Well, we all knew it was coming, as is the VAG way with their increasingly alarming homogenization of their entire vehicular Empire… But we didn’t expect to see these photoshopped images of the Lamborghini ‘Urus’ (does that not sound like some sort of bladder infection..?) SUV before its official in-the-metal debut at the upcoming Beijing Motor Show.
At this early stage it is being presented as a ‘concept’ but you don’t require even the simplest of clues to know that this is going to make production – the sheer number of buyers/punters out there in the markets this is destined/aimed-for confirms that. One has to simply glance at China, the Middle East, Russia and the US for tongues wildly waggling in anticipation for an SUV, I repeat – an SUV - with the Lambo badge. Sad, but true…
Somewhat striking, yet not entirely as bonkers as you’d have (maybe) expected though. To further cement the notion that this is, for the most part, the basic design architecture of the production model, there are obvious shades of the already-established SUV big-guns contained within – Porsche Cayenne-like snout via the old Lamborghini Estoque Concept front-end, BMW X6-ish profile, Range Rover Evoque pinched window-line (very hip/popular right now) and mail-slot rear window, some Alfa Brera nods here and some Audi Q7 there, slight Ferrari FF-ish rear and, of course, all of it looking just like a jacked-up, cartoonish-looking version of their established sportscars…
Obviously, Lamborghini have (sort of) been down this path before with their rather comical LM002 monster SUV from 1986, but the similarities (if any) end there. Point blank, this is the VAG Empire cashing-in on their Lamborghini-owned brand… and nothing else. Platform sharing, gone mad.
Last month we were treated to the wincing over-indulgence of the proposed Bentley SUV (based on the Audi Q7, Porsche Cayenne, VW Touareg platform) and now we have a Lamborghini SUV (also based on said platform)…. Is this what the motoring world really wants now…? Somewhat troubling that VAG is now fully incorporating Lamborghini into their sullied expectations - Count me out.
All in, this ‘aggressive’ SUV is just a pointless profit maker… and one only needs to embellish their knowledge of the world’s fixation on brand worshipping and increasing vehicular homogenization to come to the same conclusion. A somewhat ridiculous and edgy-looking Lambo, yes… but the entirely wrong kind of ‘ridiculous’.
So, yes… uhm.. a slightly cynical take on the newest Lamborghini and my apologies if you find this ‘Urus’ to be rather excellent and all that… Yet I’m constantly finding myself left with the uncomforting feeling of witnessing a brand morphing into something that’s becoming part of the mainstream… This is, in a way, their inevitable ‘sellout’ release.
Same shot, but with proper Off-Road wheels/tires... Hmmm....
Yet (again) I’m also within an optimistic camp that would be rather impressed if this SUV took on proper, off-road, near Range Rover Estoque-levels of capabilities – good chunky tires and all. It needs to at least have something about its character and depth of abilities that sets it apart from all the rest – something truly ‘Lamborghini’. It should be ferocious and hilarious.
Expect performance numbers and mild specs when the official unveiling happens in Beijing next week.
Update: Here’s the video of the Beijing unveil…
-Blake J.
AutoInjected.com
