2012 Beijing Auto Show: Lamborghini Unveils 600 hp Aurochs

Monday, April 23, 2012

2012 Beijing Auto Show: Lamborghini Unveils 600 hp Aurochs

So they finally took the wraps off the long anticipated and already much hated Urus, the SUV concept from Lamborghini.

Volkswagen's token Italian, Lamborghini CEO Stephan Winkelmann, says that Urus is the "ancestor of today's fighting bull." Wikipedia says it's an aurochs. An anonymous contributor helpfully added today that it is an SUV from Lamborghini.

Winkelmann is the perfect Lamborghini CEO: Born in Berlin, schooled in Rome, a reserve lieutenant of the German army, speaks English with an Italian accent. He is also Volkswagen's best looking and best dressed CEO. Not that he has much competition there.

Winkelmann calls the Urus "fast, strong, courageous, in one word – invincible."

The car is 1.66 meters low, has a high ground clearance, which is adjustable.

Carbon fiber helps reduce the weight of the car by 100kg.

According to Winkelmann, 600hp offer "stunning acceleration." Of course, the bull is "best in class in CO2 emissions."

This car is not released to production yet, but Winkelmann knows that it will sell worldwide "an average of 3,000 times." Whatever that may mean.

The crowd loves the aurochs. However the crowd is from China and as such also digs style aberrations like a melange of Greek, Baroque and Arabian Nights. Or steamed toads.

Winkelmann basks in the admiration.

I think there will be a production model next year when the auto show goes to Shanghai.

I am trying to gauge reaction. I do not have time for many man on the street interviews. Instead, I ask an expert, a Lamborghini product specialist: "Do you think this will be a hit elsewhere than in China?"