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Lambo Urus to stay true to concept, but almost didn't happen

Lamborghini has been making noise about adding a third model line for years, and it's finally going to happen now that the Urus concept has been approved for production. It'll likely be a while yet before all the details are sorted out and revealed to the public, but while visiting the factory in Sant'Agata Bolognese, Autoblog was able to glean some intriguing details about the Italian automaker's forthcoming crossover and its path it is taking from concept to production. "It's good to have heritage, but the LM002 is not the reference or the blueprint." - Lamborghini CEO Stephan Winkelmann We first saw the Urus concept back in 2012, and Lamborghini has been lobbying its parent company Volkswagen ever since for the go-ahead to put it into production. Now three years later, it finally has the green light. A company representative told Autoblog the production version looks "very" close to the concept. (No ground-up redesign here, then, like sister-brand Bentley did with its inaugural crossover project.) Speaking with a small group of journalists in Sant'Agata, the company's chief executive Stephan Winkelmann confirmed that "the SUV could be the [company's] first car with a turbo, and it could be the first car with a plug-in, if we have the opportunity to have more than one engine." The Urus (or however it's ultimately labeled for production) will also be decidedly geared towards on-road performance – unlike the Rambo Lambo on display in the museum next door. "It's good to have heritage," said Winkelmann, "but the LM002 is not the reference or the blueprint" for the new model. As to the question of why it has taken three years to get approval, and why it will take another three to put it into production, Winkelmann was frank: "Basically if you look at our numbers, we are a company which is growing at a fast pace, but we are very small," said the affable executive. "We had to find a way to almost double our efforts, because it's not the exchange of a model line, with the Gallardo and Huracan, it's adding a model line. And not out of 20 to come to 21 models, but from two to three is a major effort, and you have to have a rock-solid business case." "Putting 500 more people inside a company which is now at 1,200, you can imagine what it means. Doubling almost the size of the area here where we are sitting today. Investing hundreds and hundreds of millions.

Lamborghini may bring a hybrid Espada successor to market in 2025

Lamborghini's CEO Stefano Domenicali was recently interviewed by Automotive News. And in the interview, there are some tantalizing tidbits about future product plans. In particular, he talks a little about the company adding a fourth mainline car to its current lineup of Aventador, Huracan and Urus. Note, this probably wouldn't have any affect on a super-limited production model like the rumored hypercar based on the Terzo Millennio. The news outlet specifically asked if it would be a successor to the Espada grand touring car, and while doesn't explicitly say that it is, he does mention the importance of space and getting the right powertrain. So it sounds like it will be something at least more practical than the company's current supercars. Domenicali also noted that we won't be seeing this new fourth Lamborghini for a while. It's targeted to come out between 2025 and 2027. When asked about an electric variant, he said that the current plans are just for a plug-in hybrid version. He doesn't rule out the possibility of a full electric, but the company hasn't seen the demand quite yet for a full electric Lamborghini, and the company would want to work with Volkswagen to figure out how such a car would fit in with the larger corporation's plans and goals. That particular tidbit would be a sign the aforementioned hypercar won't feature an electric powertrain like the Terzo Millennio concept with which it supposedly shares its design. The other product information Domenicali talked about was related to hybrids. He again confirmed that the next Aventador and Huracan, or whatever the successors are called, will feature plug-in hybrid powertrains. The first will be a V12 plug-in for the Aventador replacement, and the Huracan replacement will have a V10 plug-in. The company is still working on a Urus plug-in hybrid, too. It has, however, had some problems getting the desired performance from test engines that have included twin-turbo V6s and a V8. You can read more about what's next for Lamborghini in the full Automotive News interview. Related Video:

Lamborghini still working on SUV, no decision yet

If Lamborghini adds another model to round out its supercar portfolio, it will be a sport utility vehicle, CEO Stephan Winkelmann said. "We are working on it, but there is no decision taken," he told Autoblog in an interview in April. The Italian automaker currently has the V12-powered Aventador and V10-powered Huracan in its lineup. Both are two-seat supercars that cater to a niche of sporting-minded enthusiasts. Lamborghini has flirted with several kinds of vehicles in recent years that could add to its volume and customer base, including the hybrid Asterion revealed at the Paris Motor Show last year, and the Estoque sedan that debuted in Paris in 2008. It also showed the Urus SUV prototype at the Beijing Motor Show in 2012. Seemingly a sure thing three years ago – the Urus even had sales projections of 3,000 per year – the project's future has remained uncertain to enthusiasts. "If we do a third model, then it's better to have the SUV as this is a growing segment, a more emotional segment, a segment which is very well-distributed in terms of volume all over the planet," Winkelmann said. And therefore this is a car which is more likely." While Lamborghini has focused on building high-powered, carbon-fiber intense supercars lately, it has also produced iconic grand tourers, like the Espada and 350GT. And of course, it once made an SUV, the LM002, from 1986-1993. The potential new SUV, however, would be different than the Rambo Lambo. The Urus had a contemporary design – more Porsche Macan or Cayenne than military grade – and it would appeal to Lamborghini owners that also have an SUV in their garage. It would also add significant volume for the company, which delivered 2,530 cars in 2014. The SUV offers Lamborghini a logical platform for a hybrid system. "Due to packaging, due to the weight of the entire vehicle, it's more likely that the hybridization is getting in place," Winkelmann said. "It's less a car which is about absolute performance. So this could be an opportunity." Put it all together and it seems likely a hybrid SUV is in Lamborghini's future. We're just not sure when. Related Video: