Abt Sportsline takes Lamborghini Urus to 700bhp

The debate is probably still raging somewhere over Lamborghini’s latest SUV, the Urus, but regardless of your thoughts on the twin-turbocharged V8 monster, there’s no doubting its abilities are quite impressive for something of its size and weight.

More performance isn’t necessarily the first thing we’d change though, but we learned long ago that such concerns are no barrier to the tuning industry. German firm Abt Sportsline has now revealed its take on the Italo-Germanic beast, rendering it even quicker than the already rapid standard car.

> Click here for our review of the Lamborghini Urus

From the factory the four-litre V8 in the Urus puts down 641bhp and 627lb ft of torque, but Abt’s warranted performance kit and ‘Abt Engine Control’ unit lifts these numbers to 700bhp and 671lb ft, which must surely be approaching the limits of the ZF eight-speed transmission.

Abt notes with pride that the power figure is more than twice that of the old Countach LP400S, a car considered fairly brutal in its day, though one even the Urus can’t compete with for sheer presence.

The newfound outputs don’t do anything for the top speed, which Abt claims is around the 190mph mark – as per the standard car – but it does haul the 2200kg car to 62mph from rest a couple of tenths quicker, down to 3.4sec from 3.6. 

No other parts for the Urus have yet been announced – even the wheels on Abt’s demo car are as per the regular Urus – but wheels, aero parts and trim details are all sure to join the list in time. Actually, it’s somewhat refreshing that Abt has, for the time being, left the divisive styling well alone.

Pricing hasn’t been officially announced, but if you’ve got the £159,925 to set aside for the base car, an ECU-based tuning kit is unlikely to trouble your pocketbook by a great deal more.

In the meantime, those wishing for more dramatic changes to the Lamborghini’s styling can head for rival tuners such as Manhart or Mansory...