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REVIEWS
URUS ON ICE 3
Lamborghini Urus Review - Columnshift.com
SUPER UTILITY VEHICLE
Words and pictures by Ryan Gilmore ood grief, look how far we have fallen. The Urus pictured above is the symbol of automotive culture and what it has come too. The SUV, by definition is slower, less economical, heavier, drivers far worse and doesn’t offer anything above flash is now the pride of the Lamborghini line. The fact that the Urus was made when the Estoque was canned shows a terminal decline. For Lamborghini to produce an SUV really shows the sad state of affairs in the car world. And it’s not just Lamborghini; Ferrari, Aston Martin and Bentley all either have SUV’s in the pipeline or already in showrooms. For Lamborghini in particular, the idea of an SUV should make them spit out their gnocchi. But look at it closer, the flashiness of an SUV is very
appealing to the flashiest brand in the world. Visit Knightsbridge and every neon-wrapped Lambo cruises around at no-where near its potential, like buying a G-Shock ultra-macho, NATO strap watch. You are never going to use it to its full abilities but you enjoy its potential and flash. That is the reason the Urus exists, to be as flashy and as capable an SUV can be in terms of performance. Visually, the car fulfils being both flashy and looking fast. The vast grille may not be to everyone’s taste, but it’s not subtle. It has more hole and patterns in the grille than your grandmothers doily. It also continues the Lamborghini’s obsession with hexagons with almost every surface in some-way six-sided. It certainly is no looker but finished here in matte-grey, it really does fit with the Monaco/Chelsea demographic they are chasing. The wheels are huge, 23”
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Lamborghini Urus Review - Columnshift.com
rims on _ tires. For all this, the Urus also has more than a whiff of sportiness to it. The car looks more like a tall coupe than an out-and-out SUV, it has a rear diffuser and behind the humongous front grille, vast radiators to cool the very powerful engine. The engine is a 4 litre twin-turbo (a first for Lamborghini) V8 based on the Audi RS6’s engine. To first put press the accelerator shows a similarity with the Audi RS6, brutality. The power on offer from 0 revs upwards is ridiculous and addictive. It gains speed in a way that beggars belief for a 2+ tonne SUV based on a VW Touareg platform. But somehow the Urus accelerates with the ferocity unlike any other SUV, even the Hellcat powered Trackhawk pales to the Urus. Any feeling of turbo-lag is totally negated by the initial grunt of the V8. From the outside, it sounds like a naturally-aspirated V8, not even the faintest flutter of the turbo-chargers can be heard. This is probably down to the crazy engine noise
the Urus produces, nothing short of Concorde’s engine could usurp the Urus’ engine noise. From the outside the Urus sounds in every way a Lamborghini should. The aggressive noise is also transferred directly to acceleration thanks to the AWD system of the Urus. It accelerates like Lamborghini should, with brutality. To drive the Urus exposes the ability of the SUV, it is seriously agile. Body roll through corners is minimal, the car feeling firm and totally planted. The feeling from the inside of the Urus whilst cornering is more akin to an Huracan than an SUV. The Urus doesn’t tilt in the slightest around the corners, remaining perfectly stable. Equally, the steering of the Urus is deceptively good, having not only great feeling but is also instantaneously quick. There is no feeling of the extra weight of the car, it comes as close to sports car an SUV can come. One area of particular surprise
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with the Urus is the ability it retains both on and off-road. Here in the snowy highlands of Scotland the Urus feels entirely predictable. In the snow the Urus retains a phenomenal level of grip, largely down to the brilliant AWD
less of anything, it remains an incredibly composed and comfortable SUV. Where does this leave the Urus? An infinitely capable and sporty car, wrapped up in the body of an SUV. It is the first SUV that doesn’t feel com-
Key Stats Kg
641 BHP
2200 Kg
195 mph
system. Drifting the Urus is so perfectly controllable thanks to this predictability. It continues to be as predictable when the going gets rough as it does on the smoothest tarmac. Ultimately, the Urus is remarkably composed no matter what you throw at it. Regard-
AWD
promised as a drivers car, just on the heavier side. This begs the question of why spend extra resources on ironing out the flaws of an SUV. The efforts achieved by the Urus are spectacular. Shame the development was wasted on a fad.
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Lamborghini Urus Review - Columnshift.com
Track notes...
Full figures Lamborghini Urus 2019 Sports Utility Heroes
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ou would be hard pressed to find a two tonne car that feels more at home or as capable on a track than the Urus. On the long straight at the start of the track, the Urus’ brutal acceleration is quite incredible. Leading into the chicane carrying the speed the Urus is capable of makes its agility and ability to maintain momentum all the more spectacular. Uphill, the Urus shows no signs power-loss, gaining even more pace. Furthermore, this speed translates effortlessly into the wide corners. The Urus digs in on entry and thanks to the intuitive steering feel has infinite adjustability. The ultra-sharp ceramic disc brakes too are of benefit to the Urus at Holyrood. It showcases these abilities at every corner, it is almost scarily efficient around corners . Overall the Urus continues to be a total beast on the track, just as it was on the road. Holyrood allows for the Urus to be fully explored and there is not the ability to over-step the mark, the car will not understeer or oversteer on tarmac. It blows the competition away totally, beating the more powerful Trackhawk by 2 seconds. It showcases its Lamborghini DNA and is easily the best SUV to race with in the game.
PI - A795 Speed - 7.6 Handling - 6.7 Acceleration - 7.6 Launch - 9.3 Braking - 7.4 Power - 641 bhp Torque - 850 N-m Weight - 2200 kg Front - 52% Displacement - 3,996 cc All wheel drive Price - 150,000 cr
Lap time (Holyrood Circuit) Lamborghini Urus 1:15.7
The Rivals Porsche Cayenne 1:17.6 Jeep Trackhawk 1:17.7
‘Shame the development was wasted on a fad’
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