The raging bull of the automotive world is on a product launching charge at the moment.
In the space of just 18 months Lamborghini has completely refreshed its supercar portfolio, replacing the Aventador with the Revuelto and the Huracan with the Temerario.
But the Italian marque has not forgotten its high-riding ‘bread and butter’ model, the Urus, which accounts for 60% of its sales.
Fresh from its international reveal in April, the comprehensively updated Lamborghini SUV, now called the Urus SE, has landed on South African shores, flaunting a price tag of R4,875,000.
Styling has been sharpened at the front and back, ushering in a more sinister look that takes some inspiration from the Revuelto.
What’s more, buyers can personalise it more than ever before, thanks to over 100 available colour schemes being available and a range of wheels up to 23-inches.
But it’s beneath the skin where the most impressive changes take place, with the old model’s 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 engine now being paired with a 141kW electric motor that raises the vehicle’s combined outputs to 588kW and 950Nm.
The Urus was already outrageously fast in a straight line, but now even more so with the 2024 model now sprinting from 0-100km/h in 3.4 seconds, making it 0.2 seconds faster than the original.
But what makes this new Urus SE even more special is that it now has a 25.9 kWh lithium-ion battery installed below the boot, which allows it to cover up to 60km/h on electric power alone, according to factory claims.
This could theoretically reduce its tailpipe emissions by 80%, Lamborghini says, but that would depend on owners charging it up on a regular basis.
Engineers spent some good quality time on the chassis too, and as a result the Urus SE can now hang its tail out more easily thanks to a new electronic limited-slip differential installed on the rear axle, which works in sync with the centrally-located electric torque vectoring system.
The cabin has been given a significant makeover too, including a larger 12.3-inch central infotainment system with updated graphics, and there’s plenty of scope for personalisation, with Lamborghini offering 47 different colour combinations and four types of embroidery.
Using a selector unit on the centre console, drivers can choose between six main driving modes and four “Electric Performance Strategies”. To that end the road and track use modes (Strada, Sport and Corsa) and the alternative terrain modes (Neve, Sabbia and Terra) are joined by the EV Drive, Hybrid, Performance and Recharge options.
“The Urus SE is a fundamental evolutionary step, not only in terms of sustainability by virtue of a radical reduction in CO2 emissions, but also in terms of performance and sportiness, thanks to the adoption of cutting-edge technical solutions starting with the hybrid powertrain,” said product line director Stefano Cossalter.
IOL