Lamborghini Urus SUV to produce nearly 500kW

Lamborghini’s hopes of re-defining the performance SUV have taken a positive step, with the firm’s chief executive revealing key performance details of the new Urus SUV this week.

Speaking with Automotive News, Stefano Domenicali said the upcoming Urus high-rider would initially be available with a twin-turbo V8 producing about 485kW of power. For the record, that’s more power than any current version of the Huracan coupe.

Despite the headline engine figure, the Urus will not be striving to break any lap records around the Nurburgring, Lamborghini insists.

And it isn't likely to be awarded the 'world's fastest SUV' moniker either. That honour currently resides with the manic 527kW Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk that will likely reach Australian showrooms from early next year.

The first iteration of the Urus is expected to land in Australian showrooms in the second half of 2018 – about six months after European models are rolled out. It will eventually be followed up by a plug-in hybrid version featuring the same twin-turbo V8.

The Lamborghini trailblazer will be underpinned by the same platform as the Porsche Cayenne, Audi Q7 and Bentley Bentayga. But a key distinction: Lamborghini says it will develop the Urus’ V8 engine in-house, suggesting it will be different from the VW Group’s Porsche-developed twin-turbo V8.

Domenicali is anticipating about 1000 Urus units in the first year of production, with numbers rising to about 3500 vehicles annually once the plug-in version has been introduced in 2019. That should see it double Lamborhgini’s global production.

The Urus will be built at Lamborghini’s recently-expanded factory in Bologna, Italy.