Love them or hate them, SUVs are getting more and more popular and more and more of them are appearing them on our roads. These big blobs on wheels appeal to many, and they have also spawned a new segment within the segment, known as the super SUV. These machines are without a doubt the ultimate in SUV, boasting near supercar levels of performance and power to rival many of the best high performance cars out there.
Aston Martin are one company that have raised the SUV game with their DBX, and specifically the DBX 707. The 707 hp SUV with its twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 engine under the hood and 193 mph top speed is certainly impressive. But now, Lamborghini have raised the bar further with the release of the Urus Performante. Lamborghini has a chance to usurp the Aston Martin SUV, particularly as sales of the DBX are not going as well as the company would have hoped. The Performante helps to take the already incredible Urus to the next level, and this is exactly how it does it.
Getting To Know The Urus Performante
First off, let's take a look at the main statistics and points of interest behind the Urus Performante, which also made a run up the Pikes Peak hill climb prior to its public unveiling. The SUV has the same twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 engine under the hood that the standard Ururs has. However, Lamborghini has fine-tuned this engine and worked its magic with it to bring the horsepower level up to a somewhat devilish 666 hp. It's certainly an interesting final power figure. But the power isn’t the only thing worked on, as the Urus Performante has an equally impressive top speed and 0-62 mph time.
That 0-62 mph time is an impressive 3.3 seconds, remember that this is an SUV and not a supercar. Top speed wise that V8 engine now propels the SUV to a speed of 193 mph or 310 km/h. This matches that of the DBX 707, and what is more it achieves this with less power than its Aston Martin rival. The 0-62 time is roughly the same compared to the 3.1 seconds of the DBX 707. While the performance of the Performante is the main focus, one of the other aims Lamborghini had for this version of the SUV was to bring the weight down.
Putting The Urus On A Diet
Lamborghini decided to put their super SUV on a bit of a diet. Lamborghini has introduced a few new lightweight components, such as the carbon fiber hood and more usage of the material throughout the build. The roof itself is also made of carbon fiber, although this is an option, while the front bumper and splitter also use carbon fiber to further reduce the weight of the SUV. These also have some new and more assertive lines, adding extra aggression to the already aggressive appearance of the Lamborghini SUV.
The weight saving doesn’t stop there either. Optional 23-inch or 22-inch forged lightweight wheels are there to further add to the diet of the car, with carbon fiber fins on the rear wing adding a little bit more. Amazingly, all these changes add up to a 47 kg weight reduction for the Urus Performante, Lamborghini say that, along with the power increase, this gives the Urus Performante a best-in-class weight-to-power ration of 3.2. SUVs like the Urus weigh a lot in general, so any way in which their weight can be further reduced is always good, which will also aide the handling of these monster cars. These figures will certainly get Aston Martin Sweating.
Other Notable Performante Features
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There is plenty more to get excited about with the Performante. Lamborghini were able to lower the stance of the SUV, and its added aggression with the new front end and the rear wing and bumper. This though does add an additional 25 mm to the length of the car. A new sports exhaust features, made of lightweight titanium and produced by Akrapovič. Then there is the bi-color scheme given to the Performante, which helps to bring out all those new details to the bodywork quite nicely.
Taking On Their Rivals
With the DBX 707 out, Lamborghini certainly had to raise their game with the Urus, and they’ve done just that. They’ve also got to look over their other shoulder, with the Ferrari Purosangue on the way with its big V12 engine under the hood. We could argue that the Urus was the king of the performance SUV for years, but that is certainly under threat as its rivals start to reel them in. But the Urus seems to have that bit more appeal than those rivals, something Lamborghini need to capitalize on. The Urus Performante is certainly a great way to show that the Urus is not done just yet.
Sources: Lamborghini, Aston Martin