The Lamborghini Urus SE makes its first appearance in South Africa at Kyalami on Wednesday 30 October, 2024. Picture: Jaco van der Merwe
The introduction of the beastly Lamborghini Urus SE, the Raging Bull’s first plug-in hybrid (PHEV) SUV, signals the end of internal combustion engine (ICE) Urus models.
The Lamborghini Urus SE made its South African debut during an exclusive event in Johannesburg on Wednesday where its price tag of R4 875 000 was unveiled. Order books are open, with the local first costumers expected to take delivery in the first half of next year.
Stephan Winkelmann, Lamborghini chairman and CEO, confirmed during a live video link from Italy that the petrol-only Urus S will be discontinued in favour of the new plug-in model.
The SE combines the 4.0-litre bi-turbo V8 engine with a 25.9-kWh lithium-ion battery pack powering an electric motor on the rear axle to deliver an eye-popping total output of 588kW/950Nm. This is 98kW/100Nm more than the Urus S and the model it succeeded, the Performante.
“There will be a short overlap between the S and SE, before the S will be on run-out in 2025. Then only the SE will continue,” Winkelmann responded to The Citizen Motoring’s question regarding the future of ICE Urus models.
“It is our goal to continue with PHEV for as long as we can. Not only in the Urus but also in our sports cars. Whether the engine is run on synthetic fuels or whatever, we want to dearly hold onto that part.
“The design is versatile enough to allow for various powertrain options or combinations and we also plan to have the first fully-electric Urus out by 2030.”
Apart from the power bump, the Lamborghini Urus SE has also received additional performance upgrades and well as styling tweaks.
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Redesigned matrix headlights, a body colour front lip and new bonnet give the SUV greater resemblance to the Revuelto’s sleek appearance.
Highlights at the rear include hexagon mesh inspired by the Gallardo which houses Y-shaped light clusters and improved visible aerodynamics, while the Urus SE wides on 23-inch alloys clad in low-profile rubberware.
Lamborghini claims the external updates improves the Urus SE’s aerodynamics by 35% over its predecessor.
In the cockpit, the Urus SE sports dual 12.4-inch screens on a slim dashboard intended to make the driver “feel like a pilot”.
The hybrid system sends the twist to all four corners via eight-speed automatic transmission. The Urus SE is claimed to reach 100km/h from a standstill in 3.4 seconds and 200km/h in 11.2 seconds before reaching a top speed of 312km/h. The Lamborghini Urus SE can come to a complete stop in 33.5 meters when slamming on the brakes at 100km/h.
The electric range is 60km with the SUV able to travel at a speeds of up to 135km/h using only the battery and motor combination. Carbon emissions will decrease by an astounding 80% from the Lamborghini Urus S.
The plug-in Urus has a total of 11 drive mode combinations when the six drives modes, Strada, Sport, Corsa, Sabbia, Terra and Neve combine with various power source options. These include electric, hybrid, recharge and performance.
Additional performance-enhancing features includes a PHEV-specific torque vectoring system and electronic limited slip differential alongside recalibrated power steering, retuned air suspension and anti-roll bars adjusted by a mild-hybrid battery.
According to Urus product line director, Stefano Cossalter, the biggest feat designers achieved in the plug-in hybrid was to integrate all the system to make the car behave “like a Lamborghini”.
“We had to get the software to make 11 driving modes possible. Everything had to connect to each so the whole picture can work together seamlessly,” Cossalter said from Italy.
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While the Raging Bull officially offers more than 120 exterior colours for the Urus SE, Lamborghini can accommodate almost any colour request. Costumes can also fine-tuned the interiors to their liking
“At our showroom in Bologna, there is a whole wall consisting of colour samples. But even if you can’t find what you are looking for there, your preferred colour choice is still possible,” says Liliya Dovbenchuk, Lamborghini PR for Europe, Middle East and Africa.
“Sometimes buyers come in with a specific idea and sometimes they might spend three hours mulling over their decision.”
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