Lamborghini Urus Concept in Pebble Beach

From autoblog;
“We crawled all over the Lamborghini Urus Concept, and even took the time to open the doors and sit behind the wheel of the utility vehicle at “The Quail: A Motorsport Gathering” during the festivities at Pebble Beach this past weekend. While there has still been no official announcement of whether or not the concept has received a thumbs-up for production, all indications are that the program is moving forward for a launch around 2015.

As we have mentioned previously, this Lamborghini is expected to be built on modified PL73 architecture (underpinning the next-gen Audi Q7, Volkswagen Touareg, Porsche Cayenne and Bentley EXP 9 F Concept). Our bet is that it will be powered by a twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8, an engine shared with the new Bentley Continental GT V8, making in excess of 600 horsepower (possibly with the help of hybrid technology). With a targeted curb weight of 4,400 pounds, it will not only be the most powerful SUV on the market but one of the lightest and quickest, too (the BMW X6 M has 555 horsepower and weighs 5,324 pounds).

Rub elbows with the well-to-do on the Monterey Peninsula, and their excitement seems to indicate the market is ready for 3,000-plus copies of a $180,000-plus sport-ute from the Italian exotic sports car maker. The fiery Urus Concept seems to have everything going in its favor. Now, all it needs is a green light.”

More pics and video here; http://www.autoblog.com/2012/08/22/lamborghini-urus-concept-is-warmly-welcomed-at-pebble-beach/

Five reasons why the Lamborghini Urus will be a worldwide hit

From Motoramic;
“With the official unveiling of the Lamborghini Urus concept today in Beijing, we can finally fill in a few details of the raging bull Lamborghini wants to loose on the world in 2015, such as its 600-hp power target and 3,000-copies-a-year sales goal at a price close to $200,000 each. And after living with that info for a few weeks, and the early reaction around the world, Lamborghini has a chance to build the first great new vehicle of this decade. Here’s five reasons why:

— It will get at least 600 hp from an engine Lamborghini won’t specify. The firm’s V-10 would seem the prime choice for a new SUV, and yet by 2015 regulations in Europe and elsewhere will make engines of that many cylinders difficult to sell through fuel economy rules. Buyers around the world have shown a willingness to accept smaller displacement engines with turbocharging, and the buyers of the Urus will be new to Lamborghini anyway. Why not sell them a turbo V8?

— At 3,000 units a year, the Urus will be the best-selling Lamborghini ever. Lamborghini represents the place where passion overwhelms business sense. The company lost money for decades, and isn’t greatly profitable today, but it’s heritage and image as the pinnacle of sports cars keeps luring fresh capital. Should the Urus succeed like Lamborghini executives think it will, questions of capital won’t be a problem any longer — even if questions of whether that heritage has been sold out get louder.

— Lamborghini vows to minimize the family ties. The Volkswagen empire will soon build both Audi SUVs and the Porsche Cayenne from similar parts. Lamborghini had set itself apart from the cheaper corporate relatives through massive use of carbon fiber, but the Urus is too big and high volume to make much use of exotic material. Lamborghini vows the Urus would be the lightest and best-handling vehicle in the segment, but the biggest hurdle facing Lamborghini will be how it makes the Urus different from Audi and Porsche if its forced to use the same basic ingredients.

— In person, it successfully looks like a Lamborghini. A couple of weeks ago, I was able to make a first-hand comparison between the Urus concept and the Bentley EXP 9F, another stab by Volkswagen at building an SUV for the world’s billionaires. The more you examine the Urus, from the stealth-figher intakes to the geometric wheel openings to the taillights lifted from the Estoque, the more it makes sense. Lamborghini has always been the car that’s more than most of its drivers can handle; extending that into a tall hatchback shape doesn’t dilute that essence. That same exercise stumbled with the Bentley, because the exterior styling reached too far, and because it’s harder to escalate luxuriousness than performance. Bentley drivers herald success, not striving.

— Half may come to the United States. While the Urus was unveiled in China, its largest market may be the United States. If it arrives on schedule in 2015, the Urus will become the go-to ride for any celebrity who basks in the spotlight. Hey, who wouldn’t want a 600-hp, all-wheel-drive Batmobile that can also haul a few kids to private school?”