After what seems like an eternity of conjecture and hinting, Lamborghini has finally lifted the wraps off the precursor to its long awaited SUV, the Urus Concept, at this year’s Beijing Motor Show.
The Urus, which Lamborghini boss Stephan Winkelman claims is aimed at the likes of the BMW X6 M and Range Rover Sport, measures 4 990 mm in length, 1 990 mm in width and 1 660 mm in height. The ground clearance has been slated at around 160 mm but will be adjustable via an air suspension set-up that can be tailored to meet both mud-plugging and performance driving scenarios. The Urus will reportedly be underpinned by the same platform earmarked for future versions of the Audi Q7, Porsche Cayenne and Volkswagen Touareg, as well as the production version of Bentley’s EXP 9F SUV concept, which will be given the Falcon moniker.
The Urus has already been given the go-ahead for production and has accordingly been given the internal codename LB736. Expect the production version of the Urus to emerge during the course of 2016. In keeping with Lamborghini’s propensity for primarily bovid model naming, the Urus makes reference to a now-extinct breed of very large, powerful bull.
Although Lamborghini has not yet divulged any details regarding the powerplant line-up, a tentative output figure of around 447 kW has been mentioned as has the possibility that it could be provided y a plug-in hybrid version of the 4,0-litre twin-turbo V8 currently doing service in Audi’s S6 and S7 models. The powerplant is likely to be coupled with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission with drive being channelled to all four corners via a torque apportioning all-wheel drive system with a rear-wheel bias. Lamborghini has already made the lofty claim that the production Urus will be the fastest-accelerating SUV on the market – potentially giving it a 0-100 time of around 4,5 seconds and a top speed in the region of 300 km/h.
According to initial reports, the design of the production Urus will not deviate dramatically from that of the Reventon-inspired concept and it will utilize a great deal of lightweight materials in its construction in a bid to considerably undercut the curb weight of the current Touareg/Q7. The hard-edged interior is likely to make way for a more plush cabin, however.
Lamborghini is resting a great deal of its future on the Urus, with Winkelman stating that it will play an integral part in nearly tripling the company’s future sales. Lamborghini aims to sell roughly 3 000 units of its SUV annually. Owing to the cyclic nature of supercar sales, Lamborghini needs a more mainstream model to bolster its sales (i.e. an SUV), says Winkelman.
Another consideration was a four-door saloon in a similar mold to the Estoque, but Winkelman has explained that while such a model has not been ruled out, a suitable donor platform has yet to be sourced