Last summer I had the opportunity to call upon the services of a Lamborghini Urus Performante for a week, a beastly 657 hp SUV that proved surprisingly well mannered during everyday outings around the city, but was also more than willing to loosen the ole sash and get really moving when opportunity permitted. Awash in a vibrant hue, Arancio Borealis – the Lambo’s bright orange paint job and angular glare, topped by the throaty roar of the SUV’s V8 engine – compelled more than a few neighbors to drop by for an extended look and chat. The Urus is many things, including an instant conversation starter.
Recently the Italian luxury sports car maker announced they’re dropping the model I became acquainted with for a new update that shares all the best and beastly attributes of the Performante, but adds a plug-in hybrid e-motor under the moniker of the Urus SE.
Unveiled at the 2024 Beijing Auto Show, the new PHEV iteration of the Lamborghini’s most popular model keeps the same head-snapping twin-turbo 4.0 V8 engine that gave the Performante its guttural go. But now the luxury super SUV has the aid of a 25-kWh lithium-ion battery powered powertrain, good for 37 miles of purely electric powered range all by itself. Paired with the V8, the Urus SE is good for an audacious total output of 789 horsepower.
Taking advantage of electric motor enhancement, the bullish update can jump from 0 to 62 mph in just 3.4 seconds, with a top speed of 194 mph. The permanent-magnet synchronous electric motor located inside the 8-speed automatic transmission acts as a boost for the V8 combustion engine. Yet thanks to the plug-in help, Lamborghini also cites an emissions reduction of 80% when compared to their completely gas-powered Urus (the automaker has yet to share estimated fuel consumption figures).
The most exciting updates to the Urus SE are mostly dedicated to changes made under the hood, but Lamborghini Head of Design Mitja Borkert and his team have seen fit to revise their new plug-in hybrid’s exterior with a few nips, tucks, and softening of creases to emphasize its muscularity without flexing too hard.
The design update includes a new floating bonnet, headlight clusters with matrix LED technology, an updated bumper and front grill, a new rear diffuser, and a completely redesigned taillamp grill borrowing from the design language of the Gallardo’s rear with the front referencing Lamborghini’s Revuelto supercar. The sum is a beautifully brutish interpretation of an electrified SUV unlike any other that also happens to be even more aerodynamic – a win-win-win in design, performance, and efficiency.
The Urus SE represents another part of Lamborghini’s Direzione Cor Tauri 2.0 electrification and decarbonization strategy, with the plans to continue the electrification process through 2024 and the launch of a second HPEV (High Performance Electrified Vehicle) to replace the Huracán in their plans.
To stay up-to-date, visit lamborghini.com.
Photography courtesy of Lamborghini.
