In 2012, Lamborghini unveiled a peculiar concept; The Urus. An SUV borrowing the design language of the recent Aventador, and featuring the Gallardo’s powertrain. The Estoque, the super-sedan concept unveiled in 2008 seemed to be the logical next step for Lamborghini who was aiming to make a higher volume car underneath their sportscars. The Panamera was released and sold well for Porsche, so the Estoque seemed all too perfect. This was before the super SUV craze that has intoxicated buyers now, and a step outside the “heritage” option involving a more tactical-looking vehicle akin to the LM002 of the 1980’s. But, as Lamborghini does best, they blazed their own trail with the Urus as it entered production in 2017 for the 2018 model year.
The production model shares quite a bit of the design language with the 2012 prototype, despite its platform constraints. The Urus shares its platform with the Audi Q7/8, Porsche Cayenne, Bentley Bentayga and Volkswagen Touareg but is the lightest of the bunch thanks to the extensive use of carbon fiber-reinforced polymers. Its powertrain is derived heavily from the Audi twin-turbo 4.0 liter V8 found in the RS Q8 and other vehicles, but is tuned by Lamborghini. The Urus makes 641 horsepower and 627 pound-feet to all 4 wheels through the industry-standard ZF 8HP gearbox. 0-62 takes just 3.6 seconds and eventually to 190 miles per hour, all in a 4,800 pound car. To stop from 190, Lamborghini has developed the largest carbon ceramic discs ever fitted to a production car (at the time) featuring a 440 millimeter disc and 10-piston calipers.
The Urus has been a ludicrous success for Lamborghini, as they have produced over 43,000 cars. It is the Lamborghini you see the most. It’s easily the most able-to-be-daily’d Lamborghini ever, but it is still thoroughly a Lamborghini, down to every detail. Its Y-shaped tail lights are supposed to be a reminder of the Aventador and Gallardo tail lights. Its sharp features combined with its coupe silhouette and fender flares demand attention and deviate the Urus sharply from regular traffic. As with all Lamborghinis, the Urus lacks subtlety. Particularly if you spring for the track-oriented Performante spec. Most Urus buyers are new to the Lamborghini brand, and a significant number of those are under 40. If the Gallardo saved Lamborghini, the Urus formed an empire.
Lamborghini took no risks with the Urus in terms of dynamics. Reviews state that the Urus has “physics-defying” capabilities, praising its sharp handling despite its stature. It is a genuinely capable SUV, as there is currently an owner overlanding his. Lamborghini does boast about its theoretical offroad capabilities (and even have a “Terra” and “Sabba” mode), but the credentials check out. Ultimately, the Urus shines the brightest on the road, functioning as a grand tourer harking back to the capabilities of the Lamborghini Espada.
The Urus exists in one generation, but got heavily facelifted in 2024 with 131 more horsepower thanks to a hybrid powertrain. This is the Urus SE. The pre-facelift began in 2018 and lasted until 2022. In 2022, the Urus S relieved its predecessor’s duty featuring a small power bump and different bumper styling. Concurrently, the Urus Performante was released with the same small power bump, but 110 pounds lighter than the S and more unique bodywork. All variants share the same basic motor, but the SE (released in 2024) gets hybrid power. Recently unveiled is the SE Performante, which gains power and even crazier looks, and loses some weight. If you want a more subtle car, consider an earlier model year. Whichever version you get, you are getting a snarling bull that you can pack 3 of your friends into. The Urus is fully capable of towing 7,000 pounds which is plenty capacity for your Spec Miata or other smaller race car. A rare example of the tow rig being faster than the race car. Only Lamborghini.
Lamborghini hit the nail on the head with the Urus. With tens of thousands of units sold thanks to its Lambo personality and attractive price, the Urus has cemented itself among enthusiasts and the general public alike. It could be the most consistently fun Lamborghini, considering it is capable of daily driving. Its capability rivals that of bona-fide supercars, all while being able to fit your friends and hunker down on the freeway. It is the Lamborghini that can code switch; the most absurd way to run errands, every day.
Image credits: Top Gear, Car and Driver, Motor1