Lamborghini Urus SE Handles Off-Roading & School Runs With Equal Aplomb

Lamborghini’s Urus SE is a plug-in hybrid built to cope with the worst of Cairngorms conditions, say Jeremy Taylor and Jessica Talbot-Ponsonby.

Test Drive: Lamborghini Urus SE

Jeremy: The Lamborghini Urus SE is a groundbreaking, luxury family car – a plug-in hybrid with a genuine Jekyll and Hyde personality. A high-voltage evolution of the ‘super SUV’, this five-seater blends raw Italian aggression with a newfound silent efficiency.

Like all Lambos, the SE is designed to be quick, combining a powerful 4.0-litre V8 engine and an electric motor. Together they produce 789bhp – supercar-like statistics that will rocket the Urus from 0-62mph in just 3.4 seconds and a top speed approaching 200mph.

Lamborghini call it the ‘double-soul’ persona because the SE’s 25.9kWh battery will also drive the Urus 37 miles just on electric power. With a starting price north of £200,000 and an 80 percent reduction in emissions, the Urus SE is a unique proposition.

And where better to put this Italian stallion through its paces than the Scottish Highlands? Our destination is Killiehuntly Farmhouse, an hour’s drive south of Inverness, just off the main A9 trunk road, near Kingussie.

Often described as ‘hygge in the Highlands’, this incredible property blends contemporary Danish design and traditional Scottish heritage. Part of the massive WildLand conservation project, Killiehuntly is situated on a 4,000-acre estate within the Cairngorms National Park.

The brainchild of Danish billionaire Anders Holch Povlsen – now Scotland’s largest private landowner – the eco organisation manages some 220,000 acres across 13 estates. Rewilding on a grand scale, the project includes planting millions of trees, restoring the peatland and helping to save rare species, like pine marten and red squirrel.

Just finding Killiehuntly is an adventure and in the winter months, an all-wheel drive SUV like the Urus SE is an absolute must. The main farmhouse is up a hillside track and features just four bedrooms, with a cook on hand to prepare sumptuous suppers.

A cross between a luxury self-catering pad and a cool Scandi hotel, more rooms are available in the nearby cottages. Sweat it out in a yurt sauna or enjoy occasional Scottish sunshine in the greenhouse that doubles as a meditation room. Electric trail bikes, wild-swimming – you won’t be lost for things to do. Otherwise, just chill out in front of an open fire.

Surrounded by the peaks of the Cairngorms, this latest Lambo is a great vehicle for exploring the region. Launched in 2018, Urus has become the Italian marque’s top-selling model of all time. The brand’s first SUV is also the ultimate lifestyle vehicle, capable of carrying the kids to football practise and cope with a boot-load of shopping, too.

Drivers can easily tailor the drivetrain and air suspension to suit road conditions, perfect for rugged Scottish routes. There is an off-road drive mode too, although very few Urus drivers are likely to put an SUV that costs this much at risk.

On tarmac, the SE is a blast. The Lambo can be tamed burbling around town but the merest blip of the throttle and it becomes a lunatic. Hard cornering is flattened out by an active anti-roll system, while four-wheel steering sharpens the handling.

A tearaway masquerading as a family car, Urus SE is a guilty pleasure that also manages the Highland tracks to Killiehuntly and the school run with equal aplomb.

Jessica: Whether you are a serious petrolhead or an EV-friendly driver, the SE ticks the box. A big V8 engine is frowned upon these, days but adding a battery pack to the Urus boosts its green credentials, while not impacting on the Lambo’s mind-bending speed either.

Despite the extra weight of the battery pack, the Urus is a fantastic driver’s car, capable of long-distance grand tours, or a fast and furious blast across the Highlands.

Discover more about the Lamborghini Urus SE at lamborghini.com

Jessica Talbot-Ponsonby is Director of Programmes at London College of Fashion, studying for a PhD in sustainable e-textile design.