Lamborghini’s latest SUV is large and very much in charge
Contrary to popular belief, the Urus is not Lamborghini’s first SUV nor is it the first ‘practical’ car to come from Sant’Agata, Bolognese. That honour belongs to the Lamborghini LM002 and Espada respectively. But the Urus is certainly the first Lamborghini in a good long while to embody practicality with a solid helping of sportiness. Guest drivers at the 2018 edition of Robb Report Ultimate Drives were treated to a drive in the Lamborghini Urus; here’s what they had to say about this not-so-gentle giant.
“It’s a monster,” declared Henry Mok. It certainly looks the part of a monster, at least. Its silhouette simultaneously manages to be tall and imposing, yet hunkered-down and wide. Is it a supercar pretending to be an SUV or vice versa? The decision is entirely yours, but allow us to insert this choice quote from Shaun Tay. “Its exterior design is unmistakable, and it’s perfect for a race car driver turned family man,” he said. Or this gem from Michael Lee: “It’s a Lamborghini SUV and that already makes it new and exciting.”
That said, as with any Lamborghini through the ages, the styling tends to polarise opinions. Terence Yong and Wilson Wong weren’t too thrilled with its exterior styling, with the former disliking the fussy front end and the latter not a fan of the angular, blocky profile. On that note, the Urus is just like any other Lamborghini, in that it’s built for speed. Its many driving modes, selectable through the tamburo (Italian for drum) in the centre console includes a mode that optimises the drivetrain for race track use.
While there are some who would be rightfully sceptical about a 2.2-tonne SUV’s ability to hustle, let us gently remind you that the Lamborghini Urus has 650hp, 850Nm of torque and is capable of reaching over 300km/hr. Its driving modes also include snow, sand and tarmac – a constant reminder of the breadth of the super SUV’s ability. While the driving route on offer didn’t quite take guest drivers off-road, it was enough to convince some of the big Lamborghini’s ability.
Leslie Goh likened the Lamborghini Urus to Serena Williams, mirroring the tennis star’s strength and athleticism, and he said, “it handles great for such a tall vehicle.”
“It has huge horsepower, torque and practicality. It’s probably the best car I tried today,” said Isaac See. Said Kelvin Koay: “It’s as quick as any other Lamborghini, while also being able to fit a family. I’ve never driven an SUV that’s this fast before.”
But perhaps the best summary of the Lamborghini Urus was from Mark Tan, who described the car as being “practical flamboyance” personified. So not only were guests unafraid of this big, bad bull, they rather liked it as well.
