Monday 19th November 2018

Lamborghini announces Urus racing series

Urus ST-X Concept to compete in new Rallycross-style championship

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Well, this is pretty cool. Whatever your opinion of performance manufacturers jumping on the SUV bandwagon might be, everyone is doing it (except McLaren, definitely not McLaren). What everyone isn't doing, though, is giving those SUVs the walk to match the nauseating marketing talk. Except Lamborghini. Definitely except Lamborghini.

The Sant'Agata-based marque has announced the creation of "an unprecedented single-brand championship that will mix track with off-road racing" coming to FIA-licensed circuits in Europe and the Middle East in 2020.

To take part in it entrants will need this - or something close to it - the Urus ST-X Concept. Fitted with an FIA-licensed steel roll cage, fire extinguishing system and FT3 fuel tank, it's been "mechanically optimized" with larger vents, a carbon-fibre bonnet, side-exit racing exhausts, a new rear wing and 21-inch single-nut rims with Pirelli tyres. It's also a noteworthy 25 per cent lighter than the roadgoing model, though shares the same twin-turbo V8 putting out 650hp and 627lb ft of torque. It's hideous. And yet wonderful.

While the Urus may not be popular among purists, it does feel as though, of all of the hallowed supercar makers, an SUV arguably fits with Lamborghini's ethos most comfortably. Though it continues to produce marvels like the Huracan Performante, the marque is arguably more about glorious excess, striking design and bonkers performance than conventional race-bred sporting focus. Yes it may share its underpinnings with other VW group products, and no it doesn't have a V12, but there's no denying that the Urus deviates less from the 'Lamborghini way' than, say, Ferrari's upcoming Purosangue 'not-SUV' does from its heritage.

Moreover, Squadra Corse has already enjoyed plenty of success with its customer-based Huracan Super Trofeo calendar. If an off-road-on-track series can give the Urus a little more authentic Lamborghini credibility amongst potential customers, whilst providing the thrills and spills for viewers that an 640hp SUV racing series suggests, then we're looking at a win win.

[Funkstar De Luxe]

Is this a joke?

[matbat]

WTAF

/Goes to check date....

[J4CKO]

Fast noisy things going round a track, not sure why everyone is so bothered about that, there is pick up truck racing, 2cv racing, lawnmower racing, truck racing, banger racing and god knows what else, so why is a Lamborghini racing such a surprise ?

But, the last few threads have all been scathing about the Urus, so lets just all think the same.

[Cold]

Epic.

[Welshman Adam]

Did anyone else roll their eyes when reading the headline?

Would rather go rallying in an open top Jag.

[chris4652009]

Funkstar De Luxe said:

Is this a joke?

I hope not, it'll be AMAZING

[buckline]

Mad b@stards. I love that people will do this.

[Ninja59]

I desperately would love to like the Urus, even with the unfortunate name. As for essentially any of the big supercar brands Lamborghini comes cloest having done the LM002.

But when it is "just" a VW product in drag, with an engine from the main group (even if it brings more torque) into the equation it just stinks.

This is like the rest of the urus I want to like it, but it just does not excite me in the slightest.

[cookie1600]

I wonder if they'd mind if you turned up with this to compete against them?

[Arsecati]

IF this really does happen - and it REALLY should happen....... this may be one of the best race series out there! If it was ran something along the lines of the current WRX, with the likes of Kristoffersson, Solberg and Loeb battering the hell out of eachother, this would be simply epic!!

[Mafffew]

Arsecati said:

IF this really does happen - and it REALLY should happen....... this may be one of the best race series out there! If it was ran something along the lines of the current WRX, with the likes of Kristoffersson, Solberg and Loeb battering the hell out of eachother, this would be simply epic!!

I was thinking something similar to Stadium Trucks - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iV8PFYnWHiw

Let all the big boys in, Urus, Bentayga, Q7/8, Range Rover, G Class etc.

Now that might be entertaining.

[Sport220]

[Gameface]

Welshman Adam said:

Did anyone else roll their eyes when reading the headline?

No.

[Pericoloso]

SsangYong had a pickup truck support series for some WRX events ,it was incredibly dull.

At least the Urus has a considerable increase in power over those things.

Might be a bit big for some smaller tracks though, the bodyshop bills could be high.

[C7 JFW]

Utterly brilliant. That's hilarious!!

So Lambo sell a car, which people definitely don't need. Those owners can easily afford the cars.

Here, expensive car owners, go and break your cars. Don't worry though, we've got ALL the parts to fix them.

Please let it be a contact sport.

[300bhp/ton]

Sounds really interesting. Not sure why the hate from some members though.

[foggy]

This would be an awesome rally or rallycross spectacle - mix in a few of the new Aston SUVs, Macans, Evoques etc. and it could prove genuinely entertaining to watch with the cars roaring by and sliding around on the loose.

[DS240]

Would rather see some sort of Dakar rally entry. Actually get credibility from an entry rather than a series no one will likely see.

[Pericoloso]

DS240 said:

a series no one will likely see.

Depends which circuits / countries it turns up at ,could be on with WRX at Silverstone.

[numtumfutunch]

Im in!

Fair play to Lambo, the car may not be to my taste but I really want to see this happen