Sepang is a great place to be if you want to wring a super-SUV like the Lamborghini Urus SE to its absolute limits.
Sepang International Circuit isn’t exactly your average weekend hangout spot, unless you’re the sort who enjoys the sound of V10s echoing off the grandstands and the smell of roasted rubber in the air.
I was there for Round 5 of the Lamborghini Super Trofeo Asia series, soaking in the spectacle of purpose-built race cars slashing through apexes with all the subtlety of a chainsaw in a violin quartet.
But, as exhilarating as the track battles were, the real surprise came in the form of an electrified beast waiting quietly in the wings, the Lamborghini Urus SE. And unlike most luxury SUVs that spend their lives parked outside cafes, this one was about to get properly dirty.
Over the course of a day that would’ve made most supercar owners wince, we wrung the Urus SE through three curated challenges.
Welcome to the Mind-Bending World of the Urus SE
From the outside, the Urus SE still looks like a Lamborghini should: aggressive, chiselled, and vaguely unhinged.
Beneath the familiar silhouette lies a new heartbeat: a 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 paired with an electric motor, giving you a grand total of 789 bhp and 946 Nm of torque. That’s enough to slingshot this Super SUV from 0–100 km/h in just 3.4 seconds, which is approximately the time it takes you to blink twice and regret not bracing harder.
But power is only half the story. This is a Lamborghini with multiple personalities, courtesy of a labyrinthine drive mode system that would confuse even Maverick from Top Gun. One controller gives you six terrain and road modes: Strada, Sport, Corsa for road; Sabbia (sand), Terra (gravel), and Neve (snow) for off-road. A second controller lets you toggle between EV, Hybrid, Performance, and Recharge modes.
Switching between them isn’t instantaneous; you have to cycle through each like a confused barista looking for the oat milk setting on an espresso machine. But once you find the right combination, the Urus SE transforms with alarming clarity.
Skid Control with Supercar Drama
The skidpan was our first dance, and what a chaotic ballet it was. Most SUVs on a low-grip surface either plough straight or spin like an office chair on a tile floor. Not this one.
In Terra mode, the Urus SE surprised us with how easily it held a slide, helped by its new electronically controlled clutch and torque vectoring system. With the ESC off, the algorithms didn’t hesitate to think: “Ah, drift time.” You could initiate with a Scandinavian flick and exit sideways in a manner that would make Walter Röhrl smirk.
It’s uncanny. You’re reminded constantly that this thing weighs over two tonnes, and yet, it dances. The steering is responsive, the body control taut, and the 48V anti-roll system helps it feel smaller than it really is. Most cars give you a warning before they let go, this one gives you a wink and tells you to go harder.
Off the Paved Path and Into Terra
Next up was the sand and gravel course, a short but challenging loop designed to test the Urus SE’s off-road credibility. With Terra mode engaged, the car took on an entirely different character.
The throttle response became more measured, suspension softened just enough to soak up ruts, and the AWD system sent torque to wherever traction could be found. It clawed its way up steep inclines, bounded over undulations, and kept composure through uneven terrain.
Let’s be honest: very few owners will ever take their Urus off-road. But it’s nice to know that if you ever find yourself late for a Michelin-starred dinner in the Moroccan desert, the SE won’t let you down.
Sepang Hot Laps: Supercar Credentials, Confirmed
We concluded the exciting day with hot laps around Sepang. Here, the Urus SE was finally allowed to stretch its legs, and stretch it did.
In Corsa mode, everything sharpens. The throttle becomes twitchier, gear changes from the 8-speed ’box come with a satisfying thump, and the V8 roars with an unmistakable Italian snarl, even as the electric motor subtly fills in the gaps. The brakes (440mm carbon ceramics up front) bit hard and clean. Even regen is managed well, never feeling intrusive.
Four-wheel steering helps you carve into corners more confidently, and the bespoke Pirelli P Zero rubber grips with purpose. Despite its girth, the Urus SE never felt out of depth. It was composed. A true Lamborghini, just… taller.
Have Your Gelato and Eat It Too
The Lamborghini Urus SE is a revelation. It proves that electrification doesn’t have to mean sanitisation. Instead, it adds another layer of personality to an already charismatic machine.
Whether you’re power-sliding on a skidpan, bouncing through a gravel path, or hurtling down the main straight of Sepang at warp speed, the Urus SE delivers on every front. It’s a Swiss Army knife wrapped in raging bull skin.
And if this is Lamborghini’s future with electrification, consider us thoroughly charged up.
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