Lamborghini

The Lamborghini Urus Concept is the Super Car of all SUVs

By Ryan Konko

Posted on April 23, 2012

Lamborghini Urus Concept SUV

Design, Performance, and Fun.

It seems as though every automaker has an SUV or crossover of some kind. Even the luxury and sports car makers are getting in the business to expand their market more than ever before. Who ever thought that companies like Porsche would have an SUV, with Maserati, Bentley, Lamborghini, and possibly Spyker, Aston Martin, and Ferrari with models in the pipeline?

But it isn’t all that surprising for Lamborghini. Remember the LM002 in the 1980s that was revolutionary at the time? It boasted a 450 horsepower V-12 and a 130 mph top speed. Only around 300 were ever sold, but it set the stage for what was to come from the Italian automaker, and that time is finally here.

At the 2012 Beijing Motor Show, the new Lamborghini Urus Concept car will make its first public appearance. The Urus concept will be the super car of SUVs when it makes it to production, offering low weight, handling, and an unmatched driving experience that makes you forget about the kids in the back seats. Although it will be classified in the luxury SUV segment, nothing is set to come close in terms of efficiency, emissions, and sport.

The new Lamborghini SUV got its name from the Urus, or Aurochs, bull that was the wild ancestor for today’s domestic cattle. The bulls could stand up to six feet tall at the shoulder and were powerful creatures, making the name ideal for the new Lamborghini SUV. Today’s Spanish fighting bulls still bear a similar appearance to the wild Urus ancestors.

The idea behind the Lamborghini Urus was to create an SUV that offered a striking design, performance, and fun with everyday usability. Lightweight construction through advanced materials such as carbon fiber and Forged Composite help to reduce weight and make it the sportiest and most efficient in the luxury SUV segment. The Urus concept is powered by a 600 horsepower engine mated to a dual-clutch transmission and permanent all-wheel drive system. Even with the high-power output, the Lamborghini SUV will still achieve the lowest emissions in the segment and boast superb fuel economy figures.

The new Lamborghini Urus concept oozes sport and style from every pore on its body. It features sports car-like proportions, a low center of gravity, a lightweight composite body shell, and adaptive aerodynamics.

The Urus concept uses much of the same sharp-angled design language we’ve all come to love from Lamborghini. The front of the Lamborghini SUV wears a three-dimensional, arrow-shaped figure. Two large intakes supply the engine and brakes with cool air and flank the adjustable lower spoiler. LED-filled headlights shine ahead with their Y-shaped design and flow into the razor sharp contours of the SUV. The side windows taper and end in a narrow figure as the sleek roofline moves towards the rear. The rear axle has a wide and muscular shape that emphasizes power. The rear is distinctly Lamborghini with thin, Y-shaped LED taillights, four hexagonal tailpipes, and a wide, sharp look with adjustable spoilers on the roof and trunk.

The exterior of the Lamborghini Urus was given a glimmering coat of red paint that is contrasted by bare carbon fiber body parts. Instead of mirrors, the Urus utilizes cameras that are displayed on screens in the interior of the SUV. A set of four 24-inch double-spoke forged alloy wheels with a matte aluminum finish further emphasize the sporty nature of the Lamborghini SUV.

Although the Lamborghini Urus falls into the luxury SUV segment, it’s not entirely a plush atmosphere with all of the comfort and convenience of a Rolls Royce. Minimalism is the name of the game here, and Lamborghini designers have struck a balance between sport, low weight, and comfort. The Urus concept will also offer ample amounts of cargo space, making it the ideal everyday Lamborghini model.

Each of the four bucket seats and center tunnel are made from lightweight Forged Composite material. The seats are positioned lower and are flatter than any comparable SUV, and wear a single cushion to save weight. The center tunnel that runs from the front to the rear is partially covered in leather. Behind the steering wheel with paddle shifters is a programmable TFT display that faces the driver to monitor various functions. The standard convenience features can be operated and viewed on the center TFT screen or on the centrally-mounted TFT screen on the tunnel. Customers will be able to option for a rear seat TFT screen on the production model.

The Lamborghini Urus isn’t the rich housewife’s SUV by any means. It’s an SUV that the car enthusiast can hang posters of on their bedroom walls. It’s a super-SUV that has finally brought back the SPORT in SUV. Get excited about it, because we sure are.