Lamborghini Urus: Sharp Suit On A Tested Formula

Lamborghini has taken the cover off its second attempt at making an SUV, the all-new Urus. The Urus name refers to the now extinct species of bulls which are legendary for their power and ferociousness, while also being gentle when unthreatened. 

The Lamborghini Urus, the company claims, is as wild as any of its sportscars but has the added advantage of space, all-weather ability and luxury like a very expensive SUV. Lamborghini has had help from its parent company Volkswagen to build the Urus and its sister companies in understanding how to make an SUV sportier. The MLB Evo platform underneath the edgy skin of the Urus is the same as the Bentley Bentayga, Porsche Cayenne and Audi Q7. The lessons learned from these SUVs helped Lamborghini perfect the luxury and space quotient of the Urus.

While the coupe-like design may hide it, the Lamborghini Urus is 5.1 metres long, 2 metres wide, 1.6 metres tall and has a 3-metre long wheelbase. Inside, the Urus can seat five/four people in a cabin filled with leather, Alcantara, aluminium, carbon fibre and wood, with a 616-litre space in the back to take a weekend’s worth of luggage.

The Urus follows the same design philosophy as any Lamborghini sportscar, and the 2/3 body to 1/3 glass ratio gives it a unique look. The 158mm minimum ground clearance also gives it a stance no other Lamborghini has, except for the venerated LM002; adaptive suspension allows this to be raised to 248mm to tackle the rough stuff.

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While Lamborghini sportscars have yet to embrace turbocharged engines, the Urus changes all that. Everyday usability and off-road ability have been prioritised over peaky power delivery and emotional driving experience. The Urus is powered by a 4.0-litre, twin-turbo V8 petrol developing 650PS of maximum power and 850Nm of peak torque. That surge of torque starts at 2,240rpm and goes all the way to 4,500rpm, giving the Urus better driveability in the city and off-road. A cylinder deactivation system helps the Urus meet some fuel efficiency requirements and can be helpful in keeping running costs low in everyday driving. Lamborghini will also introduce a plug-in hybrid version of the Urus soon to comply with strict emission regulations in many parts of the world. 

This engine is mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission with power sent to all four wheels via an AWD system with Torsen self-locking differential. Driven all out, the SUV can complete the 0-100kmph run in 3.6 seconds and go on to hit a top speed of 305kmph! This is an SUV that weighs 2,200kg. 440mm discs at the front and 370mm discs made of carbon-ceramics provide the stopping power necessary for this beast. 

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With its lineage for developing sportscars Lamborghini had to work hard to make the Urus fit in its portfolio. The AWD system can split the torque in a 40:60 ratio between the front and rear axle, with a maximum of 70 per cent torque to the front and 87 per cent torque to the rear. The rear differential can also actively split torque between the wheels for the best grip, and even allow for rear wheel drive-style playfulness. The rear wheels are automatically steered by up to three degrees according to the vehicle speed and steering input for better cornering or low-speed manoeuvrability.

A continuously adjusting damping system makes the Urus adapt to changing road conditions faster. The system can stiffen up the dampers to take corners better or soften them to take bumps better, all within milliseconds of each other.

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The Lamborghini Urus is offered with four driving modes; like other Lambos this includes Strada (road), Sport and Corsa (track). The Urus gets an additional Neve (snow) mode for the best grip on snow/slippery road surfaces. Customers can also add two additional driving modes, Terra (off-road) and Sabbia (sand) along with metal-reinforced bumpers and underbody protection for better off-road ability.

The Lamborghini Urus is priced from Rs 1.1 crore to Rs 3.04 crore depending on which market it is being sold in. The Urus is expected to make its debut in India in 2018.