BY JAMES CAMPBELL

Lamborghini is set to begin production of their first ever SUV, a 600hp hybrid luxury crossover called the Urus, next month. The new SUV will be made in Sant’Agata Bolognese, thus reinforcing Lamborghini as an Italian brand. And it looks absolutely beautiful if I don’t say myself.

Writing in the Express Luke John Smith describes the Urus thus: “the concept images make it look like a cross between the Aventador and a Porsche Cayenne.”

I’d say Luke is being a touch cruel. Look at the carved-out front grille which will have pigeons worldwide flying for cover. The side angles look more like a 2003 BMW X5 concertinaed down into an aerodynamic wedge. The rear looks more like a Jaguar F Pace than a Cayenne. If anything, and let me be controversial here, there is something more of the Citroen DS5 mixed up with a Transformer at play here, which will appeal to the Monaco crowd and footballers alike.

One would not expect to see many Urus (or should that be Uri?) appearing on the school run, let alone at a countryside shoot.  But the car is not so outlandish as other Lamborghini models, like the Countach, to exclude itself from a Twickenham car park picnic or Glyndebourne.

Inside is as beautiful as out, although the seats with a central split look capable of trapping errant testicles and the dash looks like it’s been finished by an Italian ice-cream maker.

Predicted to cost £135,000 by Car Magazine in 2012, the new estimates of £185,000 by Auto Express seem nearer the mark. I’d guess north of £220,000 all in. That’s a week’s work for Raheem Sterling.

Lamborghini have not sacrificed design for practicality. That is worth a doffing of my chapeau. I’m impressed.

A truly beautiful car.