The Lamborghini Urus SUV
A utility-first Lambo debuts.
Originally revealed as a concept at the 2012 Beijing Auto Show, Lamborghini has been teasing its new Urus SUV for years and officially announced it this month. A true five-seat SUV, the Urus is based on the Volkswagen Group’s MLB platform, which is the underpinning for a handful of luxury SUVs from within Volkswagen’s many brands, including the Bentley Bentayga and the Porsche Cayenne.
Lamborghini is calling the Urus “the world’s first super sport utility vehicle”, and while many brands have built incredibly fast and powerful SUVs, the Urus is certainly no slouch. Powered by a 4-litre twin-turbo V8, the Urus sends 650 horsepower and 627 lb-ft of torque through a four-wheel-drive platform, not unlike that found on the Aventador supercar. Boasting a top speed of 305 km/h, the Urus can scoot its considerable 2,200+ kg mass from 0 to 100 km/h in just 3.6 seconds. Outfitted much like Lamborghini’s other less utility-focused vehicles, the Urus has four-wheel steering, active torque vectoring, an adaptive air suspension, and track-ready carbon ceramic brakes.
With fender flares at all four corners and a low raked roofline, the Urus looks wide, angry, and undeniably like a Lamborghini.
Sitting on optional 23-inch wheels, the Urus, especially in yellow, is a wild and complex collection of angles and sharp creases. While the general shape and hardpoints may be recognizable from platform-sharing siblings like the Porsche Cayenne, Lamborghini has gone to great lengths to make the Urus look every bit a Lambo. With styling cues taken from the Aventador, including the distinctive Y-shaped LED lighting in the headlights and taillights, the most distinctive element of the Urus is arguably its enormous front grill. With fender flares at all four corners and a low raked roofline, the Urus looks wide, angry, and undeniably like a Lamborghini.
While the idea of a Lamborghini SUV may seem rather odd, the Urus is actually Lamborghini’s second ever production SUV. Lamborghini’s first SUV was called the LM002 and was built from 1986 to 1993. Powered by a V12 engine, Lamborghini only ever made around 328 of the LM002, making them incredibly rare these days.
The utility of the Urus is good, with a rear cargo area ranging from 616 litres to 1,596 litres with the rear seats folded down. Furthermore, in addition to the usual Lamborghini driving modes like Strada, Sport, and Corsa, the Urus has Neve (snow) and two optional off-road settings for Terra (off-road) and Sabbia (sand). The off-road modes enable a higher ride height and specific settings for the traction and stability control systems. The Urus’s cabin is a mix of highly customizable design elements and a sporty cockpit-like arrangement of buttons, switches, and digital gauges.
Priced from $232,000, the Urus is likely the result of huge pressure from well-heeled buyers who want their Lamborghini experience with much more utility than what is provided by their only other two models, the Huracán and the Aventador. Lamborghinis are all about drama and excitement, and one has to assume that the Urus will deliver. With the added practicality of storage space and the space to bring family and friends along for the ride, the Lamborghini Urus is a spin on the Lamborghini motif that will likely ensure your kids are never late for school again.
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