The Lamborghini Urus concept, unveiled in 2012 to both fanfare and criticism, as well as comparisons to the LM002, will finally enter production this year.

The design is expected to have been given an overhaul since the concept’s reveal all those years ago but the Urus name will be sticking.

The information was confirmed by Lamborghini CEO Stefano Domenicali during an in-depth interview with Digital Trends.

The first pre-production examples will be rolling off the line in April, though Lamborghini will take its time to ensure everything is perfect which is why the first deliveries aren’t due until 2018. Domenicali stressed that the Urus is unlike any vehicle ever produced by Lamborghini, especially when you consider the volumes involved.

Stefano Domenicali

Stefano Domenicali

Lamborghini is predicting sales of around 3,500 SUVs annually. The company also plans to cap sales of supercars at around 3,500 units (last year it sold a record 3,457 supercars), meaning its annual sales will total roughly 7,000 cars, ensuring it remains more exclusive than arch rival Ferrari.

To keep costs low, Lamborghini will borrow the MLB platform of fellow Volkswagen Group SUVs like the Audi Q7 and Bentley Bentayga. However, to extract the performance one would expect of a Lamborghini, engineers are expected to enhance the platform via the use  of lighter carbon fiber in place of some of the steel and aluminum sections.

And though the focus will be on-road performance, Domenicali said there will be modes to handle off-road conditions such as sand, snow, gravel, etc. The Lamborghini boss hinted that there will also be a personalized mode similar to the Ego mode introduced on the Aventador S.

In the powertrain department, we've already reported that the Urus will introduce turbocharging and hybrid technologies to the brand. A turbocharged engine, likely a V-8, is expected to be the option at launch. Domenicali said that a hybrid will be the second model added to the Urus lineup.