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Lamborghini Urus Performante First Drive Review: The Lambo SUV gets more Lambo

COPENHAGEN, Denmark – If youÂ’ve followed the automotive industry for long enough, you likely remember when SUVs made by companies known for low-slung sports cars were the subject of controversial headlines. Fast-forward to 2023, and the controversial has become commonplace. Massive people-movers with supercar-like power are the status quo in the luxury segment, they usually outsell their more poster-friendly stablemates by a wide margin, and many of the companies who arenÂ’t already on this bandwagon are looking for a place to jump on. Unveiled in 2017, the Lamborghini Urus has amassed a significant following (itÂ’s the Italian brandÂ’s best-seller) and a growing list of rivals that includes the Aston Martin DBX. While itÂ’s no longer the newest kid on the block, it recently received a round of updates and gained a range-topping Performante variant. “We got a lot of new customers with the Urus,” said Luca Pacini, LamborghiniÂ’s head of R&D strategy and projects coordination. “WeÂ’re happy that people recognize the Lamborghini brand in it, and we decided to characterize it even more by offering a wider range that stretches from comfort to performance — performance is LamborghiniÂ’s DNA, after all. This caters to the demands of our customers.” Releasing a sportier Urus makes perfect sense since sister company Bentley and rival Aston Martin both offer higher-spec variants of their SUVs. Still, calling it “Performante” is a bold move because Lamborghini has historically reserved this nameplate for hardcore evolutions of its V10-powered models. ItÂ’s not merely a marketing pirouette: the Pikes Peak record-setting Urus Performante stands out from the Urus S with a specific body kit that includes a redesigned front splitter and a reasonably subtle roof-mounted spoiler. Lamborghini claims these updates contribute to a not-insignificant 8% increase in downforce. Carbon fiber parts (like the vented hood) and a titanium exhaust system designed by Akrapovic help make the Performante about 104 pounds lighter than the Urus S, though it nonetheless tips the scale at approximately 4,740 pounds. Light? Well Â… yes, kind of. Although the uber-Urus weighs about twice as much as a new Mazda MX-5 Miata, none of the models it competes against qualify for the “lightweight” label. AstonÂ’s DBX 707 checks in at 4,940 pounds and every Bentayga variant weighs more than 5,000. Chassis changes are part of the Performante treatment as well.

Lamborghini teasing 50th Anniversary model in video?

This new year is going to mark a lot of anniversaries in the automotive world, including the 60th year of the Chevrolet Corvette and 50 years since the introduction of the Porsche 911 and the Lamborghini brand. We already know Chevy is celebrating with the all-new C7 Corvette, and we've heard rumblings that Lamborghini might be planning a new model of its own.
Tucked in at the end of a great video highlighting the first 50 years of Lamborghini, there's a quick glance of a shadowy car with Gallardo-like headlights. There isn't much to go off of in this shot, but we do see that the front fenders are more squared-off than any other current model, meaning that it could very well be the 2014 replacement for the Gallardo.
Scroll down to watch Lamborghini's history (and possibly future) wrapped up quite nicely in a 72-second video.

Lamborghini Asterion LPI 910-4 is silent but deadly [w/video]

The weirdest thing happened last night. During the annual Volkswagen Group Night festivities, everyone waited in anticipation for the Lamborghini section of the press conference. It's usually a treat for the senses - cool to look at, backed up by a ferocious sound that bellows throughout the venue. But not this time. There was no music, there were no laser lights, and most remarkably, there was no sound. The Lamborghini Asterion LPI 910-4 drove onto stage under fully silent electric power. Audibly, at least, it was perhaps the most anti-climactic Lambo introduction we've ever witnessed.
And that's the big story with this new Lamborghini concept: it's a plug-in hybrid. Of course, it's still a product of the storied Italian supercar maker, so that electric powertrain is mated to a 5.2-liter V10, and total system output is rated at a staggering 910 horsepower. It'll run up to 31 miles on pure electric power at speeds of up to 78 miles per hour, and its 0-62 time is estimated to be three seconds flat. Top speed? 199 mph. In other words, it may be capable of silence, but it still carries a stick, and it's still very much a Lambo.
So will the company actually build something like this? Right now, it doesn't look likely. Back in August at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, Autoblog spoke with Lamborghini boss Stephan Winkelmann about the then-off-the-record Asterion concept, who told us that if the automaker should choose to expand its model range, the bigger priority right now would be the Urus crossover. This is merely just a way to show how Lamborghini might present a gasoline-electric vehicle. And after scoping it out in person here at the Paris Motor Show, we have to say, it's cool. The styling is a bit softer and understated compared to the audacious Aventador or angular Huracán. But it still has quite a presence and it's still very much a Raging Bull.