There’s something laugh-out-loud funny about a 2,473kg SUV defying the laws of physics with such ludicrous nonchalance.
The 6.22km Nardo Handling Track, in the south-east tip of Italy, is a challenging ribbon of tarmac. Replete with blind corners and crests – one of which gets the car airborne – the circuit throws up constant changes in camber and elevation.
A mix of tight hairpins and fast, long sweepers tests tyres and vehicle dynamics to the limit, and there are scant few moments for the driver to relax.
It’s not an environment in which you’d expect a 5.1-metre, family-hauling all-terrainer to shine, yet the Lamborghini Urus SE Performante monsters its way around, serving up the straight-line punch and cornering prowess one might associate with a well-sorted high-performance GT.
The newcomer reprises a hallowed nameplate that previously appeared on go-faster versions of the Gallardo, Huracan and Urus, and – in keeping with tradition – it elevates acceleration, braking and cornering capabilities to an almost unfathomable level for a hulking SUV.
The National got an early preview of the vehicle in May, two months ahead of its public debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. The SE Performante prototypes squatting menacingly in the pit lane at Nardo are awash with psychedelic camouflage, masking the exterior changes vis-a-vis the standard Urus SE.
Among the SE Performante’s key upgrades are a 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 hybrid powertrain that’s been tweaked to thrash out 812hp and a gobsmacking 1000Nm of torque (versus 800hp and 950Nm for the standard Urus SE).
A power-to-weight ratio of 3kg/hp – thanks to the extensive use of carbon fibre in the bodywork – yields straight-line performance that wouldn’t have seemed out of place for a hypercar 15 years ago. The big SUV scorches from 0-100kph in 3.3 seconds, dispatches 0-200kph in 10.8 seconds, and can hit 312kph if you keep the boot planted.
Even a handful of laps around Nardo lends credence to Lamborghini’s claim that this is the “world’s fastest SUV”. There’s a vast band of torque to tap into, with the peak figure of 1000Nm accessible all the way from 2000rpm to 5500rpm, enabling it to launch out of tight corners with slingshot urgency.
Better still, there’s an almost go-kart-like agility as the Urus SE Performante darts left or right on demand with no perceptible trace of understeer. Even the two 180-degree hairpins at Nardo are easily dispatched, without the need to wind on armloads of steering lock. Four-wheel steer helps in getting the car deftly rotated, and the vast footprint provided by the low-profile 23-inch rubber ensures the nearly 2.5 tonnes behemoth remains glued to the tarmac.
Clever recalibration of the ZF eight-speed auto has sharpened response and shift times to the extent that you could be fooled into thinking it’s a dual-clutch transmission. Any tugs on the upshift or downshift paddles trigger a fast, crisp shift into a higher or lower ratio.
The carbon-ceramic brakes, which are same size as a large dinner platter, are also hugely effective. You can confidently dive deep into the braking zones before stomping hard on the brake pedal. Speed is wiped off at a prodigious rate, setting you up for a perfect corner entry before using the massive torque and traction to rocket away once past the apex.
The standard Urus SE already has a plethora of driving modes that are accessible via the Anima selector – Strada (highway), Corsa (track), Neve (snow), Terra (gravel), Sabbia (sand) and Sport (er, sport) – but the SE Performante goes one better by adding a Rally mode.
We get the chance to sample this on the snaking 2.1km Strada Bianca gravel loop at the Nardo Test Centre. Most SUVs would lumber around such a tight, twisty mini rally stage, but the SE Performante’s clever torque vectoring centre and rear differentials serve up oversteer on demand, helping get the SUV quickly rotated. It’s riotous, dust-cloud-raising fun.
With adrenalin levels returning to almost normal after the dirt-road antics, there’s the opportunity to scrutinise the Urus SE Performante – minus any camouflage – in a nearby secure garage.
The SE Performante’s carbon-fibre bonnet incorporates a central power dome, redesigned air intakes and fender vents that are unique to the new SUV flagship. Lashings of exposed carbon fibre further define the Performante, while its lowered stance gives it a more planted look. Adding to its visual muscle are optional new 23-inch wheels, a twin-plane carbon-fibre spoiler and a purposeful-looking rear diffuser.
The accomplished Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT and Aston Martin DBX S set a lofty bar for ultra-high-performance SUVs, but the Lamborghini Urus SE Performante manages to inch it even higher. It’s a wonderful thing – totally bonkers, yet practical and driveable.
