I love the idea of a Lamborghini SUV, and I’m a HUGE fan of the LM002 because it was a different type of Lambo, but it was unmistakably a Lambo. I mean it was an Italian Humvee with the V12 engine from a top-tier supercar, what’s not to love about that?

But as I look at the new Lamborghini Urus, I’m really struggling to see where it’s actually a Lamborghini. I mean, the Urus is effectively an Audi Q7 with an RS 7 drivetrain, and some more angular bodywork. It’s very clearly a parts bin car, and I really don’t think that suits the Lamborghini brand at all.

Objectively, I actually like the way the Urus looks a lot, and I think the interior, especially, looks fantastic. I think its performance numbers are very impressive for a big SUV, but then again they had to be, didn’t they? I bet it will handle better than you’d think possible, and I’m sure it will be quite a riot on the road. But none of that is what defines a Lamborghini.

Lamborghinis are all about offering a uniquely extreme experience. They are supposed to be anything but normal, and the Urus, to me, is too obviously a Cayenne with a bodykit. It’s far too everyday, and it relies entirely on its styling and colors to “be” a Lamborghini. I don’t think merely dressing the part will do in this case.

Look, I recently heard a tuned Audi RS7 with high flow downpipes doing pulls on a dyno, and it sounded good, if even a little restrained for a car with 650awhp. That is pretty much the same sound this Lamborghini is going to make, and it’s just not enough.

One of the best things about the LM002 was its screaming V12, straight out of the Countach. I remember, distinctly, a moment Al and I had in Monterey where we heard the wail of an Italian V12 at full chat behind us. As we turned around, we saw not a low wedge-shaped supercar, but this massive square truck barreling through traffic. It was unbelievable, and the ridiculousness of the situation has cemented it in my mind.

Lamborghini LM002 V12 Sound:

Modified Audi RS7 Sound (very similar to how the Urus will sound):

I don’t think the Urus is crazy enough to carry on the lineage of the LM002, in my opinion, the hardware simply isn’t there. I know Lamborghini will do everything they can with the software, tuning the Urus to be more distinctive than its chassis mates, but I think they sacrificed far to much in the name of practicality for it to be the real deal.

I get that they have to work with what’s in their parts bin, but why the V8 from the RS 7? Why not a twin turbocharged version of the Huracan’s V10? That would have at least made the right sort of Lamborghini sound, and we know it’s doable because Audi did it with the C6 RS 6.

I also think they should have given the Urus a much more distinctive shape. They went way too BMW X6 with its design, and I think that hurts it. A pickup bed like the LM002 would’ve been awesome, but I get it’s not what the market may want. I think they should’ve gone with more of a jagged shooting-brake shape. I also think they should’ve gone with more offroad appeal as well, something more like the new Land Rover Discovery SVX… something totally bitchin’, and you can shove your grievances up your ass!

I think the big problem is that the Urus seems like they tried to make a Huracan-like SUV. Frankly, I would’ve much rather they came out with a literal off-road Huracan with big dirt tires and an massive suspension. Something reminiscent of the Mega Track would’ve been incredible, but instead we have the very livable, very familiar, Urus.

It’s clear to me that, ideologically and from a corporate perspective, the Urus is an SUV that has been branded as a Lamborghini, rather than an actual Lamborghini SUV. There’s a huge difference between those two things, and we got the crappier one.

At around $200,000,  I’m sure they’re going to sell a ton of these things, leveraging the Lamborghini brand, and showing us depreciation the likes of which we haven’t seen. Rest assured, the Urus will be in every Rap video you can imagine, it will be a fixture in the rearview mirror of anyone who dares cruise in the left lane, and it will be available at your local used car lot for $29,995 soon enough.

Honestly, though. Forget the “Lamborghini” badge for a sec. Look at the Urus, look at all of its details, and try and tell me that this is a more badass SUV than the new Hellcat Jeep. I sure as hell don’t think so.

-Nick Walker