Lamborghini Lifts the Neon Curtain on Its Urus: Details, Specs, Price

Lamborghini unveiled the Urus SUV today at what was, quite possibly, the most over-the-top product reveal ever witnessed. There was an orchestra, modern dance routine, and rainbow-colored neon light show within the first two minutes. There was almost even a martial arts exhibition ready to break out. Clearly this was a big moment for the Italian automaker and it was more than willing to make a fuss about it.

However, before Lamborghini could get to the Urus announcement, a cavalcade of the brand’s most important models paraded out — followed by a speed skater holding an orange glow stick. Again, it was insane. Eventually the lights were reset and an extended diatribe began on the artistry and pioneering spirit of the brand’s history.

It was boring and included a hefty dollop of marketing speak about Lamborghini’s “evolution.” Then there was another ludicrous dance number, this one somehow tied to automobile production, followed by some rather serious technical difficulties with the presentation. But neither lasted forever and the Urus finally took the stage, rather modestly, to thunderous applause and cheering.

Maurizio Reggiani, Lamborghini’s director of research and development, said developing an SUV with supercar dynamics was anything but a cakewalk. The largest challenge, he said, was producing a vehicle that was as adept on sand dunes and ice as it would be on a race track or city street. But Reggiani felt confident that the Urus had hit its mark — then he got into the specifics.

Powering the Urus is a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 delivering 650 horsepower and 850 Nm of torque (or about 626 lb-ft). Borrowed from Volkswagen Group, that makes it the very first turbocharged engine to grace Lamborghini’s lineup. The motor is mated to an automatic eight-speed gearbox (not a dual-clutch unit). Power is sent to all wheels and implements torque vectoring.

Beneath the Urus is another component borrowed from VW Group: the MLB platform found under the Bentley Bentayga and Audi Q7.

With a 0-to-62 time of 3.6 seconds and a top speed of 190 mph, the Urus is a little faster than Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk on a long-enough road. But, then again, you’d expect it to be. You’d also expect it to be more flamboyant, which it is.

Styling has changed since the original concept and it has grown to 201 inches in length and 79.3 inches in width, with a wheelbase of 118 inches. All those inches means added storage capacity and a total curb weight of 4,850 pounds.

Overall, the Urus is still angle-heavy but more rounded looking than the early prototypes. The lifted “four-door coupe” design is slightly reminiscent of the BMW X6, but the Urus is decidedly more bonkers to look at. There are a lot of folds and creases that maintain the Lamborghini design language the BMW just doesn’t have. Wheels come standard in the 21-inch variety, but can be upgraded to 23-inchers if desired. Both sizes come wrapped with tires developed by Pirelli specifically for the model.

“The Lamborghini Urus is a visionary approach based on the infusion of Lamborghini DNA into the most versatile vehicle, the SUV,” says Stefano Domenicali, Automobili Lamborghini chairman and CEO. “The Urus elevates the SUV to a level not previously possible, the Super SUV. It is a true Lamborghini in terms of design, performance, driving dynamics and emotion as well as drivable every day in a range of environments.”

Heavy on the tech, the Urus comes with a bevy of assistance systems and practical features one might like on vehicle intended for the whole family. First of all, cylinder deactivation means the super sport utility is capable of up to 22.2 mpg. Secondly, the variable torque split helps make it more friendly and fun in a variety of applications. The standard split is 40/60 front/rear but up to 87 percent of that power can be sent to the rear (the front can take up to 70 percent) as road conditions change. It also has four-wheel steering and ride-height adjustment.

Adaptive dampers perform in conjunction with the Urus’ electromechanical active roll stabilization system and adapt depending on what mode the driver has selected. Lamborghini has equipped its SUV with six driving modes: Strada (street), Terra (off-road), Neve (snow), Sabbia (sand), Sport, and Corsa (race). These are further customizable to driver preference as well.

It looks like a winning recipe on paper and Lamborghini is banking that it will be. The Urus is intended to double the brand’s annual sales by 2019. That puts the final suggested price at $200,000. Not exactly a blue-light-special but, with so much on offer, the brand is confident affluent customers will take notice. Deliveries will begin in the spring of 2018.

[Images: Lamborghini]