Lamborghini Urus SUV Concept

If you thought Lamborghini’s first SUV, the LM002, was cool and appropriately outrageous for the Italian brand, get ready for its second shot at the segment, previewed by this Urus concept at the Beijing auto show. Even though Lamborghini is calling the car a concept, the company will eventually put the high-riding model into production alongside the new Aventador and the replacement for the current Gallardo.

Before we delve into the Urus’s particulars, let us first tackle its odd name, which may or may not be carried over to the production version. Almost every other Lambo has taken its title from a Spanish fighting bull, but the Urus does not. Instead, the name is derived from a wild ancestor of modern domestic cattle. Yup, Lamborghini’s second high-performance SUV is named after a bovine whose descendants munch on grass and can be thwarted by low fences. The story goes that Spanish fighting bulls look a lot like a Urus (both have horns!), and we admit the SUV likely will have no trouble distinguishing itself from a mooing, ponderous cow. Plus, we’re pretty sure you can’t milk the Lamborghini Urus, and unless you enjoy munching on carbon fiber, it would probably make a terrible burger.

If you were expecting the Urus to be some sort of Italianate Ford F-150 SVT Raptor—sort of like the old LM002—prepare to be disappointed (or excited, depending on your point of view). The Urus is a super-SUV conceived in the same mold as the Porsche Cayenne, a sporty rig focused on pavement heroics rather than off-road chops. In fact, the Lambo’s platform will be shared with Volkswagen’s next-gen mid-size SUVs, meaning it will be loosely related to the Cayenne, as well as Bentley’s upcoming sport-utility.

Although the Urus looks nearly ready to go on sale, it won’t show up in dealerships for another three to four years. If you’re wondering why Lamborghini decided to build an SUV instead of the stunning Estoque sedan, it all comes down to money. The company realized that many of its customers also own SUVs, and so of course it wants to keep those buyers shopping in-house. Plus, the Urus’s ground clearance makes it much more attractive than Lambo’s sports cars—or the low-slung Estoque—to buyers in the Middle East, Asia, and Russia, who often deal with low-quality roads. When it does eventually go on sale, we’re told pricing should start in the $150,000 neighborhood, which would make the Urus relatively affordable.

By St. Boogar and all the saints at the backside door of Purgatory!

Dave1992	Not feelin' that at all. It's a typical Lambo - an over-egged pudding. Simply not my style. I rather like the raw decency and elegancy (and still sportiness) of an Aston Martin or a Bentley... But I'd beg you for a quick drive nevertheless, once you get it! . [Edited 4/23/12 15:12pm]
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Dave1992	Ya know... These people drive Lambos: [img:$uid]http://www.carmk.net/media/2007/03/bullrunlambo.jpg[/img:$uid] And these people drive an Aston: [img:$uid]http://www.funonthenet.in/images/stories/forwards/James%20Bond%20Cars/james-bond-car-1.jpg[/img:$uid]
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