Watch Lamborghini Urus Performante Drag Race Less-Powerful Predecessor

The Lamborghini Urus is the automaker’s best-selling model right now. Yes, the company built its reputation on selling supercars, but the people want crossovers, and Lamborghini is delivering thousands of them. A new video from the Carwow YouTube channel takes the most potent version, the Urus Performante, and drag races it against the standard offering, which has less power and weighs more.

The regular Urus uses a twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 engine that produces 650 horsepower (484 kilowatts) and 627 pound-feet (850 Newton-meters) of torque. An eight-speed automatic gearbox sends power to all four wheels. The Urus Performante makes 666 hp (496 kW) and the same amount of torque from the same sized engine.

The Performante is also 104 pounds lighter (47 kilograms) than the standard Urus, allowing it to hit 62 miles per hour (100 kilometers per hour) in a claimed 3.3 seconds, three-tenths of a second quicker. Lamborghini also lowered it by 0.8 inches (20 millimeters) and widened the track by 0.6 in (16 mm).

The first standing race had the regular Urus slowly pulling away from the Performante before crossing the finish line first. The second rolling race had the Performante launching ahead of the regular version, maintaining its lead through the finish line. The final standing race saw the two SUVs get off the line at the same time, but the standard version pulled away, crossing the finish line first and winning two of the three races. The standard Urus completed the standing quarter-mile in 11.5 seconds. The Performante needed 11.7 seconds to finish the race.

The pair then competed in two rolling races. The Performante dominated the first one, which was from 50 mph (80 kph) and with both SUVs in street mode. It handily pulled away from the standard Urus, crossing the half-mile finish line well ahead of its less-powerful predecessor. The second rolling race wasn’t as kind to the Performante, with the standard version winning. 

The Performante also dominated the brake test. The newer SUV stopped from 100 mph in a much shorter distance. It did this twice, proving its capability. However, the extra horsepower and the associated price tag aren’t always visible on the race track.