154 | theceomagazine.comMOVE
WILL LAMBORGHINI’S FIRST FORAY
INTO THE SUV MARKET IN MORE
THAN THREE DECADES PAY DIVIDENDS?
WE SPEAK EXCLUSIVELY TO ITS CEO
TO FIND OUT. WORDS • ADRIAN FLORESA
T
his isn’t Lamborghini’s first time at the SUV rodeo. After
building two prototypes in the 70s and 80s, it eventually
produced the LM002 in 1986. The LM002’s jagged
and highly elevated frame made it more suitable for
a battlefield than a leisurely drive along the Amalfi Coast, to the point
it was dubbed by motoring enthusiasts as ‘the Rambo-Lambo’. After
making only 328 of the model, Lamborghini eventually stopped
producing the LM002 in 1993.
Fast forward 30 years, and Lamborghini has given it another
crack, this time with the Urus, unveiled at its Sant’Agata Bolognese
headquarters in December last year. Unlike the other Lamborghinis
that are named after famous Spanish fighting bulls – the Aventador,
the Huracán, the Centenario – the Urus is actually named after the
ancestor to modern cattle.
Hard-edged and with a steely gaze, the Urus stands out among
Lamborghini’s herd of bulls and clearly means business, with its
650-horsepower twin-turbo V8 engine. Boasting a top speed of
305km/h and an uncanny ability to bolt from zero to 100km/h in
a flashy 3.6 seconds, the Urus more than holds its ground in the
impressive Italian stable.
But don’t be fooled by the menacing exterior. Weighing in at
just under 2,200 kilograms – light by SUV standards – the interior
of the Urus displays a welcoming elegance and luxury that invites
rather than intimidates. Even though it is closely related to the
Audi Q7, Bentley Bentayga, Porsche Cayenne and Volkswagen »