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10-Second GMC Yukon Denali Laughs at "Not Fit for Racing" SUV Preconceptions

Four-by-fours have gotten a lot of stick lately, and by "lately," we mean the last decade or so. Even though this type of vehicle has been around for a lot longer than that, people only started picking on them recently, for some reason.
GMC Yukon Denali drag racing 6 photos
Photo: YouTube screenshot
GMC Yukon Denali drag racingGMC Yukon Denali drag racingGMC Yukon Denali drag racingGMC Yukon Denali drag racingGMC Yukon Denali drag racing
Think about it, what happened roughly ten years ago? We'll tell you what: 4x4s morphed into SUVs, and in doing so, they became mainstream. Instead of the highly specialized vehicles meant to tear through the roughest terrain, you were more likely to see one in the mall parking lot than on a trail. And you still are.

Having lost that adventurous side, SUVs became stuck in a sort of limbo where they weren't particularly good off-road, but they didn't offer the best on-road experience either. Sure, it didn't dent their popularity or market success in any shape or form, but it did put a "not fit for racing" stamp on the entire segment.

Porsche, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and, more recently, Lamborghini tried to do something about that with the high-powered versions of their SUVs, and the Americans did their part too with the Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk; yet the stigma remained.

Well, it will take more than a highly modified GMC Yukon to lift it, but its efforts are duly noted. The GM-made SUV is powered by a Dart LS Next 427 (7.0-liter) V8 engine producing an unspecified amount of power. Considering it can go beyond 600 hp without the help of forced induction, we wouldn't be surprised if it were a four-digit number.

That's because the LS in the Yukon Denali isn't naturally aspirated but has a VS Racing VSR Next Gen 92/110 Billet Wheel Turbocharger. While we don't know the exact figure, it's clearly enough to propel the SUV over the quarter-mile in under 10.5 seconds, which is remarkable for a brick of this size and weight.

The cool thing about the build is that the exterior doesn't give anything away. The Yukon is the perfect sleeper, a status further enhanced by the fact it's very much an SUV. The Camaro and the Mustang in the clip below found that out the hard way after the white SUV humiliated both; the former by letting off toward the end, and the latter by offering a roughly one-second head start and still crossing the line almost simultaneously. Sandwiched between those two is a RAM that had no business being there.

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About the author: Vlad Mitrache
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"Boy meets car, boy loves car, boy gets journalism degree and starts job writing and editing at a car magazine" - 5/5. (Vlad Mitrache if he was a movie)
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