Ferruccio Lamborghini set out to build something more comfortable and sensible than Ferrari's grand tourers—but that ambition didn't last long. The Miura and the Countach followed, bringing equal measures of beauty and insanity. The finest Lamborghinis have always had a touch of madness about them, and few wear it more conspicuously than the LM002.
A rare and commanding specimen has surfaced on Bring a Trailer (which, like Car and Driver, is part of Hearst Autos): a one-of-60 U.S.-spec 1990 Lamborghini LM002 located in San Diego. Its credentials are impeccable—serviced by Canepa, widely regarded as one of the finest specialists for exotic cars of this caliber. Is it beautiful? That's debatable. Is it like anything else on the road? Absolutely not. And with a 5.2-liter V-12 and a five-speed manual gearbox, this truck delivers the full Lamborghini sensory experience in a package that looks like it belongs in an Arctic operations manual.
The production LM002 emerged from two earlier prototypes, both using American V-8 engines. The original concept was to create an ultra-capable off-roader suited to oil exploration companies or light military applications. The Cheetah prototype and its successor, the LM001, both positioned their engines in the middle of the vehicle. Lamborghini's engineers quickly concluded that arrangement was unworkable.
The LM002 switched to a conventional front-engine layout and added substantial luxury content to broaden its appeal to civilian buyers. Equipped with air conditioning, leather seating, and optional sand-rated tires, it actually found a ready market among oil company executives and Middle Eastern royalty. Our own Brock Yates tested it in 1987 and described it as "the closest thing to a street-legal Tiger tank known to man."
At the conclusion of a production run of just over 300 units, the final 60 were built to U.S. specifications—as is this example. Those distinctions included 17-inch OZ alloy wheels and assorted trim enhancements. Worth noting: the Pirelli Scorpion tires fitted to this LM002 are only five years old, which matters because low-mileage vehicles—this one has covered the equivalent of 17K miles—frequently have rubber that has aged well past its safe service life.
This Rambo Lambo is in fighting shape. In 2019, the current owner commissioned Canepa Motorsports to go through the truck thoroughly, a job that cost $32,000. More recently, a San Diego specialist in European marques freshened the suspension just last month.
Under the hood, the 5.2-liter V-12 produces 444 horsepower, channeled to all four wheels through a two-speed transfer case and three locking differentials. The off-road capability is formidable, but that's almost beside the point. Owning this vehicle is more like owning a rhinoceros—not terribly practical as a guard animal, but you do get to tell guests, "Come see my rhinoceros."
Compared to this unapologetically excessive product of the 1980s, today's Lamborghini Urus is practically refined and domesticated—and Lamborghini sells thousands of them annually. The LM002 is a far more endangered creature.
The auction ends on March 13.
