Lamborghini chief executive Stefano Domenicali has confirmed that production of the Urus SUV will kick off in April.

The ex-Ferrari Formula 1 boss made the revelation during an interview with Digital Trends but said that the initial models built will be prototypes and not production-spec models bound for customers.

“Production will start in April, though the plant will initially build pre-series models. As you know, this is an entirely new process so the first few cars will be prototypes. It’s a very delicate period, which is why 2017 will be a very important year or us. Don’t underestimate the big step we’re taking,” Domenicali said.

The boss also said that before deliveries of the Urus can commence, the brand’s dealerships and after-sales network need to be educated about the all-new model.

“It’s easy just to remember the number 7,000, but we need to prepare the after-sales network and the dealers; they need to know the car. The first cars will also be used to train people. It’s a matrix of complexity that, for our dimension, is a big, big step,” he said.

Lamborghini has previously said that the Urus will join the Aventador and Huracan in its range sometime in 2018. After it hits the market with a twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 engine, a hybrid alternative will be offered, marking a first for the brand.

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