The Lamborghini Urus SUV has still yet to be given the official approval from the Volkswagen Group board, Lamborghini boss Stephan Winkelmann has told Autocar at the Sao Paulo motor show.
Winkelmann said he "hoped a decision would have been taken" by now, but a final decision has yet to be taken "at group level".
Despite the delay in the signing off process, Winkelmann said Lamborghini was continuing to work on developing the concept and the target launch date of 2017 had not slipped. “We are working on the project as if it is going to be accepted,” he said.
Bentley is understood to still be waiting for its own EXP 9 F SUV concept to be signed off for production, a model that will be closely linked to the Urus, although its launch is expected sooner.
Although the design of the Bentley was questioned at launch, the reaction to SUVs from both Bentley and Lamborghini was unanimously positive. So VW Group insiders have suggested the delay is more down to the current European financial crisis than any opposition to the models themselves.
