© Colourbox
Dashing Through the Snow
It’s almost time for the guy in the red suit and white beard to make many deliveries one night each year, and we all know he drives a classic sleigh pulled by flying reindeer. Perhaps it’s time for Santa to upgrade his traditional ride to something a bit more modern. Take a peek at these hot new sleds that could replace reindeer power with some hefty horsepower.
© Perry Stern, Automotive Content Experience
Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio
One of the newest offerings from Italy, the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio makes an awesome new sled. Santa will look good in this sexy sedan, and with a Ferrari-sourced twin-turbo V6 engine that puts out an impressive 505 horsepower, the Giulia can reach 60 mph in less than 4 seconds. Better looking and faster than most reindeer.
© Audi AG
Audi TT
The TT was all new for the 2016 model year with beautiful styling inside and out. Plenty of power driving all four wheels keeps the TT moving quickly, and with a unique customizable instrument panel the navigation screen can be loaded directly in front of the driver to help Santa find his way, making Rudolph redundant. That said, Santa might have so much fun driving the TT he may forget about delivering gifts, which puts two significant North Pole residents out of work.
© Bentley Motors
Bentley Bentayga
Santa’s sleigh is a classic, but maybe it’s time the big man made his run around the world in comfort. With plenty of room for gifts and one of the most elegant interiors on the market, the Bentley Bentayga would make Santa smile. Multi-mode air suspension, advanced traction control and permanent all-wheel drive will let Santa make tracks wherever he needs to go, and with a 600-horsepower twin-turbo W12 engine under the hood there will be no shortage of power no matter what route he takes.
© Perry Stern, Automotive Content Experience
BMW X5 M
If Santa had an X5 M to drive on Christmas Eve, he certainly wouldn’t have any problem making the rounds. The X5 offers good cargo space — even more with the rear seats folded — and with a 567-horsepower turbocharged V8 engine and full-time all-wheel drive, getting gifts delivered on time should be a breeze.
© General Motors
Cadillac CTS-V
Santa works hard all year, so why shouldn’t he live it up a bit and upgrade to a Cadillac? Of course, he still needs to make his deliveries with alacrity, so it really should be the CTS-V. With a top speed in excess of 200 mph, the CTS-V is an excellent reason to leave the old sleigh at the North Pole.
© General Motors
Chevrolet Corvette Z06
It may not have a lot of room for packages, but this red sled is a legend in American performance, and the Corvette Z06 is the most capable version ever. Boasting 650 horsepower, the Z06 offers extreme delivery — capable of accelerating from zero to 60 mph in only 2.95 seconds, achieving 1.2 g in cornering acceleration, and braking from 60 to zero mph in just 99.6 feet. That’s one exciting Christmas Eve for Santa.
© FCA US
Dodge Challenger GT
For deliveries in the U.S., Santa would probably be most at home behind the wheel of a proper American muscle car. The Dodge Challenger fills the bill even better, now that it’s available with all-wheel drive. The all-new GT boasts a 305-horsepower V6 engine, which has plenty of oomph to throw some snow around while Santa makes his rounds.
© FCA US LLC
Dodge Charger Hellcat
Although the name Hellcat doesn’t sound very holiday-like, then again neither does the roar of its supercharged V8 engine — and quite honestly we don’t care. The Charger has plenty of space for packages and more than 700 horsepower on tap, so Santa will make his deliveries with time to spare for a little drifting in the snow.
© Perry Stern, Automotive Content Experience
Ford F-450 Super Duty
Santa’s reality: There are tons of gifts to transport, so this truck might be his miracle delivery vehicle. The F-450 Super Duty is all new and can carry almost four tons of gifts. Even better: The F-450 can tow Santa’s sleigh loaded with more than 32,000 pounds of goodness! Bonus for Santa: The F-450 can be fitted with a luxurious interior so the big guy can ride in ultimate comfort.
© Jaguar Land Rover North America
Jaguar F-PACE S
We believe that Santa has some sense of style, so he’ll really enjoy travelling the world in one of the sexiest SUVs on the road: the Jaguar F-PACE. With 380 horsepower on tap and full-time all-wheel drive, the man in the red suit will make his rounds in a hurry, but considering the F-PACE S’s heated power leather seats and high-end audio system, Santa may want to take his time.
© FCA US LLC
Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT
Considering the amount of winter snow that Santa will need to wade through, a Jeep is a natural way to go. But St. Nick needs to travel fast, which is why the Grand Cherokee SRT might make the perfect sleigh replacement. Boasting a 475-horsepower V8 engine, the SRT will blast to 60 mph in less than 5 seconds, and setting the drive mode to “Snow” at the North Pole will ensure optimum performance when the jolly man leaves his workshop.
© FCA US
Jeep Wrangler Trailcat Concept
There is only one of these in existence, but we think FCA might be willing to lend it to Santa for his annual overnight run. With 707 horsepower on tap and massive 39.5 inch tires, this Trailcat will ensure that Santa makes it to every house, no matter how remote. But with the roaring exhaust note emanating from that supercharged V8, there will be more than a bit of clatter arising out on the lawn.
© Jaguar Land Rover
Land Rover Range Rover Sport SVR
Sure, Santa’s traditional sleigh is quite comfortable, but it’s unlikely to offer the luxurious interior the big guy would find inside a Range Rover Sport. Combine that with legendary off-road capability and an available supercharged V8 engine putting out 550 horsepower, and the Range Rover could become a permanent replacement for the holiday sleigh.
© Perry Stern, Automotive Content Experience
Mazda MX-5 Miata
Perhaps Santa prefers to enjoy the snowy night with the wind in his face — after all, the song does say “Oh, what fun it is to ride in a one horse open sleigh.” Of course, the Miata has a few more horses, but oh what fun it is to drive. In fact, Santa’s teeth may be chattering all night since he’ll be unable to wipe the grin from his face as he pilots this hot roadster.
© Perry Stern, Automotive Content Experience
Mercedes-AMG G65
A vehicle capable of handling practically any terrain while keeping its driver in ultimate comfort sounds like the perfect match for Santa. Add a twin-turbo V12 engine and you have a 621-horsepower beast called the G65. Built to handle the worst mother nature can throw at it, the G65 makes an excellent option for Santa to make sure all the gifts are delivered on time — and in style.
© Mercedes-Benz USA
Mercedes-AMG GT
Santa would certainly be styling with this sexy high-performance sled as his Christmas ride. With pure sports car lines and one of the best V8 exhaust notes in the business, this 503-horsepower rocket could qualify as Santa’s gift to himself. And to keep those cheeks rosy, he might want to consider putting the top down while making his rounds.
© Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc.
Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution
If there were a car begging to be driven sideways through the snow and ice, it would be the Lancer Evo. With more than 300 horsepower and all-wheel drive, the Lancer Evolution may be a bit of a tight fit for all those gifts, but Santa is going to have the time of his life on the delivery route. That said, Santa had better not wait until Christmas to pick up his Evo — this hot ride has been discontinued, so there are only a few Lancer Evolutions left on dealer lots.
© Porsche Cars North America
Porsche Macan GTS
The Macan is a good-looking SUV, but the GTS in red with black wheels is worthy of replacing Santa’s sleigh. With a 360-horsepower turbocharged engine, full-time all-wheel drive and reinforced brakes, the small Porsche would make the trek from the North Pole with ease.
© Subaru of America
Subaru WRX
Subaru’s legendary all-wheel drive will come in handy when Santa heads south from the North Pole, but some additional performance would help speed up the trip. A perfect solution? The Subaru WRX. With 268 horsepower and the control of torque vectoring, the snow will be flying on Christmas Eve.
© Tesla Motors
Tesla Model X
If he’s trying to cut down on reindeer emissions, perhaps Santa would go for something that runs a bit cleaner. The Tesla Model X is pure electric vehicle that offers all-wheel drive to handle blustery winter weather. Santa will surely appreciate the easy loading via unique Falcon-Wing doors, and if he starts falling behind he can choose Tesla’s “Ludicrous” mode to ensure he makes his rounds on time.
