Hybrid Power at Alpine Heights

Fifteen years ago, choosing a large sport utility vehicle for a run on some of Italy’s best roads would feel like a punishment rather than something to look forward to. When you couple that with that SUV being a hybrid, you would probably have more fun behind the wheel of a Fiat Multipla. 

But, times have changed, technology has advanced and the world of sports SUVs is brimming with vehicles that are incredibly fast and exciting to drive. And now, hybrid technology isn’t just for improving fuel economy - it can also add some serious power. That is something Lamborghini took advantage of with the new Urus SE - the first plug-in hybrid variant of the brand’s SUV. 

We picked up the stunning light metallic blue Urus SE from the Lamborghini factory in Sant’Agata Bolognese and headed north towards Milan. As soon as we pulled onto the Autostrada, the car settled into a comfortable cruise. Unlike the Lamborghini of the past, this car doesn’t really have any vices, inside it's spacious, comfortable and quiet, and everything works as you would expect. Sure, the Audi influence is obvious, and it lost much of the charm from the cars of old, but for a daily driver, those are welcome trade offs. 

Once we hit Milan, we headed west towards Turin, on our way to the Gran Paradiso National Park. Situated in the north western Graian Alps, this national park consists of more than 703 square kilometers of mountains, valleys and glaciers, with Gran Paradiso mountain being the highest peak entirely within Italy, at more than 4,000 meters. 

As we enter the park, it’s impossible to not appreciate the natural beauty surrounding us, but what’s perhaps more important is that the roads are completely empty. One of the benefits to taking this trip during the week is, we have hundreds of kilometers of tight winding roads almost entirely to ourselves. 

Making our way up the mountains towards the village of Ceresole Reale, the roads are narrow and quite curvy. Normally, we would prefer something smaller out here - a 964 Carrera RS or even a 106 Rallye would be ideal, but the Urus SE puts on an incredible show. Tipping the scales at over 2,500 kg, you would think this would hardly be a driver’s first choice for tight mountain driving - but you would be wrong. 

The Urus SE was outstandingly nimble, hopping from corner to corner, without feeling upset or out of sorts. With an active suspension system, torque vectoring all-wheel drive and an electronic rear limited slip differential, the Urus SE does a remarkable job of hiding its massive curb weight in the turns and feels about 1,000 kg lighter behind the wheel. 

It should come as no surprise the SUV had plenty of power - under the hood sits a twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 that produces 611 horsepower which, in the SE, is paired with a plug-in hybrid system bringing the total power up to an astonishing 789 hp according to Lamborghini. But what really surprised us was the brakes. Up front, enormous 17.3-inch carbon ceramic discs provided a firm, confident pedal feel and made for fade-free stopping around every turn. 

When we got towards the top of the mountain, the road was closed due to snow. By this time, night had fallen, and we were alone with the stars, protected wild Ibexs, and the Urus. The peaceful night under a full moon gave us time to reflect on how impressive the Urus SE is as an all-around vehicle. As we put it through its paces, we concluded that we weren’t disappointed in any aspect of its performance, seeming just as comfortable loping down the autostrada as it was attacking a tight mountain switchback. 

If you can only have one car to do it all, the Urus SE is a superb choice - but please, be sure to enjoy it on some fun roads.

Words by Jack Scarpino