Lamborghini has high hopes for the Urus and it’s doing all it can to make sure that the SUV lives up to the considerable hype that it’s been receiving. On the side of preparations, the Italian automaker has certainly left no stones unturned, including giving it a twin-turbo turbocharged V-8 engine and a torque converter instead of a dual-clutch gearbox, both of which are firsts for the Italian automaker.

Speaking with Car Advice, Lamborghini CEO Stefano Domenicali and board member for research and development Maurizio Reggiani explained that the decision to go with a turbocharged V-8 engine was brought about by the need to have a good amount of torque at low rpm levels, something that only a turbocharged engine can provide. This allows the Urus SUV to to utilize its off-road abilities and perform things like dune surfing without having to worry about coming out of from the dune.

The need to have ample amounts of torque also opened the door for the company to use, for the very first time, a torque converter as opposed to a dual-clutch or ISR gearbox like the one used in the Lamborghini Aventador. According to Reggiani, a torque converter became important to establishing the Urus as a bonafide SUV because the amount of torque it would generate would be so high that no dual-clutch gearbox can manage the torque levels that Lamborghini was looking to attain. It’s worth noting that the Italian automaker has yet to release the torque figures of the Urus but there have been rumors that say it’s going to exceed 700 pound-feet, more than the 664 pound-feet of torque that Bentley was able to coax out of the turbocharged W-12 TSI engine that can be found under the hood of the Bentayga.

There’s no question that the Urus was prepared to be all that it can be. But even with the decisions to use a turbocharged engine and a torque convertor, both Domenicali and Reggiani attest that the Urus is still a “pure Lamborghini.”

In the words of Domenicali himself, “if you perceive and close the eyes without seeing anything and drive the car, you will know it’s a real Lamborghini.”

Continue after the jump to read the full story.

Is this the most hyped Lamborghini model in recent years?

It certainly looks that way, doesn’t it? We’ve read and heard so many things about the Lamborghini Urus since it first showed up in concept form at the Beijing Auto Show…four years ago. Yes, it’s been four years since Lamborghini told the world of its plans to build an SUV. There have been some hiccups along the way, but eventually, we’re going to see the Urus when it hits the market in 2018.

Considering that Lamborghini has had all this time to develop the car, it’s not surprising to hear Stefano Domenicali and Maurizio Reggiani talk up the Urus in such glowing terms. Quite frankly, I didn’t expect anything less from the company knowing how important the SUV is in achieving Lamborghini’s goal of doubling its sales volume by 2019.

Think about it. It takes a car of paramount importance for Lamborghini to not only secede to using a turbocharged engine but to also opt for a torque converter just so it has the right amount of power and performance to remain true to its Lambo roots. The fact that the Urus will have a turbocharged V-8 speaks not only to how crucial the model is for Lambo, but just as important, it tells you that even a company as traditionally grounded as the Raging Bull has to adapt to the evolving landscape of the industry.

Personally, I can’t wait to see the Lamborghini Urus and I’m sure I’m not the only with this sentiment. It may not be technically the first SUV that Lamborghini has built (that credit goes to the Rambo Lambo LM002), but it is arguably the first non-sportscar or supercar model that Lamborghini is fully embracing with the vigor and enthusiasm of a company that knows how important the model is to the brand’s current and future status and its overall legacy.

Read our full review on the Lamborghini Urus here.