Rambo Lambo guns for glory

MEAN: LAMBORGHINI URUS SE ARMED AND DANGEROUS

- Jaco van der Merwe

Plug-in hybrid SUV produces 588kW, sprints from o to 100km/h in 3.4 seconds.

The introduction of the beastly Lamborghini Urus SE, the Raging Bull's first plug-in hybrid (PHEV) SUV, signals the end of internal combustion engine (ICE) Urus models.

The Lamborghini Urus SE made its South African debut during an exclusive event in Johannesburg last week. Order books are open, with the local first customers expected to take delivery in the first half of next year.

Stephan Winkelmann, Lamborghini chair and CEO, confirmed during a live video link from Italy that both the petrol-only Urus S will be discontinued in favour of the new plug-in model.

The SE combines the 4.0-litre bi-turbo V8 engine with a 25.9kWh lithium-ion battery pack powering an electric motor on the rear axle to deliver an eye-popping total output of 588kW/950Nm. This is 98kW/100Nm more than the Urus S and the model it succeeded, the Performante.

"There will be a short overlap between the S and SE, before the S will be on run-out in 2025. Then only the SE will continue," Winkelmann responded to The Citizen Motoring's question regarding the future of ICE Urus models.