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The 2023 Lamborghini Urus Performante.Petrina Gentile/The Globe and Mail

This is the last year Lamborghini will be launching cars powered solely by gas as the Italian automaker transitions to an electric future. Starting in 2023, Automobili Lamborghini SpA will begin bringing hybrid vehicles to market en route to its first all-electric supercar by 2028.

“It’s a big change, but we are very well prepared for the next step,” Stephan Winkelmann, Lamborghini’s chief executive officer said in an interview at a racetrack north of Rome. “We have a clear agenda. In the next two years, all of the lineup will be hybridized so we will have all new cars coming. And we are going to reduce CO2 emissions by 2025 by at least 50 per cent compared to today,” he added.

But until that time, the luxury brand is not sitting still. Consider its Urus SUV. Since launching in 2017, the Urus has been a huge success and money-maker for Lamborghini. More than 21,000 have been sold globally, to date. And more than 80 per cent of customers are new to the brand. Further, the number of female buyers has doubled to 10 per cent from 5 with the Urus, according to Winkelmann.

In 2021, Lamborghini had its best sales year ever, delivering 8,405 vehicles, of which 5,021 were the Urus, which starts at more than $250,000 in Canada.

In 2024, Lamborghini will add a hybrid Urus to the family. To salute the end of its gas-only era, Lamborghini has introduced a refreshed Urus SUV for 2023, along with its most powerful Urus yet – the Performante, which starts at more than $300,000.

It’s an ultra-high-performance ride that feels and handles more like a Lamborghini Huracan sports car than a big, beefy two-row SUV that tips the scales at 2,150 kilograms.

Engineers have shaved 47 kilograms off the previous version with lighter tires and rims, a titanium exhaust and more carbon-fibre composite materials on the front hood, wheel arches and roof, though you have to pay extra if you want that lighter option. The ride height has also been lowered by 20 millimetres and the front and rear track width has increased by 16 millimetres.

At the heart of the Performante is a four-litre twin-turbo V8 engine with 657 horsepower and 627 lb-ft of torque. It squeezes out an extra 16 horsepower compared with the last generation and it’s also faster. It can accelerate to 100 kilometres an hour in 3.3 seconds – 0.3 seconds faster than the original Urus. Trust me, it’s quick. I tested it on the Autodromo Vallelunga – a racetrack north of Rome.

With Lamborghini instructor Filippo Zadotti in the pace car in front of me, I entered the track fast. At first, playing it safe, I started in Strada, or street mode, using the automatic setting so the system changed gears and I could focus on the intricacies of the track. After two laps, I switched the driving mode to Corsa, or racetrack, using a lever below the volume dial.

To change gears, I used the large paddle shifters on either side of the steering wheel. It required more focus and attention, but it was more exhilarating to drive along the four-kilometre loop. On long straightaways, I reached in excess of 220 kilometres an hour in the blink of an eye.

Zadotti urged me to push the car harder with each passing lap – shouting over the intercom, “Trust the vehicle. Don’t let them pass you – they’re not faster than us,” he said as another Urus appeared briefly in my rear-view mirror. I squeezed the throttle harder and the approaching vehicle disappeared in a flash.

Along the S curves and sharp corners, the SUV was surprisingly nimble, well-planted and stable. It cornered flat with little body roll when turning. Feedback was direct and the steering was crisp and precise. The vehicle stopped on a dime, too. A newly designed rear spoiler has also increased rear down-force by 38 per cent. By the end of the day, I shaved 10 seconds off my fastest lap time and was growing more impressed with the Performante with each passing lap.

The Performante also gets a new Rally mode, designed for dirt tracks. On a makeshift dirt-and-gravel loop near the racetrack, I blasted around drifting and sliding in corners at high speeds. The tire grip was excellent and the SUV always regained its composure. While most people won’t take their expensive Lamborghini on a dirt track, the feature would come in handy on twisty gravel and dirt roads to the cottage.

Prices for the Performante start at $307,341 with a waiting list of at least 18 months for delivery.

Tech specs

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The 2023 Lamborghini Urus Performante gets a new Rally mode designed for dirt tracks.Petrina Gentile/The Globe and Mail

2023 Lamborghini Urus Performante

  • Base price: $307,341
  • Engine: Four-litre twin-turbo V8 with 657 horsepower and 627 lb-ft of torque
  • Transmission/drive: Eight-speed automatic/all-wheel drive
  • Fuel consumption: To be announced
  • Alternatives: Aston Martin DBX, Ferrari Purosangue, Rolls-Royce Cullinan, Bentley Bentayga

Looks

An aggressive, distinctive Lamborghini design with deep cuts in the hood, black-painted door handles, hexagon-shaped patterns in the wheels and lightweight carbon-fibre accents on the lower front bumper, rear diffuser, rear spoiler wing and roof. And it’s available in every shade of the rainbow – the orange, yellow and purple are stunning.

Interior

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The cabin is designed to resemble the cockpit of an airplane.Petrina Gentile/The Globe and Mail

The tech-savvy and busy cabin is designed to resemble the cockpit of an airplane with buttons, dials and switches everywhere, along with a start-stop button hidden beneath a red flap like other Lamborghinis. A dark black interior with suede-like Alcantara and leather accents create an upscale feel. Hexagon shapes appear on the air vents, seat stitching and the graphics on the centre screen.

Performance

Fast, powerful and fun to drive. For an SUV, the Performante is surprisingly well-composed, agile and firmly planted, especially when cornering. I love the raspier exhaust note when the car is pushed. Driving modes include Strada, Sport, Corsa and a new Rally mode for dirt tracks.

Technology

While it doesn’t offer hand-gesture controls found in some Lamborghini models, it does have standard safety technology, such as electronic stability control, roll stability control, highway lane-keeping assist and eight airbags.

Cargo

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The trunk of the 2023 Lamborghini Urus Performante has 616 litres of cargo room.Petrina Gentile/The Globe and Mail

With 616 litres of cargo room, there’s ample, practical space for several golf bags or shopping bags that you won’t find in other Lamborghinis.

The verdict

Lamborghini’s gas-only era goes out with a bang with its last twin-turbo V8 engine in the Urus Performante. It’s fun, practical and a blast to drive.

The writer was a guest of the automaker. Content was not subject to approval.

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