While Lamborghini is widely known for its V12-powered supercars with those unique “Lambo” doors that swing upwards, the company also has an off-roading/4×4 heritage. Google “Lamborghini LM002” and you’ll see a rugged military-inspired off-road vehicle quite similar to America’s likewise-miliary-developed Hummer H1.
The LM002 was produced from 1986 until 1993. What set it apart from all of the other high-end 4×4 vehicles of the day was the fact that it was powered by the engine of the most spectacular supercar of the era, the V12 from the legendary Countach.
Now, against the cosmopolitan backdrop of Taipei, the Italian marque has taken that philosophy to its most extraordinary expression of an SUV yet with the new Lamborghini Urus SE Performante.
Supercar performance with plug-in hybrid efficiency
At the heart of the Urus SE Performante lies a truly potent powerplant — a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 engine. That V8 works with an electric motor to produce a combined 812ps and a monumental 1,000Nm of torque.
The result is an SUV capable of accelerating from 0 to 100 km/h in just 3.3 seconds and reaching 200 km/h in an astonishing 10.8 seconds. The Urus SE Performante can reach 312 km/h, making it the fastest Super SUV in the world.
But perhaps the most interesting aspect of the powertrain is how the electric motor changes the vehicle’s character. Rather than simply contributing to fuel efficiency, electrification becomes an integral part of the performance equation, delivering immediate torque response, filling gaps in power delivery, and enhancing acceleration across the engine’s operating range.
The electric motor is positioned ahead of the 8-speed automatic transmission, while a 25.9-kWh lithium-ion battery is located beneath the load floor. The Urus SE Performante can travel more than 60 kilometers on electric power alone.
If you want to go fast, add lightness
This famous racing adage is evident in the Urus SE Performante. One might assume that the addition of an electric motor and a substantial battery would make any vehicle considerably heavier. But Lamborghini’s engineers approached the problem with the same determination that characterizes the development of the company’s supercars. The Urus SE Performante weighs 32 kilograms less than the standard Urus SE, despite sharing its plug-in hybrid architecture.
Much of this achievement comes from an extensive application of carbon fiber.
The hood, roof, wheel arches, side skirts, and rear diffuser are all made from this F1-derived ultra-light material. The titanium components of the standard exhaust system, including the muffler and tailpipes, contribute more than 10 kilos in further weight savings.
Even the braking system, sound insulation, and interior materials have been optimized to eliminate unnecessary mass. In a high-performance SUV, where mass is arguably the greatest enemy of agility, every kilogram matters.
Replacing steel with air
Perhaps the most significant technological development in the Urus SE Performante is not the engine, but the suspension, where Lamborghini ditched the sporty handling steel springs of the previous Urus Performante in favor of its new AURA dual-chamber air suspension system, which delivers an extraordinary combination of sharp handling and riding comfort. The system reduces body roll by 50 percent during spirited driving while simultaneously cutting vibrations by 25 percent compared with the previous model. The Urus SE Performante delivers the agility and responsiveness expected of a supercar while retaining the smooth ride of a luxury SUV.
One aerodynamically efficient brick
The Urus SE Performante’s aggressive appearance is more than an exercise in Italian automotive theater. Virtually every exterior modification has been designed to improve aerodynamic performance, which is usually a weakness of brick-shaped SUVs.
The carbon-fiber hood incorporates a prominent power dome and large S-Duct air passages, directing airflow to improve cooling and reduce aerodynamic lift. The front bumper features larger air intakes, while a new splitter contributes to improved front-end stability. At the rear, two carbon-fiber aerodynamic elements work together to generate additional downforce.
The result is a 16-percent increase in downforce compared with the previous Urus Performante and a 23-percent improvement over the standard Urus SE. Even more impressively, Lamborghini has achieved these gains while reducing aerodynamic drag by 3 percent compared with the Urus SE. Brake cooling efficiency has also improved by 8 percent, thanks partly to specially developed air ducts directing cooling airflow toward the brake discs and calipers.
A supercar brain inside an SUV body
One of the most fascinating innovations is the incorporation of a 6D sensor, positioned near the vehicle’s center of gravity. Derived from Lamborghini’s exclusive Fenomeno, the system measures acceleration along three axes and angular movement in pitch, roll, and yaw.
In simpler terms, it allows the vehicle to understand precisely how its body is moving in three-dimensional space.
The technology contributes to a 9-percent improvement in maximum deceleration compared with the previous Urus Performante, along with quicker vehicle response during dynamic maneuvers. It‘s an extraordinary amount of processing power devoted to a seemingly simple objective: making a very large, very powerful SUV behave with the precision and responsiveness of a much smaller sports car.
From silent electric driving to full-on Rally Mode
The Urus SE Performante’s extraordinary versatility is reflected in its selectable driving modes. STRADA prioritizes everyday comfort and usability, while SPORT sharpens the vehicle’s responses for more enthusiastic driving. CORSA is designed for maximum performance, allowing the powertrain, suspension, and electronic systems to deliver their most focused behavior.
Then there is RALLY mode, a feature carried over from the original Urus Performante and recalibrated for the new hybrid model. Developed for loose surfaces, RALLY allows skilled drivers to explore the vehicle’s dynamic capabilities in conditions far removed from a conventional racetrack.
The new model also offers EV mode, enabling fully electric driving when conditions and battery charge permit. Few vehicles can claim such an extraordinary range of personalities.
The Urus SE Performante can seamlessly and instantly transform from a refined and quiet luxury SUV into an immensely powerful rip-roaring machine that delivers supercar-levels of acceleration and cornering.
An interior inspired by the cockpit of a fighter jet
Inside, the Urus SE Performante continues Lamborghini’s tradition of combining futuristic design with an unmistakable aviation-inspired atmosphere. The dashboard is dominated by angular forms, carbon-fiber elements, and distinctive Y-shaped design details. A 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster sits directly ahead of the driver, complemented by a 12.3-inch central touchscreen.
The graphics take inspiration from the Revuelto, reinforcing the visual connection between the Super SUV and Lamborghini’s flagship supercar. A newly designed mechanical button panel contributes to what Lamborghini calls its “feel like a pilot” philosophy. The steering wheel has also been designed specifically for the Performante, featuring an exclusive carbon-fiber bezel. The standard interior features Corsa Tex by Dinamica technical upholstery.
The Lamborghini spirit, electrified
The Urus SE Performante is a machine that embodies two seemingly opposing philosophies: the sophistication of electrified mobility and the unapologetic pursuit of extreme automotive performance and design.
Lamborghini has managed to make these philosophies complementary rather than contradictory. The electric motor does not replace the V8’s character. It enhances it. Perhaps that is the most significant message of the new Urus SE Performante. Lamborghini is not abandoning the qualities that made its cars legendary. It is using new technologies to amplify them. And if the Urus SE Performante is any indication, that future promises to be every bit as outrageous, exciting, and unmistakably Italian as its past.
