UK Drive: The Lamborghini Urus Performante is a powerhouse SUV

What is it?

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You might think that in the current climate of lower emissions and electrification, a two-tonne, V8-powered performance SUV might not be the wisest model for a manufacturer to produce. But the Urus, in its regular form, has been an absolute game-changer for Lamborghini and has remained instrumental in the firm’s record-breaking financial results over recent years.

The Performante version, which we’re looking at today, takes the Urus package and pushes things further into the extreme. We’ve got more power and a more aggressive exterior design. Lamborghini only gives Performante badging to its most dynamic road cars, after all, so this Urus really needs to be special to live up to its stablemates.

What’s new?

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Designed to be the most extreme version of the Urus available, it’s little wonder why Lamborghini has kitted the Performante out with so many extras. We’ve got stiffer steel springs for a more assured cornering experience and this change also brings a 20mm drop in ride height. Lamborghini says that the Performante can be used for track work, too, which is probably why you can add semi-slick Pirelli tyres.

There are also vast swathes of carbon fibre used throughout. Easy-to-spot areas where this lightweight material is used include the standout wheelarch surrounds, which help to give the Urus an even chunkier, square appearance.

What’s under the bonnet?

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If it’s power that you want from your high-end SUV, then the Urus Performante will be right up your street. It takes the regular 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 that you’ll find in the regular Urus (and many performance Audi models, for that matter) and dials things up to the tune of 657bhp, rising from the 641bhp you’d get as standard.

It means that this rather heavy SUV can crack 0-60mph in just 3.1 seconds and carry on to a top speed of 190mph. As you might expect, fuel economy isn’t the best at just 20mpg, but this will quickly head south during more spirited driving. Emissions of 320g/km are pretty chunky, too.

What’s it like to drive?

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It’s quite remarkable how this car manages to move down the road. It is, of course, something of a leviathan when stationary, but it’s impressive how it shrinks around you once you’re up to speed. That’s partly down to the cocoon-like cabin, of course, but the cornering ability that the Performante delivers isn’t in keeping with what you think is possible with a two-tonne SUV.

The handling has some nice weight to it, too, while the engine delivers a real hammer blow every time you step on the throttle. Of course, it’s quite a large car overall so it does take some careful consideration to pilot down narrow country roads. It feels far more at home through wider, sweeping turns instead.

How does it look?

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The Urus Performante is definitely not for the shy and retiring. Our test car was finished in an extremely eye-catching yellow shade with contrast carbon sections and it definitely turned heads wherever it went. If you’re looking for a car to make an undercover journey in, this isn’t it.

But you’ve got to argue that Lamborghinis are meant to be flamboyant and the Urus Performante definitely nails that brief. It could be downplayed by being painted in a darker shade, but regardless of which colour option you go for it’s unlikely to be missed as it travels down the road.

What’s it like inside?

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Though Lamborghini has finished the interior of the Urus in plenty of Alcantara trim and carbon fibre, you still get the perception that there’s an Audi base lurking away underneath. The Performante even makes the same Audi ‘heartbeat’ noise when you switch it off – something we thought would be ripe for a more Italian sound.

But the general quality is superb, which is just what you’d expect from a car costing £209,000 without options. The fighter plane-style gearshift still brings loads of drama to the cabin, while the general spaciousness means that this can still be used as a ‘regular’ SUV should you need it to be.

What’s the spec like?

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The Performante is the range-topping version of the Urus, sitting above the ‘regular’ S model. There’s a lot of equipment on board, but the bulk of the changes to the Performante circle around mechanical and performance rather than technology. It’s why you get the same dual-screen infotainment setup that you get in the ‘S’, alongside the smart digital dial setup.

Being a Lamborghini means that there are loads of options available for the Urus. Some, such as full engine cover finished in carbon fibre feel like a justifiable extra, whereas others, like the full assistance package with head-up display, do appear more like standard features you’d find on far cheaper vehicles.

Verdict

The Lamborghini Urus Performante isn’t a car that is particularly in tune with its environment. Loud, brash and quite inefficient, it flies in the face of the approach that is currently being taken across the motoring landscape.

But as a last-gasp effort to create something both exciting and well-executed, it’s a very impressive thing. Many people lamented the arrival of an SUV in Lamborghini’s line-up, but the Performante shows that the Italian firm can deliver a high-riding car that more than lives up to its history of accomplished sports cars.F