Italian super SUV aims to broaden the brand’s clientele and initially comes with twin-turbo V8 muscle.
That’s a racy-looking SUV!
That’s exactly how Lamborghini wants you to perceive its all-new Urus, the third model in its lineup after the Huracan and Aventador. The brief was simple: to make a sports car version of an SUV. So, welcome to the Urus which took five years to evolve from concept form to a production reality.
And the remarkable thing is that not much has changed from the show car. Some notable design cues include hexagonal fenders nodding to the LM002, Lamborghini’s first SUV made between the late 80s and early 90s.
As per other Lambos, the windows make up only one-third of the side profile, while the window lines gently slope down from the rear to the front. And then there’s that power dome on the bonnet to signify its super-fast intentions.
The four-seat interior has been designed with all the familiar furniture Lambo fans can come to expect of. The seats are positioned relatively lowly for a sports car feel, while there are three digital panels on the dashboard housing all kinds of information and functions.
Does it share the same platform with the Cayenne?
Yes it does. In fact, the so-called MLB Evo platform is also used by the Bentley Bentayga and Audi Q7. In spite of that, the Urus sees more use of carbonfibre in its bodywork to help make it lighter than its relatives. It weighs 2,200kg and has a wheelbase measuring a generous 3,003mm.
Power for the Urus initially comes from the Volkswagen Group’s latest 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8. Tuned to 650hp and 850Nm in the Urus, this petrol motor helps propel the vehicle from 0-100kph in 3.6sec before hitting a 305kph top speed. That makes it the fastest SUV eclipsing its Bentley relative, which comes with 608hp 6.0-litre twin-turbo W12 and 4.1sec acceleration time.
Later in its lifecycle comes a plug-in hybrid that will also be used in the Bentayga and Cayenne petrol-electric models. Lamborghini bosses have conveniently ruled out diesel power as it doesn’t match the “super SUV” concept.
The latest in chassis features for the Urus include four-wheel drive with active torque-vectoring on the rear axle, four-wheel steering, adaptive air suspension, active anti-roll system and carbon-ceramic brakes.
Will it really appeal to potential buyers?
Lamborghini is well aware of the fact that an SUV choice is now a must if they want to sustain their sports car business. Actually, it predicts that annual global sales will eventually double in a few years with additional thanks going to a new factory they made to handle production of the Urus.
It’s also claimed that the Urus will enable Lamborghini to widen its clientele rather than just aiming at driving enthusiasts who’d simply settle for either the Huracan or Aventador.
The Urus hits world markets by mid-2018 with an estimated price of 20 million baht in Thailand, cheaper than a Bentayga but dearer than a Cayenne.
