0 Lamborghini Urus

A carmaker like Lamborghini might seem sheltered from the dull gray world of sales targets and economic cycles. Yet even supercar companies must balance the books, which is why Lamborghini plans to unveil the Urus sport utility concept at the 2012 Beijing auto show, where press previews begin Monday.

Though nominally a concept, the Urus is already positioned by Lamborghini as its imminent sales leader, set to outpace the combined annual contribution of its midengine Gallardo and Aventador models. The brand sold roughly 1,600 vehicles in 2011. In a news release, the automaker identified 3,000 units as a conceivable annual target for the S.U.V., with emerging markets like China and Russia accounting for a significant, if undisclosed, portion of those sales.

A strictly controlled media preview of the Urus was held during the New York auto show earlier this month. Cameras and mobile phones were confiscated, and journalists were required to pass through a metal detector before the Urus would be revealed.

“This will be the Lamborghini of S.U.V.’s,” Stephen Winkelmann, Lamborghini’s chief executive, said just before the veil was lifted. Certainly, the sharp creases and chiseled bodywork left no doubt whose badge was on the nose.

Lamborghini did not disclose powertrain or drivetrain details for the concept, saying only that a production version would be likely to generate 600 horsepower and have permanent all-wheel drive. As a holding of the Volkswagen Group, Lamborghini might be expected to share, at minimum, the S.U.V.’s platform with that used by corporate cousins like the Porsche Cayenne, Audi Q7 and Volkswagen Touareg. But as with Audi’s recent announcement that it would buy the Italian sportbike manufacturer Ducati, family relations were not mentioned.

Weight was controlled through the use of lightweight materials like carbon fiber. The concept has been fitted with movable front and rear spoilers, which rise or fall to smooth the car’s aerodynamics at speed and to improve fuel economy. Lamborghini says the Urus has the lowest CO2 emissions of its competition, but without an official price, it is not clear whether that competition skews more Range Rover or more Ferrari FF.

Though the cabin was off-limits during the New York preview, images released before the Beijing debut depict four segmented white-leather seats that could have been props from “2001: A Space Odyssey” — or “Barbarella,” if you’re feeling less charitable. A simulated black-marble effect covers much of the dash, doors and seat platforms. There is room for four and, based on comments by Lamborghini representatives during the New York preview, enough cargo room to carry a dog in the back.

If produced, the Urus — the Latin name of an ancestor of modern bulls — would follow the LM002, the Italian automaker’s first S.U.V., built from 1985 to 1992. The second coming, however, would emphasize down-the-road speed over off-road prowess.