First drive: 2022 Lamborghini Urus Performante prototype

Its name might cause some raised eyebrows given the branding was last applied to a lightweight, track-focused Lamborghini Huracán, but it is hard to fault the marketing logic behind the Lamborghini Urus Performante.

This is a more senior version of Lamborghini’s hugely fast SUV, one intended to keep on terms with turned-up rivals like the Aston Martin DBX 707 and Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT – plus the Ferrari Purosangue, which we will see in production form soon.

As with the Huracán Performante, the Urus Performante gets more power and less mass, although the changes over the existing car are modest. The 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 now makes 657bhp – a diabolical 666 metric horsepower – which represents a 16bhp increase over the standard Urus. Weight has fallen by 47kg thanks to changes such as a carbonfibre bonnet, reduced soundproofing and lighter suspension, but the Performante still tips the scales at 2150kg. The performance has been significantly improved, according to Lambo’s numbers: the Performante’s 3.3sec 0-62mph time is three-tenths inside the regular Urus’s and its 11.5sec 0-124mph time is 1.3sec quicker.

There have also been important mechanical changes to sharpen the driving experience. The Performante sits on steel springs rather than the air units that are standard with the regular Urus, although it keeps that car’s electromechanical anti-roll system. It also has a new Torsen centre differential, which is able to send more torque to the rear axle, plus revised settings for the electronically controlled biasing differential at the back. The more muscular bodywork and rear wing above the tailgate improve aerodynamics, albeit by reducing lift rather than creating positive downforce. There is also a new dynamic mode, Rally, which makes it easier to drift on loose surfaces. 

The car I drove was a late-production prototype, exclusively at the Nardó test track in southern Italy, where I experienced it alongside the regular Urus. The changes were both obvious and significant compared with the existing car. The Performante felt immediately keener thanks to its recalibrated engine and more aggressive throttle mapping in the punchier dynamic modes. Lamborghini CTO Rouven Mohr says the increase in power was less important than the changes made to improve drivability. It’s louder, too – raspier and snortier at the top end – and it’s not as if the standard Urus has ever lacked theatricality.

The Performante’s steering hasn’t gained weight but does feel noticeably crisper than in the standard car. That said, the prototype I drove had aggressive track-spec Pirelli Trofeo R tyres, which will be an option – one that increases the amount of grip the Performante has to call on in warm, dry conditions.