Yeah, the sound has a lot to do with the engine, but also the exhaust configuration.
You gave displacement numbers and # of cylinders. A whole lot more goes into engine power than just displacement. For instance, adding turbochargers do not substantially increase displacement, but they do add HP. # of valves, timing, type of injection, etc. all play a part And running at higher RPM. Higher RPM's require engine balance and more exact timing and better injection methods, but they effectively increase the displacement. Your cylinders are the same size but you are firing pistons that many times more, hence pumping more gas and air through the engine.
As far as how powerful the engine is, as a rating, forget displacement and cylinders, give me HP and torque of those engines at various rpms. The whole curve would be nice but stand-in numbers are fine to make the point.
As for how fast it'll accelerate, you need two more things. The first is the transmission - this controls getting that power to the wheels. More gears are nice, but if it's an automatic, how it's programmed means a lot, as well as response time. Plus, what are the gear ratios? The second is the curb weight - how heavy of an object do we have to get moving here?
And for top speed - a lot has to do with suspension, weight balance, center of gravity, etc. If the car can safely handle the higher speeds, then you can run higher rpm's and give it a gear ratio to keep on accelerating till you get there.
It's quite possible for one car to accelerate very fast, another to reach a higher top speed, another win on a track with any sort of curve, and yet another would win the same race if all vehicles were required to, say, tow a boat.
More applicable numbers:
2008 Granturismo:
405 hp
339 lb-ft
Redline: 7250 rpm
Curb weight: 4150 lbs
Tranny: 6 spd auto.
0-60 time: 5.1 seconds
Top speed: 177 mph
2010 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo:
347 net HP
383 lb-ft
Redline: 5400 rpm
Curb weight: 4795 lbs
Tranny: 5 spd auto
0-60 time: 6.8 seconds
Top speed: 129 mph
So, the Mazerati, which isn't all that powerful by sports car standards, still generates more HP on a significantly lighter vehicle by running at a higher rpm, on a tranny with more gears and presumably, gear ratios designed for acceleration and speed, with better aerodynamics, and a suspension and weight balance designed for a track. Hence better acceleration and top speed.
The Jeep, on the other hand, comparatively has lower HP but actually higher torque, likely with lower gearing, to presumably have a MUCH higher tow rating. But the lower rpm's, gearing, with off roadish suspension and aerodynamics comparable to a sailboat, means it's not as fast.
To be sure, it's interesting that you picked a sports car on the "standard touring" side of it's genre's spectrum, and an SUV on the "sporty" side of it's. Take a sportier sports car and a more laid back SUV and the differences would be the same, just much more severe.