Lamborghini’s upcoming SUV will use a twin-turbo V8 engine, with the confirmation coming from the very top of the supercar maker.
More specifically, Lamborghini’s boss Stephan Winkelmann and R&D chief Maurizio Reggiani confirmed to Autocar that the third model in their range will use a twin-turbo 4.0-litre V8 petrol instead of the naturally aspirated V10 and V12 engines found in the Huracan and Aventador models.
Modern turbocharged engines are a much more suitable choice for big SUVs like the Urus is going to be, offering plenty of low-end torque and much more competitive CO2 emissions than a naturally aspirated petrol, with Lamborghini’s boss promising that the final production model will be the fastest of its kind.
“We will have the most powerful engine and will have the car that is going to be a real super sports SUV,” said Winkelmann. “It has to keep the balance between matching the DNA of the brand, that is being a car that is really driveable and also have a lot of off-road capability, but the driving on the roads is much more important.”
Winkelmann also said that the production Urus will offer an evolved design and more room in its cabin than the concept that debuted at Beijing Motor Show. “It is more state-of-the-art compared with that concept.”
Lamborghini also wants the Urus to offer true off-road capabilities. “In acceleration and in off-road capability it is really important to have a high level of torque, in order to move as quickly as possible and in an off-road situation to have the ability to come out of a critical situation easily,” said Reggiani. “The engine must be light and powerful and with the capability with this torque at low revs to allow the car to be ‘elastic’ in every type of condition.”
Having a twin-turbo 4.0-litre under the bonnet sure sounds familiar for a company owned by the Group VW, but Maurizio Reggiani said that the said engine will be used only by Lamborghini in the Group and no one else.
“To be the most powerful in the class it must have something that is dedicated to our brand. It must be able to produce the right amount power and torque, but do that in conjunction with the right transmission and chassis control that makes it a true Lamborghini.”
The company is still thinking about a potential plug-in variant of the Urus, with the production car being developed to accept a battery pack and electric motors, as it is understood that the underpinnings of Lamborghini’s second SUV are shared with the Bentley Bentayga, the Audi Q7 and the next Porsche Cayenne.
The final production model is expected to debut at the Geneva Motor Show in 2018 or even at the Frankfurt Motor Show of 2017 if its development finishes earlier than expected.
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