Has Lamborghini accomplished the impossible? Just when purists thought that the Urus was the pinnacle of performance in SUVs, it has developed the Urus Performante. We put it to the ultimate test, by driving it not only on regular roads, but also taking it off the road, like thoroughbred SUVs.
What is Urus Performante?
The Urus used to be the world’s fastest SUV, and one of the most powerful. The Urus Performante is a high-performance version of the Urus. Need we say more!
How does it look?
Like all Lamborghini cars, it is shaped like wind, and unlike all, it is very spacious.
What do you get over Urus?
While the engine is the same (3,996 cc petrol), the Urus Performante produces more power (490 kW as compared to 478 kW of the Urus), goes from 0-100 km/h in just 3.3 seconds (3.6 for the Urus), is lighter by 47 kg, has slightly lower ground clearance for better stability, and has a new RALLY mode for dirt tracks.
How does it drive?
There are four driving modes:
Strada (comfortable ride, with soft suspension setting),
Sport (enhanced throttle response, rear-wheel steering more agile),
Corsa (high-speed stability supported by the active anti-roll bars, sports exhaust at its loudest),
Rally (the best for high-speed cornering and loose surface).
On the road: We drove it on roads from Bengaluru to Nandi Hills (a sharp incline). Nowhere does the 2,150 kg weight makes you feel that gravity pulls heavier things stronger. Be it a sharp incline or a straight stretch of road, the Urus Performante just keeps pulling as if gravity and friction don’t matter. For such roads, Sport mode is the best.
Off the road: Would you take an SUV worth crores of rupees off the road, on a dirt track? This one you can. How?
Shift into the Rally mode, take time to understand the limitations of the car, and let loose on a closed circuit (we did it on the Bren Raceway, near Bengaluru).
In the Rally mode, when you approach a corner, brake hard, take a wide turn, and when you’re almost in the middle of the turn, just floor the accelerator pedal. The rear section of the SUV will slide (a controlled slide), but in a fraction of a second it will be back to full traction.
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Is it the finest SUV?
The Urus Performante (Rs 4.22 crore) is vastly more expensive than the Urus (Rs 3.08 crore). It’s definitely the world’s best-engineered SUV, but would you pay such a premium for a new driving mode, slightly more power, slightly different design, and a few changes here and there?
Lambo is going hybrid
This week, Lamborghini unveiled the first HPEV (high-performance electrified vehicle) hybrid super sports car, codenamed LB744, which will make its debut later this year (but sales in India are expected only next year). The LB744 has an electric plus petrol powertrain that delivers more than 1,000 CV power (short for cavallo vapore, CV is Italian for horsepower).
The LB744 will have a brand new 6.5-litre 12-cylinder internal combustion engine with three electric motors. It will retain one of Lamborghini’s strongest traditions: four-wheel drive. The hybrid battery has a capacity of 3.8 kWh.
Specifications
Engine: 3,996 cc
Power: 490 kW (666 CV)
Torque: 850 Nm
Top speed: 306 km/h
0-100 km/h: 3.3 seconds
0-200 km/h: 11.5 seconds
100-0 km/h: 32.9 metres
Price: Rs 4.22 crore (ex-showroom)
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Competitors
The Urus doesn’t have direct competition, but some come close:
— BMW
— Mercedes-Benz G-Class (Rs 3.3 crore)
— Audi