The Lamborghini Urus is the world’s first Super SUV. What’s ‘super’ about it I hear you ask? Well for starters, it’s a Lamborghini! It will accelerate from 0-100 km/h in just 3.6 seconds and has a top speed of 305 km/h, in a car that weighs just under 2,200 kgs!
The Urus features a 4.0 litre V8 twin-turbo engine delivering 650 hp (478 kW) at 6,000 rpm and 850 Nm of maximum torque available at 2,250 rpm. With 162.7 hp/l the Urus claims one of the highest specific power outputs in its class and the best weight-to-power ratio at 3.38 kg/hp.
The Urus has a 4WD system with active torque vectoring and four-wheel steering for perfect handling and is a SUV that is as happy on a race track as it is on the off-road track. The carbon ceramic brakes, adaptive air suspension and active roll stabilisation provide maximum safety and comfort. You can expect an official Nurburgring lap time for the Urus sooner rather than later to prove this.
Although the Urus shares a platform with the Bentley Bentayga, Audi Q7 and Porsche Cayenne according to Riccardo Bettini, Head of R&D, Project Management the design and dynamics are pure Lamborghini.
The heart of the Lamborghini Urus.
Riccardo explained that the V8 engine has been completely redesigned with Lamborghini fitting a new valve train, intakes and exhaust line, so the Urus sounds like a Lamborghini should. This was something very important for the Lamborghini engineers to achieve.
The V8 engine was chosen for both daily usability and off road alibility and sadly there won’t be a V10 special version Urus in the future. But it’s heartening that Lamborghini considered using the V12 in the beginning of the Urus development.
The Urus will see Lamborghini worldwide sales double to around 7,500 units per year and to date sales of the Urus have been in line with Lamborghini’s expectations. A completely new state-of-the-art assembly plant has been constructed in Sant’Agata, Italy to cope with the increased demand.
Interestingly 70% of Urus purchasers so far have been new customers to the Lamborghini brand, which shows the appeal of the Urus. Currently Lamborghini sales direct to women worldwide is less than 5% and Lamborghini expects to increase this to 10% with the introduction of the Urus. But they admit even though sales direct to women are low; women do have a significant say in a Lamborghini purchase by their husband/partner.
The Urus centre console and Tamburo driving mode selector.
To get all that power to the ground the Urus has a Tamburo driving mode selector on the centre console to control all of the dynamic vehicle systems and allows the selection of driving dynamics according to surface conditions or drivers’ preference, via STRADA, SPORT and CORSA as well the additional NEVE (snow) mode. As an option, two further off-road settings are offered: TERRA (off-road) and SABBIA (sand).
In STRADA mode the height adapts according to speed to enhance comfort, while in SPORT the Urus lowers to ensure stability and precision at all speeds. In CORSA the vehicle is even more precise and performance oriented with roll at a minimum. In the three off-road modes, NEVE , TERRA and SABBIA higher ground clearance allows obstacles to be safely overcome, with anti-roll bars providing independent asymmetric movement during cornering to ensure optimal traction.
The Urus’ braking system is commensurate with its super sports car performance, ensuring high thermal resistance and accommodating frequent and heavy braking, even from high speeds and in extreme conditions such as on track or at high altitude. Carbon Ceramic Brakes are standard and are the largest and most powerful available, measuring 440 x 40 mm at the front and 370 x 30 mm at the rear. With virtually no brake fade the system optimises pedal feel, assuring performance and safety in all conditions and environments. They will stop the Urus from 100km/h in just 33.7 metres, which is mighty impressive!
Rear seats with display screens to keep the children entertained.
The Urus is as much a luxury SUV as the most powerful, with the interior design and finish echoing that of the exterior in terms of an unmistakable Lamborghini look and individuality. Inside the Urus is bathed in soft leather that is beautifully stitched and smells like a luxury car should.
The Urus infotainment system reflects its luxurious and daily usability, and comes with advanced connectivity features. Other optional features include a TV tuner, DAB, head-up display, a Lamborghini smartphone interface and a smart display for rear seat entertainment. A sound system featuring eight speakers, driven by four channels comes as standard.
A high-end Bang & Olufsen Sound System with 3D sound and 1,700 watt output can be specified, with 21 fully active speakers. Produced through close collaboration between Lamborghini, Fraunhofer IIS, and HARMAN, the system creates an immersive, natural 3D sound experience for all Urus occupants, front and rear. Having experienced something similar in the Audi SQ7 recently, I can recommend that you select the Bang & Olufsen system when you purchase your Urus!
Lamborghini believes every driver should feel like a pilot.
The Lamborghini Urus ADAS systems provide a comprehensive level of safety, security and driving assistance with level 2 automation. This includes High Beam Assistant to automatically fade headlights in and out of high beam mode as required; front and rear parking sensors and cruise control are also included as standard, as is an innovative PreCognition system preventing or mitigating collision. Optional ADAS systems include traffic management systems, top-view camera and a trailer coupling mode.
The ‘Urus’ bull is one of the large, wild ancestors of domestic cattle and is a fitting name for this SSUV.
The rear tailgate is electrically operated via a switch on the driver’s door, a button on the key or a manual button on the tailgate itself. An optional ‘virtual pedal’ allows the tailgate to be opened by a kick movement. The tailgate opening angle can be customised by the driver. Easyload Assist, standard on the Urus, allows the height at the rear of the Urus to be lowered for easy loading. The Urus can even be fitted with a tow bar and has a towing capacity of 3,500Kg.
The first lucky Australian customers will take delivery of their new Lamborghini Urus in Q4 of 2018. If you order a Urus now expect a 12 month waiting period before your Super SUV arrives.
The retail price for the Urus is $AUD390,000 (GST and LCT included) + on road costs, which makes it on par with the Huracán for price, but you get to share the Lamborghini experience with your whole family!
For more information about Lamborghini Urus, contact your nearest Lamborghini dealer.
Photographs by Driven Women Magazine.