Are expensive off-roaders POINTLESS?

This video pits three high-performance off-road vehicles against each other in a series of challenges to determine the ultimate winner. The contenders are the new Land Rover Defender Octa, a tuned Ford Ranger Raptor, and a tuned Ineos Grenadier. The Land Rover Defender Octa boasts a BMW-sourced 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 engine, producing 635 horsepower and 750 Nm of torque, coupled with an 8-speed automatic gearbox, locking central and rear differentials, and upgraded suspension. It weighs 2.5 tons and comes with a hefty price tag of £160,000. The Ineos Grenadier, prepared by Buzz Overland, has been kitted out in rally spec with upgraded suspension and a tuned 3-liter straight-six BMW engine now delivering 450 horsepower and 680 Nm of torque. It retains factory tires and features only a central locking differential. This vehicle also weighs 2.5 tons but costs £100,000 fully prepped. The Ford Ranger Raptor, modified by Rhino Metal Works, features a lifted suspension, upgraded shocks, aftermarket wheels, and tires. Its 3-liter twin-turbo V6 has been retuned to produce 420 horsepower and over 600 Nm of torque, paired with a 10-speed automatic gearbox and front and rear locking differentials. Weighing approximately 2.5 tons, it's the most affordable at around £60,000, with its price plus the Grenadier's equalling that of the Octa. The competition is scored based on a points system: three points for a win, two for second place, and one for last in each challenge. Failing to complete a challenge results in zero points. The first challenge is an uphill drag race. The Defender Octa's owner, Andy, is driving it, while Alex, a professional off-road driver, pilots the Ineos Grenadier, and the host, Watson, drives the Ford Ranger Raptor. In the initial drag race, the Defender Octa is disqualified for not seeing a gap, while the Ranger Raptor wins, followed by the Ineos Grenadier. This gives the Ford 3 points, the Ineos 2, and the Defender 1. A subsequent one-on-one drag race between the Ranger Raptor and Defender Octa sees the Ranger Raptor narrowly win, awarding it another 3 points, the Defender 2, and the Ineos 1. The second challenge involves navigating a wooded area around a tree, testing maneuverability, turning circle, agility, and traction, timed by a phone. Andy in the Defender Octa opts to turn off "Octa mode," using the mud and rut setting. Despite having road tires, he completes the course in 27.85 seconds. Alex in the Ineos Grenadier, equipped with proper off-road tires, sets a blistering time of 20.9 seconds. However, he is disqualified for taking an incorrect turning and must re-run. His second attempt is slightly slower at 20.76 seconds, but still significantly faster than Andy. Watson in the Ranger Raptor, feeling nervous about driving someone else's car, completes the course in 24.74 seconds, beating Andy but not Alex. Following a discussion about course rules and tire marks, Andy is allowed a re-run and improves his time to 22.05 seconds. This round awards three points to the Ineos, two to the Defender, and one to the Ford. The third challenge focuses on chassis articulation, ground clearance, and control as the vehicles ascend and descend a set of steps. Watson goes first in the Ranger Raptor, facing difficulties with a large dip and a rock that threatens to bend the steps. He ultimately decides to descend the same way he ascended. Andy in the Defender Octa, despite having road tires, manages to ascend the steps effortlessly, impressing the others. He then attempts the trickier descent with a bonus point incentive and successfully navigates it without any scrapes. Alex in the Ineos Grenadier also tackles the steps, opting for momentum on the trickier slope and successfully completing it, much to the surprise of the host. The Ineos receives three points for mastering the trickier descent, the Defender two, and the Ford one. The fourth challenge is a dirt drag race, testing power and traction. Before the race, the vehicles' engine sounds are judged, with the tuned Ranger Raptor, the Defender Octa, and the Ineos Grenadier all revving. The Ranger Raptor surprises everyone by winning the first drag race. A rematch is requested and granted, with the Ranger Raptor winning again. This round awards three points to the Ford, two to the Defender, and one to the Ineos. The fifth challenge is a rock crawl, emphasizing smoothness, steadiness, momentum, and avoiding bottoming out. Alex in the Ineos Grenadier performs well, impressing with its rock-crawling capability despite it not being its forte. Andy in the Defender Octa, with its impressive ground clearance, also navigates the course smoothly, with both vehicles performing remarkably similarly. Graeme, the judge, struggles to differentiate between the vehicles and drivers, ultimately awarding two points to each car, as he notes no significant difference in performance. The final and most challenging test is a steep, rocky, and slippery incline, requiring the vehicles to drive from a standstill to the top. Failure to complete it or rolling backward results in disqualification. Alex in the Ineos Grenadier successfully ascends the incline with power and control. Andy in the Defender Octa also makes it up smoothly. Watson, driving the Ranger Raptor, spins his wheels and rolls back, resulting in disqualification and no points for this round. The Ineos Grenadier ultimately wins the challenge, earning three points, followed by the Land Rover Defender with two points, and zero for the Ford Ranger Raptor. After all challenges, the Ineos Grenadier emerges as the overall winner with 13 points. The Land Rover Defender finishes in second place with 12 points, and the Ford Ranger Raptor comes in third with 9 points.