RE: Lamborghini LM002: Spotted

RE: Lamborghini LM002: Spotted

Thursday 13th November 2014

Lamborghini LM002: Spotted

The monstrously profligate and inappropriate SUV done with a slice of Italian cool



On Lamborghini's website, the debut of the LM002 at the 1986 Brussels Auto Show is described as 'like an earthquake'. How on earth Brussels permitted such a wantonly outlandish vehicle to be allowed anywhere near Belgium is a mystery. But we are so very glad the LM002 did make production. How could you not be?

4x4 by ruler. Big ruler
4x4 by ruler. Big ruler
It was born out of a failed military contract between Lamborghini and the US army. The 'Cheetah' prototype had a rear-mounted Chrysler V8 but failed to gain acceptance and lost out to the similar looking 'Humvee'. But Lamborghini decided to try for the civilian market, tweaking the design and moving the engine to the front. The engine being a Countach-sourced V12.

Even with today's plethora of super SUVs the LM002 stands out as something much wilder. It was designed very much with off-roading as the main objective, hence the unbelievably expensive (and huge) Pirelli Scorpion runflat tyres, the minimal front overhang and an engine raised way above the front axle. It was a genuine all-terrain vehicle. With a Countach V12 - that point bears repeating.

The Range Rover Sport SVR's 'ring lap time raised a few eyebrows recently but, if you want to be truly shocked by an SUV's numbers, you need an LM002. Those tyres are 325/65 section with a 17-inch rim. The fuel tank is 290 litres. The engine takes 17 litres of oil. It weighs 2,700kg. Actually that last figure doesn't seem so much any more, does it?

More like a 'normal' Lambo in here
More like a 'normal' Lambo in here
From what I've heard the Lambo is as tough to drive as it looks. But how could it be any other way? That would be like having a Daihatsu Copen with manual steering and no synchro. Clutch leg going limp with the proliferation of autos? The LM002 will see to that. Good luck with a hill start!

After spending £129,000 on this car I've no idea what you would do with it. The instinct would be to have it up to its axles in sludge, doing what an LM002 was always meant to do and looking damn cool at the same time. But this is a very expensive car and that would surely play on your mind. It's not a supercar in the conventional sense, despite that engine, so it's not something you would take out at weekends for a blast. Everyday SUV? Forget it. There's not even any nav...

The Lamborghini LM002 is a car to have just because you can. This one has done 30,000 miles so there is clearly something worthwhile do with it. It will be ruinously expensive and potentially very frustrating at times but what a fabulously daft thing. The look of haughty disdain you could give to every Cayenne, ML and Q7 driver will be worth each £400 fill. Perhaps.


LAMBORGHINI LM002
Engine:
5,167cc V12
Transmission: 5-speed manual, four-wheel drive
Power (hp): 455hp@6,800rpm
Torque (lb ft): 369@4,500rpm
MPG: Good one
CO2: Excessive
First registered: 1989
Recorded mileage: 30,578
Price new: An awful lot
Yours for: £129,000

See the original advert here.



   
Author
Discussion

JohnGoodridge

Original Poster:

529 posts

195 months

Thursday 13th November 2014
quotequote all
What to do with it? Take it on the school run. Trumps everything else, and would make my son a superstar in the playground.


James1972

98 posts

145 months

Thursday 13th November 2014
quotequote all
This or the 6x6 G wagon on the Euro millions list.
Decisions, decisions.
Fuel card points would soon add up !

Nezquick

1,461 posts

126 months

Thursday 13th November 2014
quotequote all
I fear that what has now been seen cannot be unseen. That is a monstrosity.

Beer Man

249 posts

114 months

Thursday 13th November 2014
quotequote all
Totally and utterly insane.

What's not to love?

Skater12

507 posts

158 months

Thursday 13th November 2014
quotequote all
Pistonheads really need to run a piece on "anti-social impractical cars you'd love to own"
The rule must be that any car listed has to be rare, overpriced, impractical, expensive to run and maintain.
Basically a millionaires "why the f**k not" list.

P4ROT

1,219 posts

193 months

Thursday 13th November 2014
quotequote all
Have always loved these- anyone know the price of the tyres? If you have to ask...

burwoodman

18,709 posts

246 months

Thursday 13th November 2014
quotequote all
64 gallon tank @ 6mpg. Imagine the agony standing at the pump for 15-20m.

clonmult

10,529 posts

209 months

Thursday 13th November 2014
quotequote all
Nezquick said:
I fear that what has now been seen cannot be unseen. That is a monstrosity.
It was never intended to be a good looking, it is a military vehicle where looks were secondary.

Utterly brilliant. Utterly mad. So much want.

Beer Man

249 posts

114 months

Thursday 13th November 2014
quotequote all
Skater12 said:
Pistonheads really need to run a piece on "anti-social impractical cars you'd love to own"
The rule must be that any car listed has to be rare, overpriced, impractical, expensive to run and maintain.
Basically a millionaires "why the f**k not" list.
This would fit the bill then!

Rare? Check
Overpriced? Errrrrrm, Check
Impractical? Check
Expensive to maintain? well I'd love to see anyone find good parts without selling their soul to some Rusky gangster so.....Check!

http://www.jamesedition.com/cars/zil

weebz

21 posts

117 months

Thursday 13th November 2014
quotequote all
burwoodman said:
64 gallon tank @ 6mpg. Imagine the agony standing at the pump for 15-20m.
Pah if you have the money to buy and run one, you'd just get your man servant to do the task for you whilst shining your erm..... shoes biggrin

GranCab

2,902 posts

146 months

Thursday 13th November 2014
quotequote all
burwoodman said:
64 gallon tank @ 6mpg. Imagine the agony standing at the pump for 15-20m.
... still quicker than a Tesla to refuel wobble

405dogvan

5,326 posts

265 months

Thursday 13th November 2014
quotequote all
P4ROT said:
Have always loved these- anyone know the price of the tyres? If you have to ask...
They still make batches from time to time (see also Countach and other fat-tyred 70s and 80s icons) - I know at one point they were only available through the dealer network which might have ballooned their cost but I imagine distributing such a rare tyre via Kwik-Fit might not have panned-out ;0

I think the Veyron kinda took-over the silly tyre thing (£25K a set - plus £30k's worth of wheels every 3rd set - a set lasting 2500 miles!!)

Bill

52,747 posts

255 months

Thursday 13th November 2014
quotequote all
It makes the 6wd AMG G-Wagen seem like sensible buy. biggrin

tapi

22 posts

113 months

Thursday 13th November 2014
quotequote all
A whole article and no mention of what was powering it. Anyone know what engine they used?

weebz

21 posts

117 months

Thursday 13th November 2014
quotequote all
tapi said:
A whole article and no mention of what was powering it. Anyone know what engine they used?
It's in the article.

pistonheads said:
The engine being a Countach-sourced V12.

OddJoe

1,548 posts

186 months

Thursday 13th November 2014
quotequote all
weebz said:
tapi said:
A whole article and no mention of what was powering it. Anyone know what engine they used?
It's in the article.

pistonheads said:
The engine being a Countach-sourced V12.
Gimme a W...

daytona365

1,773 posts

164 months

Thursday 13th November 2014
quotequote all
Could never understand why these aren't raved over far more as automotive style icons, with prices to match.......What's that you say ? They are ? They do ?......Well well.

JonRB

74,539 posts

272 months

Thursday 13th November 2014
quotequote all
weebz said:
It's in the article.



ecsrobin

17,117 posts

165 months

Thursday 13th November 2014
quotequote all
The price isn't that bad in the grand scheme of things. A medium spec Range Rover LWB is around that price.

nickboazracing

130 posts

237 months

Thursday 13th November 2014
quotequote all
Didn't this have a v12 from a Countach? No-one has mentioned that yet.