Lambo Urus

Italian supercar meets German SUV

- Georg Kacher

AFTER ALMOST 700KM on a glorious Tuesday in April, one thing is clear. Those who are in the market for an ultra-high-performance SUV might as well go straight to their nearest Lamborghini dealer. Yes, there are quite a few rivals out there, but if you want badge cred, extroverted style, boisterous sound and performance wrapped in one, then the new Urus is exactly what you need. That’s, of course, once you get over the concept that a twin-turbo V8 SUV is something you ‘need’ in your life.

However, from the get-go you have to realise that this wedge-shaped, $390,000 Lamborghini SUV is all about numbers. The Urus will eclipse anything that takes longer than 3.6 seconds to get to 100km/h, doesn’t pass 200km/h in 12.8sec or won’t reach at least 305km/h. Believe it or not, the Urus is every bit as quick as the rear-wheel-drive Huracan Spyder around the Nardo handling track.

You have to remind yourself that this is a 2200kg SUV. Yet, with 478kW on board, the power tends to outweigh the heft. Adding to that, there’s  850Nm  (between 2250 and 4500rpm) of thrust channelled to all four wheels via an eight-speed auto, fusing diesel-like urge with petrol-esque punch.

So it’s safe to say the Urus is fast, then. But what about fans of the Defender and G-Class; will they look at the Urus in disrespect? Although the low-profile Pirelli rubber and jewel finish 22-inch rims, along with a lack of transfer case, probably will turn them off to start with. Still, in terms of actual off-road ability, the ‘rugged’ Lambo is a real pro when travelling on sand, through mud and over gravel. For a full assessment of the Urus’s off-road capabilities, check out the February 2018 issue of MOTOR.