These are not modern “fly swatters”. The most uncompromising SUV❗

This company today evokes associations with sports cars, although it once had a real SUV (there were also tractors). In the late seventies, the Italian manufacturer began a short history with the off-road segment. The result was the Lamborghini LM002 luxury SUV.

In the 70s, Lamborghini specialized in sports models, but in 77 decided to go the other way. It all started with the fact that a tender was held to select a new SUV for the US Army. If you manage to get a contract, the company will receive huge money, which will allow the company to complete what they started without any problems.

The result of the work of Italian engineers was the model – Cheetah (Cheetah) with a 5.9-liter Chrysler engine with 180 hp, located at the rear. Weight two tons and length 4.5 meters. Unfortunately, the Cheetah did not interest the US military. The main reason was poor performance and terrible handling. The only prototype built was destroyed during testing.

But the Italians did not give up, revised the design and developed another completely different prototype in 1981, which received the designation LM001, and the Arab countries were to be its potential recipients. The drive used was an eight-cylinder 5.9-liter AMC engine with 180 hp, also located at the rear. The appearance of the car has changed, although in practice it was an enlarged “cheetah”. Unfortunately, this time there were problems with the engine, so the company created three more prototypes in the future.

The LMA002, introduced in 1982, which was powered by a 332 hp V12 engine taken from the Lamborghini Countach and mounted in the front, but due to the weight of the engine, the total mass was more than 2.6 tons, the prototype did not receive due success. The LM003 was developed from the LMA002 with a lighter 3.6 liter VM Motori five-cylinder engine, but this engine was found to be too weak. The latest prototype LM004 with a 7-liter engine, 420 hp. also failed.

When Lamborghini began to realize the failure of the military vehicle design, they decided to develop another car – this time it was a luxury SUV. Potential recipients were to be wealthy residents of the Arab states.

In 1986, Lamborghini introduced the LM002. It was a redesigned LMA002, equipped with a 12-cylinder engine, 5.2 liters and 444 hp, weight 2.7 tons and length 4.8 meters Present: stereo, air conditioning, full power accessories. The LM002 was a combination of an SUV and a supercar.

Despite the significant price of 100 thousand? (today it is 2 times more), the model found its owners. From 1986 to 1993, 328 copies were produced, mostly to order. Production of the LM002 ended in 1993 and the company left the SUV market.

Today, the price of this SUV varies from 70 to 450 thousand???. Looking at the growing success of the Urus, the company thought about creating a successor to the LM002.