Lamborghini confirms its Urus SUV is going into production

The market for superfast, super-luxury off roaders is set to become increasingly crowded as the Italian supercar maker's decision follows a similar move from Bentley.

Initially revealed as a little more than a head-turning concept at the 2012 Beijing Motor Show, the Urus looks like a Lamborghini supercar force-fed steroids and hoisted onto a plinth.

Designed to test the waters so to speak, feedback was so positive that Lamborghini hinted back in September 2013 that it was seriously considering taking the car from concept to reality and now has confirmed exactly when the company's first new SUV for over 30 years will be hitting the roads -- 2017.

So potentially a long and agonizing wait but one that will be worth it if the finished car is enough like the concept and, knowing Lamborghini, it will do everything in its power to make the car as exhilarating and exhibitionist as possible.

The official announcement, made by Chief Executive Officer Stephan Winkelmann during an interview with Bloomberg this week at the Detroit Auto Show also highlights the renewed focus the luxury SUV market is receiving from the world's premium automotive brands.

At the moment, Land Rover's latest Range Rover more or less has the market segment to itself -- there is no other vehicle available that offers the car's levels of off-road technology, on-road performance and in-cabin luxury. However, it is about to be challenged in the shape of new models from Bentley, Audi and now Lamborghini.

In July, Bentley officially green-lit production of its own SUV, expected to arrive in 2016 and Aston Martin has also made it clear that it still has plans on the table to relaunch its Lagonda brand as a range of luxury off-roaders.

Even Rolls-Royce has admitted that although it has no current plans that it would 'never say never' when it came to entering the SUV segment.

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