Lamborghini awaits Urus surge

Lamborghini's product portfolio saw a seismic shift in 2018 with the addition of its long-awaited SUV, the Urus. The Italian automaker, known for two-door exotics such as the Countach, Diablo and Murcielago, expects the Urus to double the brand's global sales to 7,000 units in 2019. But just because Lamborghini now has a utility in the lineup, it hasn't forgotten its supercar roots. The Huracan and Aventador received new variants this year, and more power is expected as nameplates are refreshed and redesigned.

Huracan: The brand's biggest seller in North America, the Huracan is offered in several variants. A Performante Spyder was added this year. The Huracan likely will be refreshed for the 2020 model year with a redesign following in 2021 or 2022. Lamborghini CEO Stefano Domenicali has said the successors to the Huracan and Aventador will come only as plug-in hybrids.

Aventador: An open-air Aventador S Roadster joined the lineup this year and the automaker took to Pebble Beach last month to show off the limited-run Aventador SVJ. Powered by a V-12 engine with 770 hp and equipped with four-wheel drive, the Aventador SVJ can hit 60 mph in roughly 2.8 seconds. The two-door has a new front bumper with a new air intake, and the rear features a redesigned engine cover. The company will build only 900 Aventador SVJs, starting at $517,770. The Aventador SVJ is set to arrive in early 2019.

An Aventador redesign isn't likely until 2020 at the earliest. It will have a normally aspirated V-12 coupled with a plug-in hybrid.

Urus: The SUV goes on sale this month, slotted at the bottom of Lamborghini'spricerange. The Urus starts at around $200,000 and uses the same

platform as other utilities in the VW Group catalog, such as the Porsche Cayenne, Audi Q7 and Bentley Bentayga. The Urus is powered by a twin-turbo, 4.0-liter V-8 engine, good for 650 hp. The Urus will hold the distinction of being the first electrified Lamborghini when a plug-in hybrid variant appears in early 2020.

Fourth nameplate: Lamborghini is working on a fourth nameplate, but it remains several years away. A 2+2 GT sports car, if approved, would arrive between 2025 and 2027, Domenicali told Automotive News late last year, adding that the Huracan's V-10 or the Urus' V-8 would provide the model's power.