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2025 Lamborghini Urus SE gets 788-horsepower PHEV system

Lamborghini is diving deeper into the electrification pool by releasing a plug-in hybrid variant of the Urus called SE. Unveiled at the 2024 Beijing auto show, the battery-electric SUV gets nearly 800 horsepower as well as a series of visual and technology updates inside and out. The Urus SE isn't the first plug-in hybrid member of the Lamborghini range; the 1,001-horsepower Revuelto claimed that spot. However, its importance shouldn't be understated: The Urus is the best-selling Lamborghini by a significant margin. The same approach to design that shaped the Revuelto permeated the Urus, and the Italian brand stresses that electrification is a way to offer enthusiasts more performance. Don't worry, there's still a V8 at the core of the system. It's a re-engineered version of the familiar, 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged eight that has powered the Urus since its inception, and it develops 611 horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque on its own. It works jointly with an electric motor that's integrated into the eight-speed automatic transmission and linked to a 25.9-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack stuffed under the trunk floor. The drivertrain's total output checks in at 788 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 699 pound-feet of torque from 1,750 to 5,750 rpm. Lamborghini quotes a 0-to-62-mph time of 3.4 seconds, a 194-mph top speed, and up to 37 miles of electric-only range. Electrification adds weight, and Lamborghini hasn't revealed how much the Urus SE weighs, but it points out that the model offers a better power-to-weight ratio than the existing Urus S. That's in spite of a new electric torque vectoring system that splits the drivetrain's output between the front and rear axles as needed and a limited-slip rear differential that provides what the brand calls "on-demand oversteering." Several visual changes set the SE apart from other members of the Urus range. Starting at the front, Lamborghini fitted smoother-looking headlights with matrix LED technology, a redesigned grille, and a new hood. Out back, the rear lights are now connected by a mesh-like piece of trim that echoes the Gallardo, according to company design boss Mitja Borkert. Too soon? Not quite; time flies, and the V10-powered Gallardo (which spearheaded Lamborghini's modern range of entry-level supercars) has already celebrated its 20th birthday. While these changes may sound small, they add up.

Leno's Lamborghini Espada is a freshly restored super-wagon

To give you a sense of why we love Jay Leno, outside of just his taste in cars and ability to preserve so many of them, is that he didn't always have a massive warehouse full of exotics. At one point during his 30-year ownership of this 1969 Lamborghini Espada, it was his only car. Now it has somewhere north of 100k miles on it (he doesn't know exactly because the odometer stopped working at one point – go figure!), and it's still driving great. Leno claims he have it a mechanical refresh about 10 years ago, mostly to clean up some dodgy wiring, and it is fresh out of a cosmetic refresh to address some rust bubbles in the quarters. The V12 is healthy – Leno credits that to letting it warm up before setting off – and it sounds phenomenal. Other than some minor upgrades, like a modern air conditioning system and some added sound insulation, it's mechanically stock. Inside, there's plenty of room for four adults, and Leno's large frame fits just fine in the driver's seat. The Espada set Leno back $26,000 in 1986, when he considered buying a Ferrari 330 GTC. The Ferrari was $2,500 more, so he picked the Lamborghini. Now, that 330 GTC is a $1m+ car, and the Espada? Not so much, although they are appreciating. Don't cry too much for Leno, he turned out all right. Just enjoy the Espada ripping along in sunny California, making all the right noises. Celebrities Lamborghini Wagon Classics Videos Jay Lenos Garage lamborghini espada

Lamborghini CEO says Urus brings lots of new customers from Russia and India

The new Lamborghini Urus might turn out to be a golden goose for Lamborghini. The twin-turbo V8 SUV is finding new customers for the Italian supercar manufacturer, and in an interview with CNBC, Lamborghini's CEO Stefano Domenicali says the reception for the $200,000 vehicle has been unexpectedly "fantastic." The outlook for Lamborghini's 2018 sales is projected at 5,000 cars, and the Urus could account for over a thousand of those. By 2020, Lamborghini would be building some 8,000 cars per year, and over a half of those would be Urus sales. Domenicali says that would be a point where Lamborghini would restrict its growth, as does rival Ferrari, to keep its supercar brand exclusive. The head of Lamborghini's Asia Pacific sales, Andrea Baldi also says the manufacturer will "always make sure" that demand for its cars is higher than the supply. If making SUVs turns out to be a success for Lamborghini, the key might be hidden in the nameplate of the Urus. It's indeed Russia that looks to be a fertile land for Urus sales, since it's a country with both demanding roads and demanding customers. Domenicali says Russian roads have made it hard to sell traditional Lamborghini products, but the SUV should find a strong customer base there. India is another significant new market for the Urus, for similar reasons. And as for the influx of new Lamborghini customers: a growing part of them are cryptocurrency investors. It looks like bitcoin bros will only accept a Lamborghini as the token of their newfound success. "These are young people that want to become very rich with a high-risk investment," said Domenicali. "And our customers are young as well, and very aspirational. They are not shy. So I think there is a connection." Related Video: News Source: CNBCImage Credit: AOL/Drew Phillips Lamborghini Crossover SUV Luxury Performance stefano domenicali