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I'm on a big Kidston kick lately and I just LOVE this one with the LM002. Enjoy it, it's a riot!

In a proud first for our community, we present the first official review of the all-new 2019 Lamborghini Urus Super Sport Utility Vehicle! Special thanks for Lamborghini North America for the arrangement of this Urus for Lambo Power. Here are the specs on our specific press vehicle. Standard Features: (Base Price: $200,000 USD) - Exterior Color: Blue Eleos - Interior Color: Nero Ade - 4.0 Liter, V8 90° Bi-Turbo engine with 4 valves per cylinder - Longitudinal front-mounted engine - Electronic direct-injection system - Electronically controlled, continuously variable intake and exhaust valves timing system - Automatic 8-speed gearbox with torque converter + reverse - Permanent 4WD with limited-slip center differential and Lamborghini Active Torque-Vectoring Rear Differential - Hybrid Body in White in aluminum and steel - Air suspension with active damping and electro-mechanical active roll stabilization - Power vacuum brake system with ABS - Carbon-ceramic brakes - Electronic parking brake - ESC system - Full-LED adaptive headlamps with high beam assist and tail lights - 4-zone automatic air conditioning - External mirrors (with heating, electrically adjustable and foldable, auto-dimming) - Ignition key with remote control (Keyless) Optional Equipment: (Total Options Price: $31,896 USD) - Rims Nath 22" shiny - $3,788.00 - Full ADAS Package - $6,313.00 - calipers in black - $1,137.00 - Steer. wheel smooth - $631.00 - Advanced 3D - $6,313.00 - Style Package 1 - High - $1,908.00 - Off-Road modes with - $637.00 - Full Electric Comfort Seat - $3,157.00 - Stitching option - $631.00 - Optional stitching on - $379.00 - Rear Seat Heating - $631.00 - Black Roof Rails - $1,010.00 - Panoramic Roof - $2,778.00 - Inserts in Wood Open - $1,699.00 - Embroid. Lamborghini - $884.00 Total Price ($235,891 USD - Including $3,995 Destination Charge) - Drive Review - by TurboAlex The Lamborghini Urus Super Sport Utility Vehicle is a brand-new model for the Sant’Agata manufacturer. And not since the production of the LM002 ceased in 1993 has Lamborghini delivered any sort of production utility vehicle. Jump ahead 26 years and the 2019 Lamborghini Urus arrives for our press loaner. Having spent extensive seat time in high-performance BMW sport utility vehicles, Range Rovers, and the Bentley Bentayga, the proverbial bar was set quite high. Walking up, the exterior is distinctly Lamborghini. Fans of the brand will instantly recognize the Perini-designed cues and inspirations. The imposing front bumper has received a lot of discussions and some criticisms, but we appreciate and enjoy the bold design. And the Blue Eleos paint laid down on all the edges and panels really popped under the southern California sunshine. Once inside, the in-cabin space was surprising! Especially with the accompanying trunk space. With this kind of room, taking a family of four with luggage would be no hassle. If you plan on taking a road-trip with it, the excellent driving ergonomics make it quite a comfortable ride. Nothing felt out of place, but quite intuitive, and very Lamborghini. Don’t plan on having your cup of Boba with you though. Unfortunately, Italian-sized cup-holders, like their suits just are too trim and svelt for our everyday needs; a small issue but a recurring nuisance. Not just any sport utility vehicle could carry the raging bull badge, so it’s important we talk performance. It’s shocking what the engineering and performance wizards can make this nearly 5,000 lbs. SSUV do. This twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 is the first production forced-induction powerplant for Lamborghini. It churns out an impressive 641 horsepower and 627 ft.lbs. of torque with a 6,800 RPM redline. Often a point of criticism, the redline figure has left a few reviewers disappointed and wanting more revs. Sure we’d always love more, but we didn’t find ourselves really needing more for the commute and drives we took. It also has an eight-speed automatic transmission, torque-vectoring all-wheel-drive, and all-wheel steering. The very capable and enjoyable launch-control system propels the Urus to a factory claimed 0-60 MPH in 3.6 seconds. Real-world testing on DragTimes YouTube channel produced a VBOX verified 2.93 seconds! We didn’t use any equipment to verify, but some launch-control sprints had us not doubting those figures. It got us talking about its already stout capabilities; it’s not stopping quite a few performance shops from turning it up with the Urus and going for more. Absolutely bonkers. Power and performance are great, but without adequate stopping power or handling, it would all be a moot point. Incredibly, the stock 440mm front and 370mm rear carbon ceramic brakes pull the five-door family hauler from 60-0 in as little as 107 feet. Saving the near best for last, we need to point out the handling capability. We said it time and time again, “this handles like a really good sportscar.” Not just a car, not just a sportscar, but a very good and capable sportscar. According to Motor Trend testing, this will pull a 1.01g on the skid-pad, all thanks to the torque-vectoring, four-wheel steering, and air suspension. Obviously we weren’t able to replicate that kind of action, but this system and set-up gives the driver confidence in spades, with no shortage of mechanical talent to back it up. Aside from the cup-holders being too small, our biggest issue with the Urus is the price. With a base model starting point of $200,000 USD, this vehicle is not for everyone. But to be honest, Lamborghinis aren’t for everyone. Despite the word on the street that dealers are seeing nearly 70% of all Urus buyers are new to the brand! Overall, the Urus is a delight to drive. The capable duality is impressive, and a short weekend makes us want it all the more. It’s docile and comfortable enough to pull daily driver duty, even with tiny cup-holders. Yet it still allows the drive to tap into the almost primal-like power reserves with the flick of a switch and a push of the pedal. Do we want one? Absolutely. And if you have the chance to drive and buy one, we’d wager you will feel the same way. It’s one bad-ass SSUV.

More details at Motor1 Article: Article Link, Click Here Anyone want to speculate what if any changes are going to happen?

Oh my...this is beast. Source: https://www.motortrend.com/news/2021-cadillac-escalade-first-look-review-photos-specs/ In short: All-new chassis, interior, big tech upgrades, now offering gas and diesel powerplants. "Virtually no carryover parts from the current Escalade," according to the article.

With its first jump into the SUV market, Aston Martin released the DBX. It's billed as as sportscar level of performance in a luxury SUV. Any thoughts on how this will compete with the likes of the Bentley, Rolls, Audi and Lamborghini? Is the market getting too saturated? Images follow the press release. -- Press Release -- Aston Martin launches fourth car of transformational Second Century Plan First SUV for 106-year-old luxury British marque Delivers broadest design brief of any Aston Martin in history Broad range of capability from sportscar dynamics to off-road versatility 20 November 2019, Beijing, China: A bold new chapter and a landmark moment in Aston Martin’s illustrious 106-year history, Aston Martin has today unveiled its first SUV and a model that will propel the brand to new heights worldwide. That model, is DBX. The culmination of an extensive development programme that began with physical testing in Wales last year and virtual development stretching back to 2015, DBX signals a new era in Aston Martin’s pursuit to deliver exceptional performance, style and usability in a segment previously unexplored by the world-famous manufacturer. Bringing both the versatility and indulgence expected of a luxury SUV with sports car levels of dynamic performance, DBX sets a bold new standard in this sector. Aston Martin Lagonda President & Group CEO, Dr. Andy Palmer said: “I can’t emphasise enough how incredibly exciting and significant DBX is for Aston Martin. Through its development alone, this beautiful SUV has already taken the company into new territories and in inspiring directions. DBX also marks a key moment in the delivery of the third and final phase of our Second Century Plan, not only representing the promised expansion of our portfolio but also signaling the start of production at Aston Martin’s second manufacturing plant. We have both delivered this model through our expertise, but also by garnering invaluable experience and knowledge from external counsel, including our Female Advisory Board. This is a real landmark for this great British brand and I promise that DBX will reward all who experience it in their everyday lives.” Set to be built in Aston Martin’s purpose-built manufacturing facility in St Athan, Wales, the foundation of DBX is a new dedicated SUV platform, something rarely seen across the sector. More than ever before, this clean sheet of paper has allowed all departments within Aston Martin to innovate and push the boundaries of what British design and engineering can create, resulting in a truly remarkable product. Utilising bonded aluminium, a construction method Aston Martin has refined through the development of its sports cars, the body structure is both very light and incredibly stiff, assisting in the delivery of an overall kerbweight of 2,245kg. Right from its genesis, it was designed to allow maximum room in the cabin, putting a premium on refinement and class leading spaciousness for both front and rear occupants. Meanwhile, the exceptional stiffness inherent in the design of the new platform has also enabled DBX to achieve exceptional dynamics both on and off-road. Adaptive triple volume air suspension has been combined with the latest 48v electric anti-roll control system (eARC) and electronic adaptive dampers to provide the new SUV with a huge breadth of ability. With its capacity to raise the ride height by 45mm or lower it by 50mm the air suspension gives any driver the confidence to tackle a wide range of terrain. While this of course provides benefits while on the move, the system can be further programmed to aid with ingress, egress and loading requirements, aiding on a practical level. The adaptive triple chamber air springs enable variable spring stiffness, giving both luxurious comfort and dynamic prowess. Extraordinarily the eARC – capable of 1,400Nm of anti-roll force per axle – can limit DBX’s body roll for handling that is much more akin to that of a sports car than an SUV. This sophisticated system of adaptive air suspension, dampers and eARC allows for maximum ride comfort when transporting up to five occupants and their luggage, while maintaining a highly responsive and engaging dynamic capability. Powered by a new version of the characterful 4-litre, twin-turbocharged V8 engine found in DB11 and Vantage, DBX features an impressive output of 550PS and 700NM of torque, carefully tuned to meet the specific needs of this model. With a sound character that is unquestionably Aston Martin, the active exhaust system ensures this is a luxury SUV that can sound refined one moment and exhilarating the next. The engine’s versatility isn’t restricted to its vocals either; the turbocharged V8 has cylinder deactivation to enhance fuel economy, yet it can also propel DBX from 0 to 62mph in 4.5 seconds and on to a top speed of 181mph. Transmitting this power and torque to the ground is a nine-speed torque convertor automatic gearbox, allied to an all-wheel drive system with active differentials featuring an active central differential and an electronic rear limited slip differential (eDiff). This allows the torque to be moved precisely both fore and aft in the vehicle and also across the rear axle. When combined with the bespoke steering system that has been tuned to deliver feel and sports car-like response, DBX imbues the driver with an overriding sense of control, whatever the conditions. Aston Martin’s first ever full-size 5-seat model is not only exceptionally versatile in terms of the terrain that it can tackle, it is also extremely adaptable to a wide variety of lifestyle needs and owners. Designed to accommodate the world’s 99th percentile male and 5th percentile female, DBX has been very deliberately created with instant familiarity and ease of use from the start. With 632 litres of boot space and 40:20:40 split folding rear seats DBX possesses all the flexible load capacity expected of an SUV with class-leading interior space. The load space offers a practical and cleanly designed space. A narrow load sill and broad aperture maximises the practicality for a variety of luggage, such as suitcases, golf bags and ski equipment. Complimenting the incredibly high standard specification of DBX, which includes all available active safety systems, there are many optional accessory packages offered. These packages will tailor the car even further to customers’ needs, sports or pastimes. For example, the Pet package will include, amongst other things, a portable washer to help attend to the needs of a muddy dog after a walk. Alternatively, the Snow package will deliver boot warmers to make a ski trip just that little bit more pleasurable. The luxuriously handcrafted interior of DBX has been designed to provide equal space and comfort whether sitting in the front or rear of the car. Class-leading headroom and legroom combines with a full-length glass panoramic roof and frameless door glass to offer a fantastically light and spacious cabin environment. The use of sports car seat packaging in the front not only provides the driver with exceptional support and long-distance driving comfort, but also provides knee and footwell clearance for those sitting behind. Small touches throughout, including separate central armrests, glovebox design and the ergonomic positioning of the car’s key control systems, have been guided carefully by the input of the brand’s Female Advisory Board, dealership feedback and a variety of private focus groups held worldwide. Not limited to this area, the guidance provided has been key to the success of DBX’s overall design. The seats are trimmed in sumptuous, full grain leather, sourced from long term partner Bridge of Weir. An industry first, both the headlining and electric roof blind are available in a luxurious Alcantara® finish, providing a harmonious design, light obscuration and solar attenuation without compromising headroom. Throughout the cabin, DBX maintains an authenticity of materials, with judicious use of metal, glass and wood throughout the cabin. Another design highlight includes the elegantly crafted bridged centre console allowing for both flexible storage below and a beautiful, architectural centrepiece. This feature keeps valuables close to hand while not occupying the passenger seat and away from dirt on the car’s floor mats. As part of ‘Q by Aston Martin’ – Aston Martin’s personalisation service - optional features of this centre console can be machined from a solid piece of wood, such as Walnut, for added tactility. A contemporary range of exquisite wood, composite and metal veneers ensure that the cabin can be tailored to any taste. This includes a range of innovative materials and an industry first application of a fabric made from 80% wool. A new flax composite – derived from the same plant as fine linen – also provides an alternative to carbon fibre and a distinctive design aesthetic. Framed by these materials is an abundance of technology. A 10.25” TFT screen sits elegantly flush in the centre console, while a huge 12.3” TFT screen provides a wealth of information to the driver. Apple CarPlay comes as standard, as does a 360-degree camera system and ambient lighting that offers 64 different colours in two zones. DBX’s exterior works as hard as the interior at bringing the elegance of Aston Martin’s sports cars into the world of the SUV. From the signature ‘DB’ grille at the front, through the sculptured sides and design feature line, to the tailgate with a flip that draws inspiration from Vantage, this is an Aston Martin from first glance to detailed inspection. Beautiful details like the hidden side glass seals on the frameless doors and glass B-pillar finishers add an elegant sleekness and confidence to the stance. Cutaway sills also assist in narrowing the stepover required to enter the sumptuous cabin, while reducing the risk of ruining a fine dress or suit on arrival to a dinner engagement. Aerodynamics were an important consideration within the design process and this included the novel experience for the team of running computational fluid dynamics (CFD) tests with a DBX towing a trailer with a DB6 on it. At the car’s front, the daytime running lights (DRLs) have an integrated aerodynamic duct, which channels air through the front wheel arches and along the side, helping to reduce both drag and lift while also cooling the brakes. Air flows cleanly over the roof, through the rear wing, over the rear window and on to the rear flip. This unique approach and design detail allows the rear screen to self-clear on the move. Aerodynamic design has also played a key part in passenger comfort because as one of only a few companies using computational aeroacoustics technology, Aston Martin’s engineers have been able to keep cabin noise to a minimum at speed. Aston Martin is incredibly proud that DBX, an SUV intended to expand the sales reach of the brand worldwide, will be built in Britain at the new manufacturing plant in St Athan, Wales. With its all-wheel drive system, DBX is a car that will allow the company to increase its presence in markets where perhaps the weather or terrain is less than conducive to rear-wheel drive sports cars. The clear emphasis on a spacious and luxurious cabin – whether seated in the front or back – will also allow Aston Martin to better reach customers who prefer to be driven rather than drive. Further adding to the desirability of DBX, the first 500 owners of this landmark model will benefit from an exclusive ‘1913 Package’. Fitted with a unique fender badge, sill plaques and an inspection plaque detailing its limited build-run, each of these first examples will be personally endorsed and inspected by Andy Palmer. In addition, each customer will also receive a unique build-book signed by both Aston Martin’s CEO and Chief Creative Officer Marek Reichman and an invitation to a regionally hosted Waldorf Astoria celebration cocktail party, hosted by a member of the Aston Martin Lagonda executive team. Dr Andy Palmer said: “DBX is a car that will give many people their first experience of Aston Martin ownership. As such it needed to be true to the core values established in our sports cars, while also providing the lifestyle versatility expected of a luxury SUV. To have produced such a beautiful, hand built, yet technologically advanced car is a proud moment for Aston Martin.” Recommended Retail Price from £158,000* in the UK, €193,500 in Germany and $189,900 in USA. DBX is on sale now, with first deliveries scheduled to begin Q2 2020. *Includes 3 year’s servicing - Ends -

I know they released this one at Los Angeles Auto Show, but thought it might be good to start putting some of these here for you guys. Seems like someone would buy one of these! -- PRESS RELEASE -- All-new Audi RS Q8 makes global debut at Los Angeles International Auto Show All-new RS Q8 is the first RS-SUV from Audi in America Dominating performance of an RS, everyday functionality of an SUV, and the dynamic design of an Audi coupe Audi RS Q8 is fastest production SUV to lap Nürburgring racetrack with an official time of 7 minutes and 42.2 seconds LOS ANGELES, November 20, 2019 – The all-new Audi RS Q8 will make its global debut today at the 2019 Los Angeles International Auto Show. The Audi RS Q8 combines the genes of a high-performance RS model with the practicality of an SUV and the dynamic design of an Audi coupe. Powertrain and performance The all-new Audi RS Q8 features a biturbo V8 engine to deliver exhilarating performance and driving dynamics, setting a new standard as the prestigious spearhead of the RS model line. The RS Q8 recently became the fastest production SUV to lap the renowned Nürburgring racetrack with an official time of 7 minutes and 42.2 seconds. The 4.0-liter V8 in the RS Q8 delivers an impressive 441 kW (600 ps) and 800 Nm (590.0 lb-ft) of torque. The turbocharged engine with direct injection accelerates the large SUV from 0-100 km/h (62.1 mph) in 3.8 seconds and achieves a top track speed of 250 km/h (155.3 mph) or 305 km/h (189.5 mph) when equipped with the RS ceramic brakes. The power of the 4.0 TFSI flows to the quattro permanent all-wheel drive system via the standard eight-speed Tiptronic® transmission. Wheel-selective torque control can help enhance handling by ensuring additional traction across each axle through individual-wheel braking application. During dynamic cornering, the quattro sport rear differential distributes drive torque between the rear wheels as required. This active torque vectoring helps improve traction, stability and dynamics. The adaptive air suspension with controlled damping means the RS Q8 is equally at home on or off the paved road. Its RS-specific damper tuning offers drivers a choice between long-distance comfort and high performance. The electromechanical active roll stabilization (EAWS) minimizes body roll while cornering at speed. The all-wheel steering allows for greater agility at low speeds and improved stability at high speeds. With variable ground clearance, short overhangs and hill descent control, the new Audi RS Q8 can carry on confidently when paved roads end. Drivers can customize their driving experience through the standard Audi drive select system with seven different profiles: comfort, auto, dynamic, allroad, offroad and the individually configurable RS-specific modes RS1 and RS2, which can be activated directly via the “‘RS-MODE’” button on the steering wheel. The Audi drive select setting influences the engine and transmission management, power steering, the air suspension, all-wheel steering and engine sound. Exterior and Interior Design With the octagonal Singleframe and the RS-specific radiator grille, the RS Q8 has an even more dominant appearance. This combined with the front air inlets in gloss black and the blade in matte aluminum perfectly highlights the athletic character of the large SUV. The dynamic roofline ends in gently inclined D-pillars, which are supported by the wide, pronounced wheel arches, paying homage to the vehicle’s quattro® DNA, creating an unmistakable Audi silhouette. An RS roof-edge spoiler provides a striking finish at the top and provides downforce on the rear axle for improved balance at high speeds. The interior of the new RS Q8 features a clean and refined design. The slim instrument panel and strong horizontal lines convey a feeling of spaciousness. The central element in the cockpit is the MMI® touch response system. With its black-panel look, it almost dissolves into a large, black surface when switched off. Special RS displays in the Audi virtual cockpit and MMI display provide information such as output, g-forces, lap times, temperature, torque and tire pressure. The shift light display prompts the driver to upshift when the rev limit is reached. The optional head-up display also offers several RS-specific graphics. The RS Q8 further demonstrates its everyday usability in the rear. A sliding three-seat rear bench is standard. With the seat backrests folded down, the luggage compartment under the power rear hatch holds up to 60.7 cubic feet. The first RS-SUV from Audi in America, the Audi RS Q8 is expected to arrive in the U.S. in 2020 and will be available for customer orders, subject to a later announcement. U.S. power and performance specifications will become available closer to market introduction. – End –

So Fabspeed is a sponsor here and I email Sean there about the new Urus exhaust they are making. If you want more details and a bunch of other goodness, check out their page on it here: https://www.fabspeed.com/lamborghini/urus/ Or shoot Sean an email or phone. [email protected] or call him 267-742-3046 I wanted to show some pictures, videos, and figures for everyone to check out. urus teaser.mp4 Horsepower and Torque Increase: - 43 (WHP) increase - 60 ft. lbs. torque increase - 6 lbs. of weight reduction over the stock system

Link: https://www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture/a21580124/the-first-drive-2019-lamborghini-urus/ The First Drive: 2019 Lamborghini Urus As the masses clamor for crossovers, Lamborghini jumps in horns first. BY JASON H. HARPER JUN 18, 2018 261 CHARLIE MAGEE & TOM SALT YOUR IMPRESSION OF THE URUS WILL COME DOWN TO HOW much you romanticize Lamborghini. A dispassionate, engineering-minded driver would step away and proclaim the Urus a highly competent and speedy SUV— undeniably impressive as an entirely new undertaking for a company that sells a limited number of cars. Such a person might also note that the Urus has many mechanical and architectural similarities to Volkswagen Group stablemates—a big reason it’s so competent out of the gate—yet still feels distinct. On the other hand, for a person who innately and perhaps naively believes a brand is more than the sum of its vehicles, and who tends to consider a company’s history paramount, driving the Urus might cause unease. That person would be me. CHARLIE MAGEE & TOM SALT I’m no purist. Lamborghini’s history is interesting but doesn’t quite rival some of the greatest automotive stories, like the Maserati brothers, the Ford family, or the singular Enzo Ferrari and his obsession with racing. Nor am I bothered by the fact that the company has produced a utility vehicle. The masses want them, even though in this case, it’s actually only the one percent of the masses who can fork over $200,000. And don’t forget, Lamborghini created what is arguably the first-ever exotic SUV, in the fitful form of the desert-trouncing 1986 LM002. Walk around the original LM002, though, and it still comes off as unhinged, with outrageous scale and dimensions. Not so with the Urus. Character lines pressed into its skin suggest muscular haunches and sucked-in sides. But those angles are mostly optical illusion. The sides of the Urus are nearly flat, and there’s not much extra bulge around the fenders. The hood is high and drops off as sharply as a cliff in a Wile E. Coyote cartoon. CHARLIE MAGEE & TOM SALT Had the Lambo crew been given reins to base the Urus on a bespoke platform, it surely would look different. Instead, with the understandable necessities of cost efficiencies and German pragmatism, the Urus is based on architecture that underpins several close cousins, including the Audi Q7 and upcoming Q8, the Bentley Bentayga, and the Porsche Cayenne. That means there are a number of fixed points that could not be messed with, such as where the front wheel sits in relation to the windshield and the placement of the engine. Think of it like cheekbones and brow lines. Even with a different nose, chin, and eye color, there’s a family resemblance. The Urus differentiates itself through its width and having fenders so large, they accommodate optional 23-inch wheels. The vents on the front fenders and rear aren’t functional. One real aero trick is on the underbody, where a flap sends air to cool the gargantuan, 17.3-inch carbon-ceramic brake rotors, replete with 10-piston calipers. Ah, there’s a bit of throwback Lamborghini insanity: 10-piston front calipers! Lambo also claims that the Urus’s are the largest rotors ever put on a production vehicle. CHARLIE MAGEE & TOM SALT The interior, with a slick dual-digital-screen center console and excellent build quality, is a delight. New tamburo (drum) controls, which allow the driver to tab through sport, track, and off-road modes, are intuitive and handsome. There is a real sense of drama here. The sheen of the materials and the usual Lamborghini details, like the missile flip-switch on the ignition and the hexagonal air vents, combine for a bit of theater otherwise lacking on the outside. One Urus we tested came with a mix of baseball-mitt leather, Alcantara, and carbon fiber. This is a company at the top of its interior game. CHARLIE MAGEE & TOM SALT The block of the V-8—Lambo’s first with turbos—is out of the VW Group vaults, as is the ZF transmission case. Lambo added much larger twin turbos inside the cylinder banks, along with hotter cams and cylinder heads. The 4.0-liter puts out 641 hp and a knockout 627 lb-ft of torque at only 2250 rpm. All that power takes the brute to 62 mph in 3.6 seconds, Lamborghini says. Redline arrives at 6800 rpm—1700 rpm sooner than the V-12 in the Aventador S. Top speed is 190 mph. Just imagine the wind noise as it punches such a massive hole through the air. We drove the Urus, riding on Pirelli P Zero Corsa tires, at the Vallelunga circuit outside Rome. We also did a loop on potholed lanes nearby, but the tires were regular P Zeros. (Pirelli Scorpions are available for off-road duty.) In the real world, speeds were frustratingly limited by Sunday drivers and routes through narrow villages. But the drive did prove a point: With the adjustable air suspension set to Strada (street) mode, the Urus absorbed lumps brilliantly, softening the brittle asphalt even with its 22-inch tires. Inside any other Lambo, we would have gone stir-crazy. But in laid-back mode, the Urus is resolutely grown-up. CHARLIE MAGEE & TOM SALT ADVERTISEMENT - CONTINUE READING BELOW Interestingly, it didn’t get a lot of love from locals, despite the bright-yellow paint. Perhaps they didn’t hear us. The Urus makes sufficient sound when pushed, mostly of the bass-laden, growling kind, but there’s no Venn diagram where the SUV’s exhaust note and the Aventador’s overlap. It isn’t the sound of a Lamborghini. Engineers point specifically, and heatedly, to California’s noise restrictions. In a few places, when not stuck behind a warbling Fiat, we kicked the accelerator, and the V-8 instantly spooled up to lob us fast and hard down the road. Make no mistake, the Urus is genuinely quick. It’s just a different kind of quickness, coming from a wash of low-end torque, rather than that gradual build of a naturally aspirated engine. CHARLIE MAGEE & TOM SALT By default, 60 percent of the torque is sent to the back wheels via a Torsen center differential, but the rear bias can be as much as 87 percent when circumstances call for it. The diff and traction-control settings modulate behavior in sand, gravel, and snow modes. The Urus also has mechanical rear-wheel torque vectoring and rear-wheel steering at its disposal, requisite tools of the trade when you want an oversized vehicle to handle like a smaller, nimbler one. A track session in a fast SUV is a bit like kissing the “just friends” date you brought to prom. Fun, but not as much as if you’d asked who you were really crazy for. A track date with a Lamborghini is something to be excited about. Yet faced with the reality, you can’t help but wish that it were a session with a Performante, and not a high-riding crossover, no matter the horsepower. CHARLIE MAGEE & TOM SALT Vallelunga has a long, discomforting straight with a dip that compresses the suspension. The Urus stormed through, flat out, with nary a tremor. Its He-Man carbon-ceramics soaked up the deep, hard braking before a compromise right-hander, which the SUV handled just as ably. It then downshifted right before touching the next curb and blasting down the following straight. There are two spots on the track that virtually beg you to overstep into them and suffer understeer. Even those it handled nicely. Steering is light and precise, though feedback is faint. This amount of capability requires complex electronic systems to work—four-wheel steer, traction control, and active anti-roll bars. But none of that churn comes through to the driver’s seat. You just feel like you’re a highly capable driver who has no issues hustling some 4900 pounds of aluminum, steel, and carbon fiber through a complex of tricky turns. I learned the most about the Urus while driving for photography. Most on-track photos come via countless passes on the same corner. Rather than go all the way around the (empty) track each time, I’d do a U-turn. The Urus’s turning radius is vast, so I’d manhandle it around and then sprint along a banked turn, going the wrong way, then hammer on the brakes before flipping around again. CHARLIE MAGEE & TOM SALT Pushing the Lamborghini harder with each repeated pass—about 25 in all—several things became evident: The first was the tenacious grip and overall stability, which allowed the Urus to bang through turns as if it were a much lower, lighter sedan. More specifically, what leaped out was its ability to handle lateral loads, especially on the banked turn. Credit goes to the Pirelli Corsas and their sidewalls, a true feat of engineering. But the greatest and most effective bit of kit on the Urus may be something we never actually see: those active anti-roll bars. This technology comes from Porsche, and it requires a 48-volt electrical system to power two separate electric motors. Under these demanding situations, the anti-roll bars stiffen to keep the Urus remarkably flat. They can also decouple for off-road driving, to increase wheel articulation and keep the tires in contact with the earth in off-road situations. Lamborghini gave us a brief taste of the Urus’s off-road chops by carving a looping, rallycross-style track around Vallelunga’s perimeter. It was made of soft dirt and designed to carry a modicum of speed, with sections that required hard braking. The layout was telling—even the off-piste driving was intended to be hard and fast. Rock crawlers need not apply. You won’t see the Urus on the Rubicon Trail. With the SUV set to Terra (off-road) mode and a nervous Italian co-driver in the passenger seat, I kicked dirt up and down the hills. The Urus was surprisingly competent: just brake early and turn in early, then apply throttle to get the rear end to slide. Traction and stability control stayed out of the way, and the brakes worked really well. CHARLIE MAGEE & TOM SALT LAMBORGHINI ENTERING THE CROSSOVER FRAY only fuels the argument about whether these high-riding, heavy vehicles can be deemed proper performance cars. Simple answer: yes. Its muscle more than qualifies. If you’re the type who demands Lotus purity, then the Urus surely falls out of that paradigm. But then, so does the BMW M5. And the Urus is at least as enjoyable to drive as the last-gen M5. I can imagine taking it on a long over-land trip, perhaps with mountains at one end, an ocean on the other, and hundreds of miles of dirt and gravel roads in between. The deeper question is whether that’s enough. Lamborghini calls the Urus the “world’s first super sport-utility vehicle.” Yet that benchmark is already quite high. The BMW X6 M was one of the first track-oriented SUVs that left us grasping for answers. How had BMW mitigated the higher center of gravity and all those troublesome pounds? Since then, the wonderment has dissipated. We’ve driven many other fast SUVs, including the 550-hp Porsche Cayenne Turbo and the 505-hp Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio, which somehow managed a 7-minute, 51.7-second dash on the Nürburgring. CHARLIE MAGEE & TOM SALT The Urus, while impressive, doesn’t blow past those vehicles with its performance. Nor does it fry your senses as would an Aventador. And that is what’s bothersome. So far, 68 percent of orders have come from customers new to the brand. If the first Lamborghini you drove was a Urus, you wouldn’t experience any of the noise, the sensationalism, the tear-your-face-off nature of a Countach or a Huracán. For a half century, Lamborghini has stood for what is different. The company championed madness—snarling, mid-mounted V-12 spaceships with outlandish designs. They were always audacious. And we loved them for it. Which brings us back to that driver who wonders whether the Urus, good as it is, stands for its brand’s core values. That person would likely say no.

Link: https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/2019-lamborghini-urus-first-drive-review 2019 Lamborghini Urus The crossbred bull. APRIL 2018 BY JOHN PEARLEY HUFFMAN PHOTOS BY THE MANUFACTURER VIEW 98 PHOTOS Astonishment has always been what a Lamborghini does best. Lambos drop jaws, dilate pupils, inspire goosebumps, and knock frontal lobes back into the parietal lobes. They are impractical, intemperate, impossible to see out of, and get stupid hot inside, but, damn, look at and listen to them. Now here is the new 2019 Urus, the first Lamborghini that does none of those things. It’s the counter-Countach. A crossover. Purely as a business proposition, the Urus was unavoidable. The market is obsessed with SUVs, and ignoring that and the profits that go with it is a formula for permanent market marginalization. Lamborghini needs a crossover to anchor its cash flow, stabilize sales, and recruit new customers who may want an Aventador or a Huracán but who need a vehicle that functions as a daily driver. If Lamborghini sells the 3500-plus Uruses it intends to annually, that effectively doubles the company’s sales. Will success ruin Lamborghini? It’s V-8 Time Again The Urus is the first V-8–powered Lambo since the Jalpa left production in 1988. But while the Jalpa’s 255-hp 3.5-liter V-8 was an independent Lamborghini design, the Urus is a product of the Volkswagen Group and leverages the assets of the massive corporation. So the Urus’s engine is a 641-hp version of the twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V-8 used in high-end Audis, some Bentleys, and the Porsche Panamera. Lamborghini vaguely claims that demon tweaks including specific cylinder heads have been applied, but the V-8 is assembled at a Volkswagen plant in Hungary and shipped to Lamborghini as a complete unit. It’s not as charismatic as the Huracán’s V-10 or as intimidating as the Aventador’s V-12, but the hungry Hungarian V-8 under the Urus’s hood defines the vehicle’s character. Lamborghini has fitted it with an exhaust system that burbles with menace even at idle and snarls ferociously under load as it approaches its 6750-rpm redline. The twin-scroll turbos between the cylinder banks endow it with low-end thump unlike any previous Lamborghini’s engine (they’ve all been naturally aspirated until now). There’s 627 lb-ft of torque between 2250 and 4500 rpm—and plenty below and above those points—so the eight-cylinder endows the Urus with a responsive muscularity that’s as mesmerizing as a Lamborghini engine should be. Even though it grunts unlike any previous Lambo engine. The V-8 feeds a version of ZF’s familiar eight-speed automatic transmission that can be manually shifted using triggerlike paddles behind the steering wheel. In turn, it sends torque to a Torsen center differential that can dispatch up to 70 percent of the thrust to the front axle or a maximum of 87 percent rearward. But the real trick is the torque-vectoring differential at the rear that coordinates with a rear-wheel-steering system to add nimbleness at all speeds. Shared Genes What the VW Group gene pool gives, it also takes away. The Urus uses the same large-SUV platform used for Audi’s Q7 and upcoming Q8, the Bentley Bentayga, and the Porsche Cayenne. In the universe of SUV engineering there’s nothing wrong with VW’s MLB Evo platform, but it is engineered primarily to Audi’s preferences, with the engine hanging out forward of the front axle line. Beyond the obvious weight-bias concerns, it necessitates a blunter nose than maybe even the Euro-market regulations would have required and structural hard points that are more blocky than sleek. The Urus’s body shell is built at the same plant in Bratislava, Slovakia, where the Q7 and the Cayenne are assembled, and then it’s shipped to Lamborghini’s new Urus assembly line in Sant’Agata, Italy, with its mostly aluminum skin already painted. From there, Lamborghini assured us, everything is assembled by hand by genuine humans. The robots at the facility move parts to various workstations. The Urus’s 118.2-inch wheelbase is a slight 0.3 inch longer than the Q7’s, and its 201.3-inch overall length stretches 1.7 inches longer than that of the Audi. But conceptually the Urus is closer to the swoopy-roof BMW X6 and the upcoming Q8 than the three-row Q7. Both front seats are more aggressively bolstered than expected in a crossover, while a standard rear bench allows three-across seating. Most Urus buyers are likely to opt for the two-bucket rear-seat option, however, which is more in keeping with the Lamborghini vibe. Theatrical Insides Hexagons dominate the Urus’s dashboard with aviation-style controls. Does the start button really need to be under a red flip cover? And the shifter is a big handle that simulates a jet’s throttle and is framed by smaller Tamburo levers, the left one for selecting from up to six Anima driving modes—Strada (street), Sport, Corsa (race), Neve (snow), and the optional Sabbia (sand) and Terra (off-road)—and the right side activating the customizable Ego mode. Think of it as Jungian on the left and Freudian on the right. A lot of the interior is pure exotic-car theater, but it’s from the driver’s seat that the Urus feels most like other Lamborghinis. Yeah, you’re sitting upright and relatively high, but it’s easy to suspend one’s disbelief and pretend that the engine isn’t in the wrong place and that there aren’t three too many apertures. Surrounded in contrast-stitched microsuede and carbon fiber, it’s as much X-Wing fighter as family hauler. It’s Truly Athletic And compared with basically any other SUV, this is a blisteringly fast beast. Lamborghini claims that zero to 62 mph takes only 3.6 seconds and that the Urus will reach a top speed just shy of 190 mph, which makes it the fastest production SUV on the market. The Tesla Model X ran to 60 mph in 3.3 seconds in our testing, but the Model X is limited to a 130-mph top speed—the Urus beats that by 60 mph. And shouldn’t top speed be the criterion by which all crossovers are ultimately judged? Equipped with the optional 285/35R-23 front and 325/30R-23 Pirelli P Zero rear tires and running in the aggressive Corsa mode, the Urus has grip that seems to go on forever, right up until the moment it doesn’t. During a few proctored laps around the Vallelunga circuit outside Rome, the Urus’s steering was impressively quick, and the nose would turn in sweetly. But burn into a corner a little hot and the nose will push. Lamborghinis aren’t supposed to understeer in our book. Racetracks are great fun, but the Urus is more impressive on the road, where it lopes along feeling understressed and composed, if stiffly sprung. At a cruise the exhaust nicely quiets down, the transmission heads for a high gear, and engine speeds drop to barely above idle. Lamborghini has built long-legged tourers before, including the 350GT and the Espada, and in an oblique way, the Urus represents a return of those cars’ long-lost talents. Beyond that, the Urus also brings back some of the ability of the legendary LM002 SUV that Lamborghini built in the late 1980s and early ’90s. The Urus is nowhere near as narrowly focused as that raw off-roader, but the new model was easy to hustle around a small dirt course set up outside Vallelunga. Moab and the Rubicon may still be beyond it, however. Few of us will ever drop the more than $200,000 required to procure a new Urus. But Lamborghini occupies an outsize part of the collective enthusiast soul. If the Urus succeeds and allows the company to create more spectacular machines as it stares down the electrified future, it will have served all our dreams well—and will have done for its maker what the Cayenne (and now the Panamera) have done for Porsche. A Lamborghini is a Lamborghini because Lamborghini says it is, yet it’s tough to imagine any teenager having a poster of an Urus up in their room. But it’s easy to imagine their very rich parents having a real one in the garage.