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San Francisco, CA – February 18, 2025 – The new Lamborghini Urus SE Performante has been tipped as the world’s fastest production SUV, thanks to a combination of new chassis technology and plug-in-hybrid smarts. A detailed UK review of the revised model says these upgrades make the Urus even quicker in real-world driving, strengthening Lamborghini’s hold on the high-performance luxury SUV segment. The SE Performante follows the Urus SE’s switch to a V8-and-motor powertrain, then sharpens everything with the track-focused suspension, aero, and lightweight bits that have become the Performante signature.
Under the sculpted hood sits a 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 paired with an axial-flux electric motor housed inside the eight-speed automatic transmission. Together, they produce 789 hp and 950 Nm of torque, enough to launch the SE Performante from zero to 62 mph in about 3.4 seconds and carry on to a top speed north of 190 mph. The electric motor alone adds 141 hp and provides a short zero-emission range, which Lamborghini claims is around 60 km on the WLTP cycle—about 37 miles for US drivers.
What sets the SE Performante apart from the earlier, non-electrified Urus models is not just the grunt. It’s the way the hybrid system has been integrated into the chassis. The motor sits as an independent unit on the rear axle, effectively acting as an intelligent torque-vectoring system that can send drive to each rear wheel almost instantly. During cornering, the electric motor can add negative or positive torque, helping the SUV pivot into bends with the lightness of a much smaller car. That’s a huge step forward from the all-petrol Urus, which relied on mechanical and brake-derived vectoring systems.
The SE Performante’s suspension has been fully revised, too. It uses active multi-valve dampers that can decompress in milliseconds, allowing the body to remain calm over broken tarmac while keeping sharp turn-in on smooth roads. A predictive system reads road surface data through the sensors and adjusts firmness before the wheel reaches a bump. Lamborghini calls this “dynamic chassis control,” and it works in concert with the hybrid’s energy management to ensure the battery isn’t just a weight penalty.
The review highlights that the system uses GPS data to anticipate upcoming corners. If the car detects a series of bends, it can charge the battery during the preceding straight so that the electric boost is available exactly when needed. Equally, in town, the car conserves battery for zero-emission driving. That kind of predictive intelligence is what separates the SE Performante from rivals with simpler hybrid calibration.
According to the review, the SE Performante is not simply faster on paper; it feels quicker in the real world. The electric torque fills in below the turbo lag threshold, giving an almost diesel-like surge from low revs. Then the V8 wakes up with a decidedly non-hybrid soundtrack, complete with crackling downshifts from the exhaust system. The eight-speed gearbox has been recalibrated to match the instant torque character of the motor, and drivers can choose from the usual Strada, Sport, Corsa and a new Neve (snow) mode, plus an EV-only mode for silent city crawling.
In Corsa mode, the rear motor’s torque-vectoring works with a rear-biased all-wheel-drive system to deliver aggressive rotation under cornering. The steering response has also been tightened, and the Performante’s lighter carbon-fibre panels save enough unsprung mass to improve both steering precision and ride comfort. The review notes that in everyday traffic, the car feels as docile as a standard Urus, but on a mountain road, it morphs into something closer to a mid-engined sports car. That duality is the heart of the SE Performante’s purpose.
Lamborghini has not yet published US-specific specifications for the SE Performante, but the Urus SE went on sale in America with a base price around $259,000 before options. The Performante treatment has historically added $50,000 or more on top of the regular Urus. It’s therefore safe to expect the SE Performante to approach the $300,000 mark in the US, with first deliveries likely in the second half of 2025. With standard carbon-ceramic brakes, active aero, and a fully digital cockpit, the production SUV also comes with a full suite of advanced driver-assistance systems that make it more usable as a daily driver.
US buyers will also get the benefit of the hybrid system’s EV range. Federal tax credits do not apply to Lamborghini models, but in several states, plug-in hybrids are allowed in HOV lanes and some emissions regimes are friendlier. More importantly for performance fans, the electric motor’s low-speed assist reduces the stress on the V8, which could improve reliability in stop-and-go traffic compared with the previous petrol-only versions.
The Lamborghini Urus SE Performante enters a crowded segment that is also going hybrid. The BMW XM Label is a big plug-in hybrid with a V8, but it lacks Lamborghini’s dynamic sharpness. The Aston Martin DBX707 remains a pure petrol V8 and, while sonorous and fast, does not offer EV running or torque-vector-fill. The Porsche Cayenne Turbo E-Hybrid is arguably the most technically similar, with a V8 plus electric motor, but it cannot match Lamborghini’s presence or the Performante’s dedicated track tuning. The Tesla Model X Plaid is ludicrous in a straight line, but it doesn’t deliver the sensory experience or the sumptuous cabin quality of the Urus.
Where the SE Performante truly wins is breadth. It will lap a circuit quicker than its predecessors, yet still calm enough to enter a valet line with zero tailpipe emissions. The UK review calls it “the most complete Urus yet,” and the hybrid system is the reason why.
Many makers have electrified their performance SUVs by placing the motor only to add boost. Lamborghini has gone further by making the electric motor a functional axle. This is not a trick to improve a Nürburgring lap time, though it will. The motor’s ability to mimic a torque-vectoring diff eliminates the weight and complexity of a mechanical rear differential on a car that already has a complex all-wheel-drive system. That engineering choice saves several kilograms and lets the rear axle respond faster than any clutch-based system.
It also opens a path to future models. Lamborghini has confirmed that the Urus line will not remain pure combustion forever, and the SE Performante’s architecture will inform the next-generation electric and hybrid models. This car serves as a technical showcase as much as a performance statement.
Despite the low-profile concept, the SE Performante remains a five-seat SUV with a reasonable 520-litre trunk. The rear seats accommodate adults, and the cabin uses the same high-quality materials found in other Urus models, with plenty of Alcantara and carbon trim. The infotainment system now has a hybrid-specific display that shows power flow, battery percentage, and EV range. The graphics are crisp, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto remain standard.
The ride is more compliant than expected, thanks to the all-new air-spring setup. In Comfort mode, the suspension absorbs potholes without the tension typical of high-performance SUVs. Only when you switch to Sport or Corsa does the body tighten, and even then, it never becomes harsh enough to punish grand-touring duties. That balance ensures the SE Performante works as both a track weapon and a family hauler.
The Lamborghini Urus SE Performante is more than a headline power figure. It is proof that electrification can improve not just efficiency but also the very dynamics that matter to driving enthusiasts. The new chassis technology delivers real tactile benefits, and the EV smarts make the hybrid system a performance asset rather than a compromise. For anyone in the market for the fastest production SUV, the SE Performante now sets the benchmark.
The full review from PistonHeads underlines one thing: this is the Urus that feels most like a Lamborghini sports car, and with US availability about to expand, American buyers will finally get to experience what Italian engineers have achieved. As the performance SUV wars continue to heat up, Lamborghini has fired a decisive salvo.
