Uprated Lamborghini Urus breaks Pikes Peak hillclimb record

An uprated version of the Lamborghini Urus has smashed the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb record for production SUVs, finishing 17sec ahead of the previous champion. 

The new, as-yet-unrevealed variant of the Urus raced to the top of the famous Colorado hillclimb in 10min 32.064sec, driven by test driver Simone Faggioli - who also holds the course’s record for rear-wheel-drive cars.  

Although the Urus didn't race in the official event, Lamborghini says it was recorded on the same route by the trial’s official timekeepers. It finished significantly quicker than the previous champion, the Bentley Bentayga, which crossed the line in 10min 49.902sec back in 2018.  

The Bentayga, which was specially adapted by Bentley’s Crewe-based motorsport department and used a W12 engine that produced 600bhp and 664lb ft, set the record in a specification as close to production as possible. It averaged 66.5mph throughout the 156-bend course. 

The Urus, meanwhile, took on the 12.42-mile hill climb wearing a race-inspired orange-black-and-white camouflage livery. While much of the model’s exterior was obscured, the Urus appeared to display updated, more aggressive exterior styling. 

Lamborghini said the car was driven by a modified version of the twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre V8 engine seen under the bonnet of the standard Urus.

Safety was bolstered by a roll cage and a racing seat with a six-point harness. 

For ultimate grip, the Urus was fitted with upgraded, semi-slick Pirelli P Zero Trofeo R tyres, which were co-developed by Lamborghini. 

“The decision to test ourselves at Pikes Peak reflects the Lamborghini spirit of ‘expect the unexpected' and demonstrates the outstanding performance of the new Urus model to be presented shortly,” said Rouven Mohr, Lamborghini's chief technical officer. 

“Pikes Peak is the most famous hillclimb event in the world, as well as being extremely challenging for the car. The uneven track layout tests the chassis’ balance, the significant altitude differences stress the powertrain and the weather conditions can change very rapidly between start to finish.” 

It’s expected that new Urus will gain a slight performance upgrade, but it's likely to still be driven by the same V8 engine as the current car. 

Lamborghini remained tight-lipped about performance figures but will reveal all when the 'Urus Evo' is officially revealed in mid-August.