Bentayga

Make
Bentley
Segment
SUV

It was back in 2012 at the Beijing Motor Show when Lamborghini unveiled its Urus SUV concept. Yesterday, with less than a month left of 2017, the production version finally had its debut. Five years is nearly an eternity in the auto industry, but it's still pretty remarkable just how much of the Urus concept design has remained intact. At the same time, there are many changes, as is always the case from concept to production. In March 2016, Lamborghini appointed a new chief designer, Mitja Borkert, and one of his first tasks was to finalize the Urus design.

The concept was styled by his predecessor, but Borkert had the opportunity to make the Urus his own. For starters, it looks bulkier than the concept, especially up front. The 2019 Lamborghini Urus has a massive front grille. That makes sense because this is the first front-engined Lamborghini since its SUV predecessor, the LM002. That 4.0-liter bi-turbo V8 needs to breathe somehow. The front headlights are similar but still different. There's definitely some Centenario Y signature influence there. Notice the overall body sculpting, notably the aggressive rear wheel arch. Again, very similar but the production version is slightly more pronounced, perhaps because of the beefy side sills.

Proportionally, it's obvious the concept and production version ride on two different platforms. This makes complete sense considering the Urus shares an architecture with its VW Group SUV stablemates, the Audi Q7, Porsche Cayenne, and Bentley Bentayga. The concept's wheels, for example, are larger in proportion to the body. The front air vent, located behind the front wheel, is now significantly smaller. Moving out back, the C-pillar has become thicker because the production Urus is longer than the concept. This is all the more evident with the now longer rear overhang. The 2019 Urus features a now functional rear diffuser which, again, adds extra bulk.

The rear exhaust pipes are now oval-shaped as opposed to the previous hexagon styling. Because of engineering reasons, Borkert added a pair of rear vents just below the taillights. Speaking of which, the Y signature theme continues here as well with the handsome LED units. As for the interior design, what we saw on the concept was pretty wild, and the final version doesn't disappoint either. This is a Lamborghini, after all. The concept's center column is narrower with far fewer buttons. The information screen is now significantly larger and wider. The steering wheel is similar but different; it's a modern Lamborghini design.

The 2019 Urus has evolved very nicely from the concept of five years ago. Given the amount of time that passed from concept to production, while the 2019 Lamborghini Urus is heavily influenced by the 2012 concept due to general technological advancements, safety regulations, and a new design director anxious to his leave his mark, the 2019 Urus is its own thing. And it can't be mistaken for anything other than a Lamborghini.