Road Test: Lamborghini Urus SE redefines hybrid SUV performance

Lamborghini’s Urus S and Performante are formidably rapid chariots, but they’re on the verge of being shaded – at least in statistical terms – by the upcoming Urus SE, which sets a new milestone for the Raging Bull as it’s the brand’s first plug-in hybrid SUV.

Recognisable by its fresh exterior aesthetics and optimised aerodynamics, the newcomer makes its world debut on Wednesday at the Auto Show China in Beijing. However, The National takes a sneak preview – road testing a near-production-ready prototype in the Arctic climes of Arjeplog, in the far north of Sweden.

The Urus SE’s core power train ingredients are shared with the Porsche Cayenne Turbo S E-Hybrid, but the Bolognese blaster thumps its 680hp/900Nm Stuttgart cousin in all key metrics. The 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 thrashes out 620hp and 800Nm on its own, while the electric motor chimes in with an additional 192hp and 483Nm.

The two power trains combine to deliver total outputs of 800hp and 950Nm, giving the Urus SE an on-paper edge against the Ferrari Purosangue (725hp/716Nm), Aston Martin DBX 707 (707hp/900Nm) and Bentley Bentayga Speed (635hp/900Nm).

The hybrid power train isn’t the only point of interest as the rest of the package has also been upgraded to cope with the Urus SE’s added grunt. Making its debut in the newbie is a centrally housed electric torque-vectoring system that distributes variably and continuously between the front and rear axles to optimise traction.

The Lamborghini Urus SE features a centrally housed electric torque-vectoring system. Photo: Lamborghini

There’s also a new rear axle electronic limited-slip differential that manages torque vectoring by braking, giving the vehicle “on demand” oversteer. Aided by rear-wheel steering, this set-up effectively nullifies the Urus SE’s hefty dimensions.

Lamborghini claims the Urus SE sprints from 0-100km/h in 3.4 seconds (Urus S: 3.5), from 0-200km/h in 11.4 seconds (Urus S: 12.5) and has a top speed of 312km/h. These figures put the Urus SE on par with the Aston Martin DBX 707 and Ferrari Purosangue.

Needless to say, we don’t test these stats during our preview drive. Arjeplog at minus 37 degrees is a surreal and beautiful place, but the extreme low-grip surfaces also pose a supreme test for a weighty vehicle with 800hp and 950Nm at its disposal.

The Urus SE is decently quiet and refined at steady cruising speeds. Photo: Lamborghini

Fire up the V8 and the Urus SE sounds just as fruity as its Performante and S siblings, unless you select the pure-electric EV Drive setting, in which case you’ll hear nothing. You can’t perceive that two power train elements are at work in propelling the Urus SE, as there are no jerks or hiccups in power delivery whether you’re pootling around at low speeds or pinning the throttle (as much as the icy conditions permit, anyway).

Lamborghini chief technical officer Rouven Mohr claims the Urus SE can be “steered on the throttle” and we discover it’s not an empty boast during a couple of outings on tracks carved out into the snow – one is a figure-eight shape, while the other mimics the layout of a racetrack, with a variety of tight corners and sweeping bends.

It takes a brief period of familiarisation to dial into how much throttle is required to unstick the rear end, but once the right foot is correctly calibrated, there’s the realisation that it’s not difficult to initiate and maintain drift angles in the Urus SE, especially on these low-grip surfaces.

With the central multi-plate clutch and rear E-diff working in tandem with the four-wheel steer and active-roll stabilisation, the perception from behind the wheel is that you’re manhandling a much smaller and lighter vehicle.

Our icy outing isn’t a pointless exercise, as Mohr says good dynamics in low-grip conditions also translates to tidy handling on surfaces with a much higher friction coefficient. In other words, it’s likely the Urus SE would also feel equally sharp and dynamic on a racetrack or winding mountain road.

A subsequent drive loop on public roads reveals the Urus SE is decently quiet and refined at steady cruising speeds, and the ride quality served up by its air suspension is more absorbent than the hardcore Urus Performante with its coil springs.

The Lamborghini Urus SE nails the twin briefs of being both cosseting cruiser and angry, fire-breathing beast when you want it to be. So, as an overall package, it’s a more tantalising offering than its pure-combustion siblings.