2027 Lamborghini Urus SE Performante review: Track test

While famous farmer and former host of Top Gear Jeremy Clarkson often used this catchphrase rather flippantly, there's no more accurate way to describe the Lamborghini Urus – a not-so-subtle luxury family wagon honed to hit an electronically limited top speed of 312km/h.

The upcoming Urus SE Performante doesn't move the needle in that regard. Instead, it's a leaner, sharper and more purposeful evolution, engineered to be devastatingly quick not only in a straight line, but around racetracks and shopping centre carparks too.

Ahead of its Australian debut next year, we travelled to Italy to sample a production example at Vairano Proving Ground.

We're still not sure, as pricing likely won't be announced until closer to the SE Performante's local launch, pencilled for early to mid-2027.

Lamborghini has, however, hinted at a 10 per cent hike over the 'base' Urus SE – currently priced at $457,834 before on-road costs – so we'd expect an entry point around the $500k mark.

Sounds hefty, right? Perhaps, but it's still far less than what you'll pay for a Ferrari Purosangue ($839,992 before ORCs).

Closer in value but also slower in terms of top speed are the related Bentley Bentayga Speed ($513,600 plus ORCs) and Aston Martin DBX S ($475,000 before ORCs), both of which carry similar brand cachet.

Want the performance without all the attention? The Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT and Audi RSQ8 share their underpinnings with the Urus, yet can be had for much less money.

To see how the Lamborghini Urus lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

Lamborghini's version of Alcantara covers the ceiling, doors, dashboard, seats, steering wheel and centre console, while the auto industry's favourite lightweight weave also features prominently ahead of the driver.

Red honeycomb stitching, darker accents and embroidered lettering across the seats further set the SE Performante apart.

As a result, there's no mistaking it for a standard Urus, nor any other SUV on the market. The SE Performante is 100 per cent committed to being a track-ready family wagon, and therefore feels truly special to sit in.

It likewise feels luxurious, as just about every surface is soft to the touch, including oft-neglected areas below the beltline. You're getting what you pay for on the materials front, that's for sure.

And, in the case of the seats and steering wheel, the Corsa-Tex treatment serves a practical purpose – affording the driver a level of grip and control that slippery leather simply can't.