11 Sports Cars That Can Off-Road

While many luxurious sports cars are well-equipped to slay on the tarmac, some just want to break free. So which ones can handle the off-roading life?
Written by Elaine Duvet
Reviewed by Kathleen Flear
Off-roading vehicles don’t have to be monstrous beasts with massive tires and insane ground clearance. Most of us underestimate how fast and nimble sports cars can be on a dirt playground. 
Jerry
, your favorite
super car app
, looks at some
sporty vehicles
that can handle high speeds, rough terrain, and muddy roads.

U.S. sports cars that can off-road

The Ford Focus RS is a hot hatch known for its drifting capabilities. Drivers can enjoy a turbocharged 2.3-liter engine and opt for a “drift stick.” According to
Road and Track
, “Drift mode sends as much power as the AWD system allows to the Rear Drive Unit, and furthermore as much power as the RDU allows to one side.”
The mighty Dodge Challenger SXT AWD wants to play on a wide dirt track. The base model comes with a V6 engine that cranks out 300 hp with an adaptive suspension. The extra ground clearance makes for a fun ride off-road.
Despite their size, compact cars can pack some serious punch. The blue-collar Ford Escort RS Cosworth (aka the “Cosi”) was designed as a Group A car for the World Rally Championship. 
Between 1993 and 1998, the Cosi competed and was only available as a rare road car until 1996. 
In total, about 7,000 units of the street-legal version were ever produced. The turbo lag was bad, so instead of finding the Cosi nailing the clipping point, you’d often find them in a ditch instead. 
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Unstoppable international speedsters

Great on dirt is the Toyota Celica GT4, which sports an advanced all-wheel-drive system and about 240 hp. The high-performance model of the Celica Liftback was originally created to compete in the World Rally Championship, and no doubt has impressive grip.
The Mitsubishi Lancer EVO VI straight up looks like a street racer. Icon Tommi Mäkinen won four championships in the attractive rally car, further proving its capabilities. “The same off-road competence in the IV is also present in every EVO that followed it,”
HotCars
notes.
The stylish all-wheel-drive Audi RS6 Avant features all-weather cross-country capabilities and excellent handling. According to HotCars, “The newest Quattro all-wheel-drive system and advanced suspension will keep you planted even on the most slippery surfaces, just take care of those 21-inch rims!”
The cute Audi Quattro has awesome grip and advanced all-wheel-drive sending its power to each and every wheel. This German road and rally car was first revealed at the 1980 Geneva Motor Show. Under 12,000 units were produced of this traction maximizing machine. 

Overlooked performance gems

MORE: The Most Fun Cars to Drive In 2022
The Ariel Nomad was derived from the speedy Ariel Atom. Once the Atom got an off-road kit, the Nomad was born and hasn’t slowed down ever since. Drivers get to experience next-level speeds on various terrain, only protected by a simple roll cage.
You may have first seen a bright red Lancia Stratos featured on “Jay Leno’s Garage,” and we’re here to tell you that this little Bertone-designed sports car is no joke. A monster lies within, and “with a Ferrari heart and ridiculously short wheelbase, the car is not easy to drive,” HotCars notes. 
Many critics were not a fan of the tall Lamborghini Urus sports car, which was never really meant to drive off-road. “But long before the Urus, there was the LM002. A lot more like the original Hummer than a Lambo, there’s no terrain this bad boy can’t hurdle,” HotCars tells us. Given the Lamborghini LM002’s large V12 engine, we believe them.
Let’s hear it for another high-powered SUV! The Porsche Cayenne luxury crossover is much more capable than you’d think. The Cayenne offers powerful engine options, precise handling, and performance worthy of a sports car. And if it sports some all-wheel tires, there’s no stopping this all-wheel-drive speed demon. 
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