Lamborghini plotting hard-core Urus SUV

Lamborghini CEO Stephan Winkelmann has hinted the Italian super maker is considering a genre-busting Superveloce version of the Urus when it goes on sale in 2018.

Speaking to Autocar, Winkelmann admitted a wild, SV version was being considered.

“All options are possible and we will work on evaluating them in the run-up to launch. If our customers want to see something, we’ll do our best to meet their needs.” The Lamborghini boss said.

The Urus is set for production in 2018. It is a car Winkelmann has lobbied for and hopes will provide financial security for the car-maker.

Built on the Audi Q7 platform that’s will also be shared with the Bentley Bentayga, the Lamborghini will be priced at around €300,000 in Europe.

According to the Lamborghini CEO, the Urus will stay faithful to the angular concept but have a far more luxurious cabin.

“The look will evolve from the concept, but you will recognise it both as a pure Lamborghini and from the concept,” he told the British car magazine.

“Inside, it will have a look and feel that is a bit different from where we have been before. The surfaces are larger and the needs of occupants more around usability. The Urus must be capable of being a family’s first car all year round. It must have driveability, comfort, roominess and more.

“Top speed and performance may be important, but the Urus is more about having a car that delivers Lamborghini levels of emotion while being capable of being handled every day, on open and congested roads.”

Assembled on home turf at Lamborghini's headquarters in Sant’Agata Bolognese, the Urus was primed to be made elsewhere until Italian government tax breaks kicked in.

Now Lamborghini is set to invest hundreds of millions of dollars to double the existing factory’s size. The Bolognese plant will also recruit an additional 500 employees.

Lamborghini hopes the Urus will follow in the tyre tracks of Porsche’s Cayenne that sold well in Europe, US, China and the Middle East and helped return the car-maker to huge profits, enabling it to invest in other models.

Winkelmann hopes that with the arrival of an SUV, Lamborghini will break 6000 annual sales -- double the 3000 units a year it currently sells.

Expected to measure in at 4990mm in length, 1990mm in width and 1660mm in height, the Urus will be a natural rival for cars like the BMW X5/X6 M, Range Rover Sport SVR and Porsche Cayenne Turbo S.

Lamborghini has confirmed what will potentially power the Urus, but insiders have confirmed it will have “around 450kW”.

This has led industry commentators to speculate that it might use a development of the existing 5.2-litre V10 or even a plug-in hybrid powertrain that uses the all-new 4.0-litre V8 electric-twin-turbo being developed for the SQ7 SUV.

In any case, crucial to the brand is that the Urus is the world’s fastest SUV. Expect it to accelerate to 100km/h in less than four seconds and to be limited to 300km/h.

To achieve this, and to ensure the Urus has the best handling in its class, it will also have to be the lightest. This, according to a Lamborghini insider, mean it will also have the lowest fuel consumption in the high-performance SUV class.

As well as an advanced plug-in hybrid powertrain, Winkelmann wouldn’t rule out whether the new SUV would be available with a diesel engine.

“Nothing is set, but we have to consider what our customers want. For now, we rule nothing out.” Lamborghini’s CEO said.