Picture a boxy, late-90s Chevy Suburban – the ultimate family wagon, right? Now imagine that same Suburban secretly packing a massive 9.9 liter Lingenfelter V8. YouTuber Tedward recently got behind the wheel of one of these incredibly rare beasts, a 1999 Chevy Suburban 2500 that’s all sleeper on the outside and pure, earth-rumbling monster underneath.

This isn’t some one-off garage build. Tedward explained that Lingenfelter built what’s believed to be only eight or nine of these special Suburbans. He stated the enormous 9.9 liter (604 cubic-inch) V8 under the hood makes 550 horsepower and 750 pound-feet of torque.

The original purpose for these conversions was quite specific. Tedward noted that “the Saudis wanted something that could be bulletproof and a ton of weight and still go fast,” so Lingenfelter slapped a built, marine-duty big block into one of the largest American vehicles created. The result is a three-row SUV that’s capable of hitting 60 mph in a claimed 4.6 seconds.

The particular Suburban Tedward drove was rescued by Team Champagne Ninjas from what is essentially a salvage yard. It then received a complete, concours-level restoration by AI Design in Tuckahoe, New York.

Once driving, Tedward’s surprise at the truck’s performance and refinement was obvious. “I cannot believe the speed this is capable of,” he exclaimed, later adding that this near-10-liter monster “makes a 454 look like a Corolla.”

Despite the truck’s immense power, he found it remarkably well-behaved, commenting “I one-hundred percent expected this to be messy… and yet somehow this is all, it’s all working.”

He even remarked: “…dare I say this, like, it drives better than my Lexus GX which is literally brand-new from 2023,” ultimately calling it perhaps the best sleeper he’s ever driven.

Wrapped in a top notch restoration, this Lingenfelter Suburban is a serious throwback to wild 1990s horsepower. Back in 1999, 550 horsepower and 750 lb./ft. of torque in a big SUV was absolutely insane.

And let’s be real, a 9.9 liter V8 in anything that’s not a semi-truck is still pretty bonkers, even today. Let us know what you think about this elite Chevy Suburban!