Lamborghini's Pointless $400,000 SUV Proves It's Luring New Customers To The Brand

Bragging rights and SUVs should never mix.

Lamborghini's Pointless $400,000 SUV Proves It's Luring New Customers To The Brand

It weighs 2,200kg, has four doors and will retail locally for AU$390,000 before on-road costs. Is it worth it?

Fittingly, it’s the most bullish thing you’ll ever encounter on the road as it bears all the hallmarks of a car that’s been heavily molested by Michael Bay’s Transformers franchise.

But that’s not the real issue here. Lamborghini have created the world’s first “Super Sport SUV” which it believes Australia (the country built on 1960s Toyota Landcruisers) needs.

On paper it’s quite simply the most pointless car to ever roll out of an Italian supercar plant. The definition of SUV alone rules it out as a potential daily transporter for those who just want to move a family from point A to B without the fuss and only the bare essentials (comfort, space, efficiency and road compliancy over mildly rough terrain).

The Urus throws two middle fingers at the rule book by taking those basic requisites and dialling it up to an entirely new level of ‘I-have-too-much-cash-in-the-ceiling’.

Under the bonnet resides a big 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 which develops 478kW of power and 850Nm of torque. Those specs are further paired with an all-wheel-drive system which boasts active torque vectoring and rear-wheel steering designed for rapid cornering – you know, for days when you forget to pick up your beloved child from school.

The eight-speed automatic transmission is also a thing of beauty and absolute overkill as it features up to six driving modes, five of which the typical SUV driver will never touch. It’s all good though because the Urus can dismantle the 0-100km/h sprint in just 3.6 seconds before topping out at 305km/h. The cops will love it when you tell them you’re embracing the new ways of the lead-foot soccer mum/dad.

70% of the Urus buyers to date are entirely new to the brand, and more specifically, female

On the inside there’s cool creature comforts like a driver’s display, eight speakers, a dual screen infotainment system equipped with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Bluetooth, USB connectivity and wait for it…a DVD player (do they sell those anymore?). There’s also 616 litres of luggage space which expands into 1596 litres for those will actually use it.

On the outside the striking design is evident – a low slung roofline to emphasise its super car roots, wheel options which range from 21 to 23 inches with massive carbon ceramic brakes fitted as standard.

Preposterous? Not in reality. We personally quite like the Urus for what it stands for and that’s being a proper trendsetter in a thriving market segment. Whilst it’s not designed for everyone in the realm of casual SUV shopping, the car has proven its detractors wrong with the surprise announcement that 70% of the Urus buyers to date are new to the brand. And more specifically, female.

Whether or not people think the car is pointless is irrelevant. Lamborghini is riding the wave it created and they have to be given credit for that at least.

If all else fails, at least they know the slinky design will be a local hit with the bikies. Enjoy the woeful press photos above.