan Patrol take things to a whole new level.

Some of these Nissan Patrol SUVs are running modified stock engines

The Nissan Patrol was one of three that participate in this event. That black one even has its factory engine-heavily modified of course. The 4.8-liter inline-six was treated to humongous turbochargers to help crank up the power to 2,700 hp. 

Another Patrol incorporates the drivetrain and front suspension from a Nissan R35 GT-R. So essentially a Patrol body was bonked onto a GT-R subframe. The 4.1-liter engine now packs 2,400 hp. It hit the half-mile traps clocked at 219.83 mph. But the black 2,700 hp monster beat that time, with a recorded 221.23 mph charge. 

What is the Tilal Swaihan?

The Tilal Swaihan is a campsite where anyone can create a recreational campsite. For a US comparison, think of the Bonneville Salt Flats, but with sand instead of salt. And a place where camping is allowed, as opposed to the salt flats, where you can’t. 

So a section of real estate is roped off, with a paved mile-long straight stretch of track for racers to compete. And it’s located in the middle of the desert, with nothing but sand around for miles. Cycling and racing are just two of the activities the Tilal Swaihan sees each year. This particular event brings out the top straight-line racers from around the UAE.

Except for the surroundings, this racing should be very familiar

These high-rev six-bangers scream like they’re tearing themselves apart. And some do. But these are also seasoned racers and builders just like we have in the US. The vehicles and surroundings are foreign, but the sights and sounds of the racing are very familiar if you’ve ever been drag racing or attended top speed straight line events. 

Modifying and racing production cars and trucks is a universal pursuit throughout the world. Anywhere you go you’ll find like-minded car junkies using gun-drilled axles, giant turbos, and high-speed squirts down straight-line tracks. And now you can add SUVs to the list of vehicles racing for fun and profit, especially in the UAE.