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Ferruccio Lamborghini started out trying to build cars that were just as fast as Ferrari's grand tourers, but more comfortable and more sensible. That plan didn't really last, and soon enough, the Miura and the Countach came along, beauty and madness in each. The best Lamborghinis are a little crazy, and few of them are as bonkers as the LM002.
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Rare and imposing, this one-of-60 U.S.-spec 1990 Lamborghini LM002s has popped up over at Bring a Trailer (which, like Car and Driver, is part of Hearst Autos). Located in San Diego, it's got just the pedigree you want. It's been serviced by Canepa, the best of the best when it comes to exotica. Beautiful? Possibly not, but there's certainly nothing else like it on the road. Further, with a 5.2-liter V-12 and a five-speed manual transmission, this truck blends arctic camouflage tactical looks with a true Lamborghini soundtrack.
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The production LM002 followed two prototypes, both with American V-8 power. The original idea was to create a sort of super-Jeep, suitable for companies involved in oil exploration or perhaps light military use. The Cheetah prototype and the LM001 that followed both had mid-mounted engines. Lamborghini engineers quickly realized that setup wasn't going to work.
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2023 Lamborghini Urus Performante vs. Lambo LM002Instead, the LM002 adopted a conventional front-engine layout along with high luxury content for the civilian market. With air conditioning, leather seating, and optional tires designed for sand, the LM002 was actually successful at being sold to oil companies, or at least to the executives and Middle Eastern royalty at the top.
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At the end of a run of just over 300 vehicles, the last 60 were built to U.S. specification, as is the case here. The slight tweaks included 17-inch OZ alloy wheels and some additional trim; it should be noted that the Pirelli Scorpion tires on this LM002 are only five years old. Too often, vehicles with very low mileage—the equivalent of 17K miles here—have rubber that's aged out of safe operation.
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By contrast, this Rambo Lambo is ready to rumble. The current owner had Canepa Motorsports go through the truck in 2019, to the tune of $32K. More recently, the suspension was refreshed just last month by a European marques specialist in San Diego.
Mechanically, the 5.2-liter V-12 makes 444 horsepower, feeding it to the ground through a two-speed transfer case to all four wheels, with three locking differentials. Off-road prowess is immense, but that's not really the point of this thing. It's more like owning a rhinoceros. Not really practical for guard dog duty, but you get to tell visitors, "Hey, wanna come see my rhinoceros?"
The current Lamborghini Urus is downright sensible and civilized compared to this conceived-in-1980s-excess bruiser, and Lamborghini sells thousands of them a year. This LM002 is a far more endangered species.
The auction ends on March 13.
Brendan McAleer is a freelance writer and photographer based in North Vancouver, B.C., Canada. He grew up splitting his knuckles on British automobiles, came of age in the golden era of Japanese sport-compact performance, and began writing about cars and people in 2008. His particular interest is the intersection between humanity and machinery, whether it is the racing career of Walter Cronkite or Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki's half-century obsession with the Citroën 2CV. He has taught both of his young daughters how to shift a manual transmission and is grateful for the excuse they provide to be perpetually buying Hot Wheels.