Say g'day to the fastest SUV... in the world.
While famous farmer and former host of Top Gear Jeremy Clarkson often used this catchphrase rather flippantly, there's no more accurate way to describe the Lamborghini Urus – a not-so-subtle luxury family wagon honed to hit an electronically limited top speed of 312km/h.
The upcoming Urus SE Performante doesn't move the needle in that regard. Instead, it's a leaner, sharper and more purposeful evolution, engineered to be devastatingly quick not only in a straight line, but around racetracks and shopping centre carparks too.
Ahead of its Australian debut next year, we travelled to Italy to sample a production example at Vairano Proving Ground.
How much does the Lamborghini Urus cost?
We're still not sure, as pricing likely won't be announced until closer to the SE Performante's local launch, pencilled for early to mid-2027.
Lamborghini has, however, hinted at a 10 per cent hike over the 'base' Urus SE – currently priced at $457,834 before on-road costs – so we'd expect an entry point around the $500k mark.
Sounds hefty, right? Perhaps, but it's still far less than what you'll pay for a Ferrari Purosangue ($839,992 before ORCs).
Closer in value but also slower in terms of top speed are the related Bentley Bentayga Speed ($513,600 plus ORCs) and Aston Martin DBX S ($475,000 before ORCs), both of which carry similar brand cachet.
Want the performance without all the attention? The Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT and Audi RSQ8 share their underpinnings with the Urus, yet can be had for much less money.
To see how the Lamborghini Urus lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool
What is the Lamborghini Urus like on the inside?
Corsa-Tex and carbon-fibre galore.
Lamborghini's version of Alcantara covers the ceiling, doors, dashboard, seats, steering wheel and centre console, while the auto industry's favourite lightweight weave also features prominently ahead of the driver.
Red honeycomb stitching, darker accents and embroidered lettering across the seats further set the SE Performante apart.
As a result, there's no mistaking it for a standard Urus, nor any other SUV on the market. The SE Performante is 100 per cent committed to being a track-ready family wagon, and therefore feels truly special to sit in.
It likewise feels luxurious, as just about every surface is soft to the touch, including oft-neglected areas below the beltline. You're getting what you pay for on the materials front, that's for sure.
And, in the case of the seats and steering wheel, the Corsa-Tex treatment serves a practical purpose – affording the driver a level of grip and control that slippery leather simply can't.
The SE Performante’s driver-first philosophy is also reflected in its ergonomics. Both front pews offer plenty of adjustment, including for bolster snugness, making it easy to find the optimal position for performance driving. In a similar vein, the tiller extends further than most, allowing you to bring it comfortably within reach.
Seat ventilation is an option that should really be standard, particularly in Australia given our hot climate. But I guess comfort isn't the top priority here.
It's not too far down the list though. Because while the Performante looks pretty extreme inside and out, it's just as daily drivable – if not more so – than the standard SE.
The infotainment system, for example, now features snappier software and graphics inspired by the Revuelto supercar. Chaotic hexagons aside, the interface is relatively intuitive and not too layered.
That’s partly because the climate controls are all housed in a secondary screen below, itself straightforward to operate and equipped with haptic feedback.
Like the centre touchscreen, the digital instrument cluster runs updated visual themes, with its layout and readouts shifting depending on the drive mode selected. Both displays incorporate a Performante-specific telemetry system so you can keep track of your lap times on the fly.
Picking gears and shifting drive modes is made more satisfying by fighter jet-inspired switchgear on the centre console, although many of the buttons elsewhere have clearly been plucked from the Audi parts bin.
That’s quickly forgiven when you realise the Urus shares similarly high levels of cabin practicality with its platform relatives.
There's storage aplenty up front, and the second row offers around 40 inches of legroom, which is on roughly on par with other large SUVs built on Volkswagen Group's MLB Evo architecture, as well as the DBX. Headroom is a little more pinched, though.
As is boot space, which is hampered by the battery beneath the floor. The original Urus offered a respectable 616 litres of capacity, whereas current plug-in hybrid versions are limited to just 454L.
To see how the Lamborghini Urus lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool
What's under the bonnet?
The bulging, vented carbon-fibre bonnet hides a tried-and-tested 4.0-litre twin-turbo petrol V8 producing 456kW of power and 800Nm of torque, while an electric motor sandwiched between the engine and eight-speed torque-converter automatic transmission contributes a further 141kW and 483Nm.
Those numbers are unchanged from the Urus SE, yet combined system outputs have jumped by 9kW and 50Nm as a result of some software tweaks.
The Performante also picks up a titanium Akrapovič exhaust that’s 10kg lighter than the system used in the standard car.
In total, Lamborghini has trimmed 32kg from the SE, predominately through extensive use of carbon-fibre. So extensive, in fact, that the Performante has the most carbon-fibre components of any production SUV.
Further under the skin, this second iteration of the Urus Performante ditches fixed coil springs for a new ‘AURA’ dual-chamber air suspension system that’s claimed to halve body roll and reduce vibrations by 25 per cent. In other words, it should make for a vehicle that can be both more dynamic and/or comfortable, depending on how you set it up.
Not just on tarmac either, as you can raise the ride height by up to 70mm for a spot of light off-roading. A new Rally drive mode also comes in handy here.
At the very literal heart of the SE Performante is a new 6D sensor pinched from the Fenomeno hypercar. Positioned near the car’s centre of gravity, it measures longitudinal, lateral and vertical acceleration, as well as pitch, roll and yaw. It works alongside eight additional accelerometers positioned around the vehicle, feeding real-time data into the chassis control and electronic braking systems.
In simpler terms, it’s an advanced dynamic brain that’s constantly crunching the numbers, working to minimise pitch and roll while keeping the car on its intended trajectory.
To see how the Lamborghini Urus lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool
How does the Lamborghini Urus drive?
The SE Performante is best thought of as a supercar on stilts.
I've never been left speechless by the dynamics of an SUV, let alone one of this size, but all rules have exceptions and the Performante is just that.
Admittedly, our experience was brief and highly controlled – 15 minutes lapping Vairano's tight, technical handling track behind a somewhat conservative lead driver.
Nevertheless, the controlled agility of this 5.1-metre-long heifer is nothing short of remarkable.
Approaching the first of many 90-degree turns, I start steering fully expecting a delay, some body roll or at least a little understeer. None of that eventuates.
Rather, the Performante turns in sharply, rear-wheel steering helping it to cut a direct path through the apex, remaining perfectly balanced throughout. Colour me confident.
Next comes a sequence of alternating high-speed bends, through which there's an almost disturbing lack of lean. While you can feel the G-forces climb in the cabin, the chassis is unperturbed, kept in check by the clever onboard computers.
The chunky Pirelli tyres are likewise unflappable when pushed, able to maintain excellent grip without protest. At least while they're fresh.
Through these sweepers, the rear wheels turn in the same direction as the front pair to effectively lengthen the wheelbase, increasing stability.
With that neck workout out of the way, it's time to test the brakes – carbon-ceramic stoppers measuring a whopping 440mm at the front and 410mm at the rear. As expected, they're hugely effective, and easy to modulate courtesy of a firm, positive pedal.
In terms of outright stopping power, Lamborghini says the new SE Performante can slow from 200km/h to a stop in seven fewer metres than its significantly lighter predecessor, while an eight per cent improvement in brake cooling efficiency should help prevent fade during repeated use.
Continuing the lifted supercar theme, the SE Performante demonstrates little dive under hard braking, defying its high centre of gravity while rattling off snappy downshifts.
Lifting off the left pedal, I pick a racing line into another sharp right-hander and the front end responds with minimal resistance. It's rare that you come across an SUV with steering so quick, well-weighted and just generally satisfying.
Through the next, wider corner I’m a little more heavy-handed, and the Performante reveals a much more playful side. In Corsa mode it’s surprisingly eager to rotate on throttle, happy to hang its tail out without ever feeling overly lairy. A serious performer with a silly side, then.
Upon pulling the rear end back into line, the track momentarily opens up, providing an opportunity to open the taps.
Doing so doesn't disappoint, but the powertrain isn't the star of the show here. Throttle response is immediate and peak torque (1000Nm) is available from just 2250rpm all the way up to 5500rpm – not miles short of redline – so the SE Performante definitely pulls as hard as it should, pinning you back in the seat without much interruption from the recalibrated eight-speed auto.
However, even with an upgraded Akrapovič exhaust, it doesn’t sound quite as raucous as you might hope from inside the cabin. Much of what you hear while driving is engine noise piped through the speakers, suggesting increasingly stringent noise regulations may have robbed the V8 of some of its natural character.
In fairness, the quad exhausts produce a satisfying burble at idle, and I didn’t get enough time to explore how much extra drama the different drive modes unlock. Nevertheless, my first impression is that the more mature Bentayga Speed is similarly vocal.
As tested in Corsa mode, the trick air suspension strikes a sweet balance between ride and handling. Attacking the steeply kerbed chicane at the end of the penultimate straight does little to upset the chassis, nor does it leave me feeling beaten up, despite our test car riding on optional 23-inch wheels wrapped in lower-profile tyres.
In its more comfortable modes, I can only imagine the SE Performante would prove quite supple on public roads.
Out of the chicane it's back on the gas to cross the start/finish line, after which I complete half a dozen more laps before being called in. The car performs consistently throughout, with no meaningful weaknesses emerging.
To see how the Lamborghini Urus lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool
What do you get?
Widespread carbon-fibre, an Akrapovic exhaust system, unique 22-inch alloy wheels, Corsa-Tex interior trim, and a unique infotainment interface headline the long list of equipment upgrades for the Performante.
2027 Lamborghini Urus SE Performante equipment highlights:
- Carbon-fibre bonnet with central power dome and S-ducts
- Carbon-fibre rear wing, wheel arch extensions, front splitter
- 22-inch alloy wheels
- Akrapovic titanium exhaust
- Electric tailgate
- Adaptive headlights incl. auto-levelling
- Cornering lights
- Automatic high-beam
- Remote Keyless Entry
- Soft-close doors
- 8-speaker audio system
- 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster
- 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system
- Lamborghini Connect
- Wi-Fi hotspot
- Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
- Audio theft deterrent
- 12-way power-adjustable front seats with heating
- 40/20/40-split/folding rear seats
- Corsa-Tex and leather seat upholstery
- Corsa-Tex steering wheel trim
- Carbon-fibre interior trim
- Valet function
- Corsa-Tex headliner
- 4 x 12V DC power outlets
- Air filtration
To see how the Lamborghini Urus lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool
Is the Lamborghini Urus safe?
The Lamborghini Urus SE Performante has not been crash-tested by ANCAP or Euro NCAP, but is nonetheless decked out with a long list of active and passive safety features.
Standard safety features include:
- Adaptive cruise control
- Emergency SOS capability
- Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB)
- Blind-spot monitoring
- Lane departure warning
- Lane-keep assist
- Parking sensors – front, rear
- Reversing AEB
- Reversing camera
- Tyre pressure monitoring
Need more reassurance? Related Audi SUVs previously achieved full five-star ANCAP ratings based on 2019 testing criteria.
To see how the Lamborghini Urus lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool
How much does the Lamborghini Urus cost to run?
Some finer details specific to the SE Performante – service intervals, for example – aren't yet available, though Lamborghini Australia backs all its vehicles with a three-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty.
The exotic Italian marque also offers five years of free servicing, plus three years of complimentary roadside assistance. That's pretty generous when you consider Porsche doesn't offer any form of capped-price servicing in Australia.
There are five official Lamborghini dealerships Down Under, covering each of the five most populated states.
To see how the Lamborghini Urus lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool
CarExpert's Take on the Lamborghini Urus SE Performante
If you like the Urus, you'll probably love the SE Performante.
It's the ultimate expression of Lamborghini in a family SUV – fast, fun and unapologetically extreme.
Personally, I'm not a huge fan of the carbon-fibre-heavy exterior aesthetic given the SE Performante still weighs nearly two and a half tonnes.
But it does an extraordinary job of masking that mass on a racetrack, demonstrating all the poise, precision and drivability expected of a modern raging bull.
Sadly, few examples are likely to ever be driven as hard as Lamborghini intended, instead spending their lives terrorising the streets of affluent suburbs.
That's a shame, because beneath all the bravado is one of the most dynamically accomplished large SUVs money can buy.
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MORE: Explore the Lamborghini Urus showroom
Pros
- Dynamically brilliant
- Transcendentally quick
- Special interior
Cons
- Exterior is an eyeful
- Could sound even tougher
- Hybrid battery eats into boot space