Skip to main content

Faster than a German sports sedan, Lamborghini's Urus SUV will create a brand new segment

Lamborghini Urus Concept front angle
Image used with permission by copyright holder
The high-end SUV segment is searing hot right now, but Lamborghini predicts its upcoming Urus will stand tall above its rivals because it will be the world’s fastest off-roader.

The Urus will be the first Lamborghini to adopt forced induction when it launches with a twin-turbocharged, 4.0-liter V8 engine. Some sources claim the eight-cylinder will be developed from scratch by Lamborghini in Sant’Agata Bolognese, while others believe it will be borrowed from parent company Audi and heavily revised. Regardless, executives have confirmed the mill will be designed exclusively for the Urus and it won’t power the car maker’s coupes.

In its most basic configuration, the Urus will dart to 60 mph from a stop in less than four seconds. To put that figure into perspective, the fastest SUV on the market right now is the Bentley Bentayga, which performs the same task in 4.1 seconds — about on par with a Mercedes-AMG C63. Sources close to Lamborghini suggest an even quicker version of the off-roader could arrive later in the production run with a Superveloce badge.

At the other end of the spectrum, the Urus might usher in Lamborghini’s first-ever gasoline-electric model in a bid to comply with strict emissions regulations that are scheduled to come into effect globally before the end of the decade. The setup will consist of a V6 engine and at least one electric motor, hinted Maurizio Reggiani, the head of Lamborghini’s research and development department, in an interview with Motoring.

Lamborghini will shed as much weight from the Urus as possible to boost both performance and efficiency. It will likely ride on the same MLB 2 platform as the aforementioned Bentayga and the Audi Q7, but engineers will replace some of the steel components with carbon fiber bits and pieces. Additionally, the Urus could benefit from carbon-fiber body panels.

Additional information about the Lamborghini Urus will trickle out over the next couple of months, and the off-roader will greet the public for the first time at the 2018 edition of the Geneva Motor Show.

Editors' Recommendations

Ronan Glon
Ronan Glon is an American automotive and tech journalist based in southern France. As a long-time contributor to Digital…
Mercedes-Benz G580 first drive: old-school off-roader goes electric
2025 Mercedes-Benz G580 from three quarter view.

American car buyers mostly know Mercedes-Benz as a luxury brand. But for decades, the automaker has also produced the tough, rugged G-Class (also known as the Geländewagen or G-Wagen), an SUV not afraid to get its leather upholstery muddy. And now, this iconic Mercedes is going electric.

The 2025 Mercedes-Benz G580 with EQ Technology — the final name of the SUV previously known as the EQG — isn’t the first electric off-roader. The Rivian R1S and R1T and GMC Hummer EV have proven that electric powertrains and off-roading are a great combination. But the electric G-Wagen is different because it’s based on an internal-combustion model — and a very traditional one at that.

Read more
Honda believes hydrogen semi trucks will make the case for fuel cells
Honda hydrogen fuel-cell semi truck.

Honda remains committed to hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles, but the market for those vehicles remains limited. So Honda is looking at other uses for fuel cells -- including commercial trucks.

To show how that could work, Honda converted a semi truck to fuel-cell power, replacing its diesel engine with three fuel-cell modules. Together, the three modules produce a combined 321 horsepower, and can propel the truck to a top speed of 70 mph. There's enough onboard hydrogen storage capacity for a 400-mile range with a full load, Honda claims.

Read more
Mercedes-Benz G580 vs Rivian R2: Is the much cheaper Rivian actually better?
2025 Mercedes-Benz G580 from three quarter view.

Mercedes-Benz has finally taken the wraps off of the new "Mercedes-Benz G580 with EQ Technology." Yeah, it's a mouthful, but it's basically a new electric G-Wagon. It looks a lot like the G-Wagon you know and love, but with an electric powertrain and a battery. It's not the only electric SUV out there, however, and there are some great ones -- like the Rivian R2.

Both the Mercedes G580 and the Rivian R2 have a lot going for them, but they also approach the electric SUV slightly differently. Is one better than the other? I put the two head-to-head to find out.
Design
The approach that the two vehicles take to design is quite different -- and you might like one better than the other.

Read more