New Lamborghini Urus SE Performante has more power than an Aventador
Lamborghini’s 801bhp heavyweight can do 0-62mph in only 3.3 seconds, and has a special Rally mode
The new Lamborghini Urus SE Performante has been unleashed, and is the fastest, most powerful and most outrageous-looking version of the brand's wildly popular super-SUV to date.
This latest variant of the flamboyant foe of the Ferrari Purosangue, Aston Martin DBX and Bentley Bentayga is hurled forward by 801bhp and a whopping 1,000Nm of torque – 144bhp and 150Nm more than the old Performante.
That’s because the new one is a plug-in hybrid, combining a twin-turbo 4.0-litre V8 with one electric motor and a 25.9kWh battery. Power is sent to all four wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission. It’s the same powertrain found in the regular Urus SE, but Lamborghini has fettled it with some software to make it more responsive and minimise lag.
The addition of the hybrid system does mean the new Urus SE Performante is more than 300kg heavier than its predecessor, weighing in at a hefty 2,473kg. However, its 0-62mph time of 3.3 seconds is exactly the same, and the new heavyweight is even quicker from 0-124mph, taking just 10.8 seconds. Top speed stands at 194mph, which is slightly higher as well.
There are more than half a dozen drive modes to choose from in this car, including Rally, which Lamborghini says has been specifically calibrated for drivers to have fun on dirt surfaces.
As well as increasing the performance, the SE Performante’s hybrid system offers a pure-electric range of 37 miles for better everyday usability. However, it’ll make its presence known when you want, thanks to a new titanium exhaust system created in collaboration with Akrapovič that makes the car louder and more raucous when you turn it on – great for annoying the neighbours.
The new exhaust also trims 10kg off the car’s weight. Combined with the extensive use of carbon fibre for the bonnet, roof, wheelarches, side skirts, rear diffuser and spoiler, the new SE Performante is 32kg lighter than the standard Urus SE.
The big mouth on this car isn’t just for show. Lamborghini's design director Mitja Borkert says the redesign was necessary for better cooling of the V8 engine and brakes, although the larger and more defined air intakes have the added benefit of giving the car more presence. The car rides on a set of 23-inch wheels, while the bonnet features an S-duct air outlet.
The dual-chamber air suspension and dual-valve adaptive dampers are a first for the Urus and are reserved for the SE Performante. Compared to the old model, which just got semi-active fixed spring suspension, this set-up will deliver a much wider range between comfort and sportiness, and is able to change the character of the car incredibly quickly.
Lamborghini claims it reduces body roll during cornering by more than half versus the previous Performante, while also cutting out 25 per cent of vibrations to boost comfort.
“We really raised the bar to make this car even more agile than the previous generation Performante,” Stefano Cossalter, product director for the Urus, told Auto Express. “It was three years’ hard work, but we did it. It was a hell of a ride, but the car is definitely more engaging, more fun to drive, faster, and I have no doubt to say it is the best SUV in the market.”
To understand how the car is behaving and the grip levels, Lamborghini fitted eight accelerometers – one sensor for each wheel hub and four on the chassis. Meanwhile, a ‘6D sensor’, like that of the sensational Fenomeno hypercar, is placed near to the centre of gravity on the Urus and its data is used to predict how the car will respond to things, which helps to improve braking performance.
Like the regular Urus SE, the new Performante features a pair of 12.3-inch displays, while the centre console features physical toggle buttons and the familiar aviation-inspired gear selector arrangement, which is flanked by separate controls for the drive modes and hybrid system.
The new Performante is one of the final variants of the current, now-eight-year-old Urus we’re going to see, as Lamborghini has already announced the next-generation model is in development and slated to arrive in 2029. It will also feature plug-in hybrid V8 power but has the potential to be even more powerful. Because clearly the high-riding speed machine doesn’t have enough already…
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