There are many cars which are obscure and which are legendary. Few are both at the same time. The Lamborghini LM002, however, falls into both categories. While all wheel drive is common in most current day Lamborghinis, the LM002 was Lamborghini's first vehicle to drive all four wheels. Conceived with the intentions of sale to the US military, the Cheetah, as it was called, had a rear mounted AMC V8 engine. This configuration was ultimately dropped due to bad handling characteristics. Instead, the V12 engine from the Countach was mounted up front and the LM002 was born.
The final LM002 rests in the Lamborghini museum, and this example for sale represents the last LM002 to be sold to the public.
1992 Lamborghini LM002
Without any doubt, the LM002 is one of the strangest cars ever built but also a turn in the motor car history. Back in the late 70s the idea came from US to replace the infamous JEEP by a powerful and modern fully independent suspended 4x4. Lamborghini made a study and built a serial of prototypes called “LM” to be tested by US army but Lamborghini had to face American’s way of business and patriotism … Actually Hummer got the market with a project actually mostly inspired by the LMs. As the car was already developed Lamborghini decided to produce and launched it in 1986.
The first “LM002” cars were delivered in late 1987, no need to say that it was really an “UFO” in the mid – 80s market. Actually the very first super performance 4x4 ever built. With the 5.2 liter 4 valves engine from the Countach it was a 444 HP beast of 2.8 tons, 1.9m height, 2 meter width, and 5.3m long ! 301 examples were built which is a kind of success considering the “strangeness” of the concept in the road cars market. The last cars were fitted with fuel injection a very modern one at that time, of which the Diablo will benefit. There is no valuable discussion if this a “nice” or “hugly” car … this a turn in the car history capable of 200km/h among the dunes.
We are extremely glad to offer this LM002 as this is probably the most interesting one, being the last example to be sold to a private actually the second by the end. The very last one was kept by Lamborghini and is currently exhibited in the make’s museum. This is a fuel injected version, sold new and registered in Germany in 1992 then kept by the same owner in 2003. There is a great history file including all of the service records from new, a copy from the registrations and very interestingly a letter from Lamborghini about the car’s singular history. This fabulous 29000kms LM002 has always been maintained to the highest level and can only be described as being in immaculate condition in and out, driving is superb also. No doubt this outstanding car would be a master piece in any major Lamborghini collection.
On our sister site, German Cars for Sale Blog, I've expressed my less than enthusiastic stance towards SUVs and off-road vehicles. The LM002, along with the Mercedes-Benz Geländewagen and Land Rover Defender, is one of those off-road vehicles without my respect. A Lamborghini V12, manual transmission and intimidating stance are the key ingredients to making this, quite possibly, the most over the top off-road vehicle the world has ever seen.
-Paul