We test drive the Lamborghini Urus – and it’s wild and sharp
What we like most about the Urus is its dynamism – it can be soft and comfortable, or wild and sharp. One thing is certain though, it is luxurious
Having a Lamborghini is a dream for many; having a Lamborghini SUV is even more elusive. Now you can have it.
When Lamborghini revealed plans to make a super SUV – the Urus (the ancestor of modern domestic cattle) – in 2012, jaws dropped. Well, the SUV with its 650hp and 850Nm of torque, and that takes 3.6 seconds to go from 0-100km/h, is right before our eyes.
We try the five-seat version – which costs from HK$3.69 million – on a sunny day in Hong Kong, on the route to Shek O. It is easy at the start. We drive through the traffic in Central and Admiralty, and without much sweat we find ourselves on the Island Eastern Corridor expressway. The supercar is easy to handle, like any other saloon or SUV, visibility is great, and the smooth handling and cornering makes us forgot we are driving the “bull”.
It is in the Strada mode that we are driving. The car’s height adjusts according to speed to enhance comfort, and the sound of the engine is quiet and gentle. It is similar to the Comfort mode of its brother brand, Audi, which makes sense, as the Urus, unlike other Lamborghinis, is designed for everyday driving. But it does deliver the sportscar feel and performance whenever you need it – simply change the driving mode from Strada to Sport or Corsa via the Tamburo, and you will get a sportier and more exciting Lamborghini sound, with a lower body to deliver more stability and precision at all speeds.
The reason Lamborghini adopted a four-wheel-drive system in the Urus is simple: it is also designed for off-road driving and difficult conditions. In the Terra (off-road) and Neve (snow) modes, torque vectoring reduces understeer for safe and simple driving. While in Sabbia (sand) mode, the system is calibrated to guarantee agility and precision on terrains with reduced grip such as on gravel or sand dunes, making it ideal for off-road fun.
For the same reason, the Urus adopts a V8 twin turbo engine, instead of using the “signature” naturally aspirated V10 or V12 engines – a high level of torque at low revs is necessary in off-road conditions and can only be guaranteed by such an engine, providing optimal engine responsiveness and efficiency. With a curb weight lower than 2,200kg the Urus is the SUV with the best weight-to-power ratio at 3.38kg/hp.