The upcoming Urus won’t be Lamborghini’s first SUV; that honor goes to the LM002 that debuted in 1986. However, the off-roader will completely break with tradition on the powertrain front, according to a recent report.
Every street-legal Lamborghini built since the company’s inception has used a naturally aspirated engine. Maurizio Reggiani, the head of the company’s research and development department, has confirmed the Urus will stand out by offering a twin-turbocharged, 4.0-liter V8 engine. He told British magazine Autocar that going turbo is “completely mandatory” because the first Lamborghini SUV of the 21st century will require the low-end torque of a forced-induction engine to post jaw-dropping performance figures.
The Urus will also be the first production Lamborghini equipped with a gasoline-electric plug-in hybrid drivetrain, though technical details aren’t available because they haven’t been finalized yet. However, Reggiani affirmed the Urus will be the only plug-in Lamborghini when it goes on sale, which rules out electrified versions of the Huracán and the Aventador. A diesel-powered, entry-level variant of the Urus is off the table, too. Clearly, Lamborghini isn’t interested in chasing all-out volume.
Lamborghini gave enthusiasts a glimpse of its upcoming SUV when it presented the Urus concept (pictured) last year. Finally ending rumors, Reggiani hinted the production model won’t necessarily look like a toned-down, less futuristic-looking version of the original design study.
“The design [of the Urus] is pure Lamborghini. It has evolved considerably since the [2015] concept and the finished car is much better inside and out,” he revealed to Autocar.
Built in Italy, the Lamborghini Urus will make its official debut at a major auto show next year, and it’s expected to go on sale globally in 2018. Buyers who want the plug-in hybrid model might need to be patient because there’s a chance it won’t join the lineup until a little later in the production run.
