Lamborghini Urus SE Performante | PH Review

New chassis tech and EV smarts make the world's fastest production SUV even faster

What do you get when you combine the chassis and track-focused aero of the Urus Performante with Lamborghini’s electrified SE powertrain? Not simply an SE Performante, it turns out, as the car that supersedes the old Performante is much more than just a blend of two existing Uruses. Instead, Lambo’s top SUV gets a host of new bits from Sant'Agata Bolognese’s R&D department, turning what was already the world’s fastest SUV into a high-tech super-brute that wouldn’t look out of place turned upright on the next Artemis launch pad.

The on-paper numbers bear out that suggestion, with outputs of 812hp and 737lb ft of torque suggesting that the new Urus SE Performante may well now have enough muscle to blast itself toward the lunar surface. In reality, of course, the opposite is true thanks to the obvious mass of a hybrid SUV (all 2,473kg worth) and the efforts of the model's ground-hugging upgrades, the most interesting being the new twin-chamber air suspension introduced alongside cutting-edge 6D sensor tech. Lambo says this predictive digital dynamics system gives the Urus a considerably stronger bond with the tarmac.

Before we get to that, though, it’s worth examining the aerodynamic enhancements to the car, because they’re not much less significant. Every new aero piece is fully functional and made from carbon fibre, helping to save 32kg. Up front, there’s a larger front splitter beneath a wider grille that’s shaped to reduce lift as well as force more air over the twin-turbo V8. S-duct air intakes, NACA ducts and slits in the bodywork cool vital components, including the carbon ceramic brakes.

At the side, the skirts are more prominent, while at the rear, both the spoiler and rear wing have been enhanced in their ability to cooperatively generate downforce. The back looks like the business end, as far as aero bits are concerned, yet it’s the front that contributes most to the 14 per cent boost in downforce versus the old Performante. That comes with a three per cent reduction in drag too, meaning the SE Performante is slipperier despite squatting harder.

Both the 22- and 23-inch wheel options are new, while the rubber around them is updated as well. Pirelli supplies the road-focused performance tyres, while Bridgestone’s ‘Race’ branded Potenzas are the boot of choice for track work, and they come exclusively around the 22-inch rim. These are the wheels and tyres we’ll be sampling today, because our drive is with pre-production cars not registered for the road, meaning it’s exclusively on the Vairano di Vidigulfo proving ground just outside of Milan.

It doesn’t matter what wheel-and-tyre combo you go for, by the way, they’re always sat 16mm further apart than before on wider tracks. The whole hub and suspension setup has been changed in the SE Performante’s adoption of Lamborghini’s brand spanking new ‘2K2V’ dual-chamber air struts. Where the old Performante used coil springs and adaptive dampers like other Urus models, the new top dog uses a system that splits the workload of comfort and high-performance demands using valves. Engineers claim a 55 per cent reduction in lateral roll and better comfort. Hmmm.

The powertrain is familiar from the Urus SE, but it has seen significant enhancements both on the engine and hybrid side. The bi-turbo 4.0-litre now breathes more freely through a standard-fit titanium Akrapovic exhaust system, which saves 10kg alone and gives each bank of the engine its own dedicated exit pipe. That means the old Performante’s cross-set exhaust layout is gone, giving its replacement a new sound to go with faster gas flow. This has been maximised with new engine control software.

The hybrid powertrain, which places the 25.9kWh lithium-ion battery under the boot floor as a counter-balance to the engine, blends with the petrol power so both axles feel its effects (in contrast to the PHEV Temerario, which separates an electric front axle from its petrol-powered rear). All combined, the SE Performante is 146hp and 34lb ft mightier than its ICE-only predecessor, ensuring a 3.3-second 0-62mph time and 10.8-second 0-124mph time, although top speed for the eight-speed brute remains a record-holding 194mph.

Owners of existing Urus models won’t exactly be astounded when they step inside the new car, as the tech and materials have received evolutionary improvements, rather than revolutionary ones. There are still three screens, one providing the driver with their instruments, another providing infotainment and the other one permanently dedicated to controlling the climate. The software’s slicker and quicker, but more satisfying is the new steering wheel and its spider-web carbon shift paddles. It feels great against your palms and fingertips.

This is especially true when you’re pressing on, because the car these controls are connected to is now much more accelerative and reactive to your inputs than the old Performante. Off the line or rolling from motorway speeds, the pumped-up Urus explodes forward to the soundtrack of its thunderous V8 and more vocal pipework. The latter is vocal all of the time, with more gargles off throttle, and there are cracks with the auto’s upshifts too.

The gearbox itself reacts quicker to manual changes, although with the hybrid powertrain’s added elasticity you can also lean more heavily into the Urus’s meat of torque if you prefer. Despite going hybrid, this SE Performante is somehow more visceral and dramatic.

And yet it’s the chassis that really stands out. With the additional hardware controlled by Lambo’s clever tech, the 2.5-tonne SE Performante corners flatter under load. But not unnaturally so, like more comfort-focused active systems, because there’s still some roll with plenty of chatter coming through the chassis to keep you in the loop. The Potenzas generate so much grip and the body control is so good that you can lob this Lambo into a bend while stamping on the anchors, as if it were something smaller and lighter.

With the weight shifted forward and the Urus pitched into a four-wheel drift, it honestly feels like the front inside wheel leaves the ground at points during our track stint. With 812hp pushing and pulling you forwards (and perhaps the pendulum effect of a not insubstantial battery in the boot), it’s even easier to get this car rotating on its sticky rubber. Even when you’re fully sideways, it only takes a squeeze of extra throttle to get the car hauling itself back into the line. It’s both livelier and easier to handle than before.

Other advantages of that more complex chassis setup include a slightly more forgiving low-speed ride - a brief stint in the back of the car on support roads suggests there’s none of the old Performante’s fidgeting - and the powertrain’s supply of battery-powered electricity can make things calmer still, with 37 miles of purely EV range and an 81mph top speed.

That means while this Urus is considerably quicker than before, it is also going to be potentially easier to live with day-to-day as well. Granted, some will mourn the inevitable loss of purity in its driveline, not to mention the 300-odd kilograms of weight gain that new suspension must deal with - but who’re we kidding? On track at least, this is Lamborghini's supersized super-SUV made better.

Specification | Lamborghini Urus SE Performante

Engine: 3,996cc twin-turbocharged V8, electric motor, 25.9kWh battery
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch, all-wheel drive
Power (hp): 812@6,000rpm
Torque (lb ft): 738
0-62mph: 3.3sec
Top speed: 194mph
Weight: 2,473kg
MPG: tbc
CO2: tbc
Price: tbc (est £225,000)

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Motormouth88

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