VW Will Build Lamborghini SUV in Slovakia

Volkswagen AG's factory in Bratislava, Slovakia, will produce the upcoming Lamborghini Urus SUV/crossover beginning in 2017, according to Automobilwoche.

Sources tell the newspaper the high-performance luxury vehicle will share its platform with the next-generation Audi Q7, Porsche Cayenne and VW Touareg SUVs. Bratislava will build all four models, along with bodies for Bentley's upcoming ultra-luxury crossover, according to the report.

Lamborghini showed the Urus in concept form at the Beijing auto show two years ago. The two-door concept is 195 inches long, only 65 inches tall and rides on 22-inch wheels. The company said at the time it would use aluminum and carbon-fiber-reinforced plastics to make the Urus at least 220 lbs lighter than any competitor.

The new model will be the brand's first SUV since it t discontinued the enormous V-12-powered LM002 a decade ago. Lamborghini current sells two supercar models, the Avantador and Gallardo, at a combined rate of about 2,100 units per year.

Like other ultra-luxury brands, almost all of which are preparing their own crossovers, Lamborghini predicts a significant upswing in volume when it adds an SUV to its lineup.