Lamborghini reveals a new breed of bull
When does a Sport Utility Vehicle become a Super Sport Utility Vehicle?
When it is built by the Italian luxury manufacturer Lamborghini.
Automobil Lamborghini has just held the Oceania launch of the Urus, which it claims is the first S-SUV and will therefore create a new niche in the luxury segment when it arrives in New Zealand and Australia during the fourth quarter of this year. It is likely to be priced at $323,000.
‘‘The Urus elevates the SUV to a level not previously possible – the Super SUV,’’ says Stefano Domenicali, the company’s chairman and CEO.
‘‘It is a true lamborghini in terms of design, performance, driving dynamics and emotion as well as being driveable every day in a range of environments.’’
As is the tradition with Lamborghini, this new SUV (sorry, S-SUV) has a name derived from the world of bulls.
The Urus, also known as Aurochs, is one of the large ancestors of domestic cattle.
Urus is powered by a 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine that delivers 478kW of power and 850Nm of torque, which is one of the highest specific outputs in its class.
Despite the fact it has a kerb weight of 2.2 tonnes, it can accelerate to 100kmh in 3.6 seconds, and onwards to 200kmh in 12.8 seconds. And with a top speed of 305kmh, it is the fastest SUV available.
The new SUV’s four-wheel drive system uses a Torsen central self-locking differential for maximum control and agility in all driving conditions, particularly off-road. Urus also features active torque vectoring via a rear differential for enhanced traction, depending on the choice of six driving mode via the vehicle’s ‘Tamburo’ driving dynamics selector.
In the modes Strada (street, Terra (off-road) and Neve (snow) the torque vectoring reduces understeer, while the Sport and Corsa modes the torque vectoring allows the urus to become more agile with greater oversteer.
These modes also influence the sound of the Urus. The exhaust note is quietest in the Strada mode, and loudest and most guttural when in Corsa mode.
The Lamborghini Urus adopts the rear-wheel steer system that was introduced in the Aventador coupe and which varies the rear steering by plus or minus 3 degrees according to vehicle speed and the driving mode that has been selected.
At low speeds the rear-axle steering is opposite to that of the front wheels (called counterphase steering), which shortens the wheelbase by up to 600mm for increased agility and a reduced turning circle. At higher speeds the steering angle is in the same direction as the front wheels (in-phase steering) for better driving dynamics.
The vehicle will also come with carbon ceramic brakes, adaptive air suspension and active roll stabilisation
Urus’ exterior design takes styling cues from the LM002 – the so-called ‘‘Lamborghini truck’’ that was built between 1986 and 1993. But at the same time it adopts the two-thirds body, one-third window ratio of Lamborghini sports cars.
The front boasts a peaks bonnet reminiscent of Miura and Aventador, and accented by diagonal hood lines found for the first time on the Countach.
Hexagonal front and rear wheel arches are a design element borrowed from the LM002 and Countach – and they house wheels as large as 23-inch, the largest in SUV segment.
Big rear shoulders support strongly sloping rear windows to help give the Urus a coupe-like stance, and a rear diffuser is inspired by Lamborghini race cars, with integrated double round exhaust pipes.
The new Urus will fit perfectly within the Lamborghini family as a highperformance vehicle, says CEO Stefano Domenicali.
‘‘It is the culmination of intensive development and skill to create a new breed of bull – a super SUV that transcends the boundaries of expectations and opens the door to new possibilities for both our brand and our customers."