By Palvinder Sandhu
Lamborghini Urus – Review
A few years back, Lamborghini released some concept sketches of an SUV that looked too good to be true, as most concepts do.
They then went quiet, and nobody knew what was going to come from it. Years went by, and in the most recent years, the demand for luxury SUVs sky-rocketed, and Lambo’ decided they wanted a piece of the market. On December 4th, 2017 they debuted the Lamborghini Urus. A luxury SUV, with the claim of being the “fastest SUV on the planet,” and surprisingly, the concept sketch seemed to be the final draft.
The good thing about the Urus is that it looks like it is a Lamborghini. They stuck with their winning recipe and made an SUV that Bruce Wayne would drive (in black). Offering big 22” and 23” wheels that fill in the hexagonal wheel wells very nicely. Sharp and aggressive lines running along the body, and huge front-end vents that would vacuum up your puppy if it got too close. The headlights and taillights are shared with the Aventador and Huracan. Also taken from the Aventador is the width of the Urus, 79.37 inches without the mirrors. The lowered stance that you may notice provides much less body roll than expected from an SUV weighing 4750 lbs. At first glance though, the silhouette of the Urus looks oddly familiar (to the F-Pace). The Urus looks utterly fast, and later you’ll understand just how fast it is.
Lamborghini claims the be able to seat 4, 6’ tall people comfortably in the Urus, and from the images, it seems viable. The dimensions all check out. They also added that it has a “low seating” style which would seem awkward for someone who is over 6’ tall. Other than that, the interior looks fantastic. The centre console has the same pilot-like control scheme as the Aventador and Huracan with the addition of 2 touch screens. The lower screen is used for climate control or a writing pad, and the top screen is for the navigation, and media, as seen in the new Audi A8. Honey-comb stitching in the optional Alcantara seats, or the optional 18-way seats with massage and cooling, will keep you comfy on the long drives. The boot has enough space to take some of your belongings with you, with leather and Alcantara covered 600-litre trunk. Whereas the supercars from Lamborghini were more focused on an interior mimicking the cockpit of a fighter jet with leather seats, the Urus takes a different route and brings a more luxurious and high-quality feel.
Under the hood is a 4.0L twin-turbo V8 engine (same as the Audi RS6 and Bentley Benteyga) strapped to an 8-speed transmission, that powers all four wheels. Which is a big deal because this is the first time Lamborghini has fitted a turbo, let alone 2, to a vehicle. It produces 641hp and gives the driver a 0-60 time of just 3.6 seconds, and a top speed of 187mph, which makes it the fastest production SUV on earth, over the Jeep Trackhawk. Lamborghini used the V8 instead of the V10 that’s in the Huracan, and V12 in the Aventador because it was lighter and better for the fuel economy of 22.2mpg. Speaking of weight loss, the exterior and interior are littered with carbon fiber to shave off the lbs, which give it the best power-to-weight ratio in its class. Mix that in with a 48-volt electrical system and anti-roll suspension and the Urus will go around corners nearly flat. The 4-wheel steering doesn’t hurt either when it comes to track day, which Lamborghini says the Urus will be more than suitable for. The Urus comes with a wild 6 driving modes: Strada, Sport, Corsa, Sabbia (Sand), Terra (Off-Road), and Neve (Snow), one for each terrain. As convenient as these driving modes may be, it’s hard to imagine the Urus being driven on any surface but pavement. Having the option may change your mind
Before asking yourself why a twin turbo V8, dual touch screens, six driving modes, and 0-60 in 3.6s are needed in an SUV, understand that they aren’t. This wouldn’t be a Lamborghini if it didn’t though. Lamborghini’s identity is taking practicality and throwing it out the window and making bedroom wall poster cars. The reassurance with all these bells and whistles is that they’re proven. The V8 in the RS6 is wildly impressive. The A8s infotainment system is user-friendly and fluidly intuitive. The suspension system is from the Audi Q7 and Bentley Benteyga (heavy and bulky), and they drive smooth and stay flat. This is very much a product of VWs best and proven.
With the demand for luxury SUVs hitting all-time highs in recent years, Lamborghini has brought to us another option to consider. For around $200,000 US, the price of the Urus is a little higher than its competition, but with that gap, it comes with tons of features and an immense amount of ability. From what I’ve seen, I am impressed with what Lambo’ has been able to produce. The body and styling are demanding, the power and ability are mind-blowing, and the interior is sleek, luxurious, and intuitive. It seems to check all the boxes that one needs to pull the trigger and buy one. They’re expected to roll out this spring, and if you’re feeling a little polar bear-friendly, the hybrid model is set to roll out in 2019. So, if you’ve got the cash, dishing it out for the best wouldn’t be the worst investment you’ve made.