Lamborghini’s lighter, gruntier flagship Urus has landed in New Zealand. The new “Performante” (picking up a designation previously used for its Huracan supercar) is more powerful, lighter, lower and wider than the outgoing model – and even picks up a new Rally driving mode.
The 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 now makes 490kW/850Nm, up 12kW over the previous model. Carbon fibre inside and out (including the bonnet, bumpers, rear diffuser and side skirts) helps lower overall weight by 47kg and a new aerodynamic package increases rear downforce by 38 per cent.
Lamborghini says the new rear wing with carbon fibre fins is inspired by that on the Aventador SVJ.
It’s 25mm longer (thanks mainly to the new bumpers), with 16mm-wider track. Steel springs with semi-active magnetic dampers replace the standard air suspension and lower ride height by 20mm. Essentially every dynamic aspect of the car (four-wheel steering, chassis, transmission) has been tweaked and recalibrated for the Performante.
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The Urus Performante can hit 100 in 3.3 seconds (previous Urus 3.6sec) and the AWD has a specific calibration for this model.
The 285/40 R22 front and 325/35 R22 rear tyres are a Pirelli P Zero Trofeo R semi-slick design developed with Lamborghini.
The drive modes are re-engineered, but the heirachy continues with Strada (the most comfortable), Sport, and Corsa (more aggressive).
However, there’s also a new Rally setting designed for dirt, with “oversteer character” and anti-roll/damping systems optimised for rough surfaces.
The Urus Performante now holds the production-vehicle SUV record for the Pikes Peak International Hillclimb course, crossing the finish line at 4302 metres in 10:32.064 and beating the previous 2018 record set by a Bentley Bentayga (which shares quite a bit under the skin with the Urus) of 10:49.902.
The $445,000 Performante is the flagship of the revised Urus range that now also includes the $395,000 Urus S (above) – which has the same uprated 490kW V8 (and carbon fibre bonnet), but remains a less specialised, more luxury focused SUV. It's definitely the one to choose if you want to tow: the S is rated for a mighty 3.5 tonnes, whereas the Performante isn't rated... at all.
The S is essentially a replacement for the previous Urus, which has been discontinued with the arrival of the more powerful models.
