Lamborghini’s Urus will be the world’s fastest and most dynamic SUV when it launches in 2018 – this is the promise of the raging bull’s research and development chief, Maurizio Reggiani.
It's already been widely reported that the Urus will be propelled by a 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 – in lieu of the company's existing naturally aspirated V10 and V12 engines, which lack the low-down torque required by an all-terrainer – but Reggiani made a further admission to The National, confirming that the Lambo will comfortably outgrunt the 600bhp Bentley Bentayga, currently the most potent SUV on the planet.
Reggiani also revealed the Urus will sprint from 0-100kph in under 4 seconds, eclipsing the Bentayga (4.1 seconds), Porsche Cayenne Turbo S (4.1 seconds) and BMW X6 M (4.2 seconds), which are currently the most rapid offerings in the segment.
Although the 4.0-litre twin-turbo engine destined for the Urus is sourced from the Audi portfolio, Reggiani says the tuning and exhaust note of the V8 will be consistent with what buyers expect of a Lamborghini.
While the V8 will be the sole engine offered initially, Reggiani suggested a V6 plug-in hybrid would also be suited to the Urus as the added weight of the petrol-electric power train would not be an issue in an SUV.
Although high-riding all-terrainers obviously aren’t as weight-sensitive as supercars, Reggiani claims the Urus will be the lightest and most dynamic entrant in the luxo-SUV category, and refuses to identify what he sees as the vehicle’s most direct competitors. “It will have no rivals … it will create a new segment.”
Reggiani wouldn’t elaborate on what would make the Urus lighter than its competitors (which weigh 2.3 tonnes or more), but it’s thought the aluminium-steel MLB 2 platform – shared with the new Audi Q7 and Bentayga – could be supplemented by carbon-fibre components and, possibly, a few body panels to help shed kilos.
Although the R&D chief had worked solely on supercars/sports cars for the past three decades, he says he relished the multifaceted challenge of developing the Urus, which will offer at least some degree of off-road ability in addition to what he promises will be class-leading on-road dynamics.
As part of the testing and development process, Urus prototypes have even been thrashed around the dunes in the UAE to ensure it’s capable on sand – as well as being able to withstand extreme heat. This is vital as a substantial chunk of the Urus’s sales is expected to come from the Middle East. Quite how many Urus owners will want to bounce their brand-new Lambo around the dunes is debatable, but it still needs to have the ability to do so.
Reggiani regards the Urus as “the future of Lamborghini” as it’s expected to boost the company’s annual production volume to 6,000 vehicles (it sold 2,530 cars last year). He says the sales success of the Bentayga, of which Bentley will build 3,600 units in its first year (still not anywhere near enough to satisfy global demand), is proof there is a healthy market for a circa- Dh1 million SUV.
It’s this demand that has prompted Lamborghini to pump in the investment required to expand its manufacturing facility at Sant’Agata Bolognese for the production of the Urus. The current staff count of 1,275 will also be increased by around 500 people.
Whether or not the production version of the Urus stays true to the sharp-edged concept that debuted at the 2012 Beijing Motor Show isn’t yet known, but Lamborghini boss Stephan Winkelmann has promised the showroom variant will offer more interior space than the design study.
This could mean the concept’s rakish roofline will have to be reworked slightly to liberate sufficient headspace for rear-seat occupants. We imagine the glasshouse will also need to be enlarged to make for a less dark feel in the back.
All will be revealed at the 2018 Geneva International Motor Show, where the showroom-spec Urus is expected to break cover.
motoring@thenational.ae
