Lamborghini’s only true off-roader in history, the LM002, came out in a production run capped at 300 units or so in the early nineties. One of these, having just around 24,000 km (15,000 miles) under its belt, is on sale in the USA right now with the top bid at $235,000 and a few days of auction remaining.
The Lamborghini LM002 was the fruit of the Italian company’s attempt to design a capable and durable off-roader for the U.S. Department of Defense. Lambo had planned to sell it to geological exploration businesses as well. In the end, the project was never approved by the DoD due to certain design faults, but the automaker still decided to follow through with the production.
Unlike its conceptual predecessors – the Cheetah and the LM001 – the LM002 was a front-engine SUV. Its giant 5.2-liter V12 borrowed from the Countach lineup produced 450 PS (444 hp / 331 kW) and delivered the torque to all four wheels through a ZF five-speed manual gearbox and an interaxle diff lock.
The example on sale has belonged to one and the same owner for the last 22 years, who had allegedly put just 9,000 km (5,600 miles) of use on it. It is in good overall condition, although no longer stock since it was resprayed in 2022. The Pirelli Scorpion tires date back to year 2002 and need replacing before it can be driven again.
A closer look at the spare wheel cover reveals the inscription: LM/American. It was a special edition of the LM002 that came out just before the production end in a batch of 60 units. Note that the seller doesn’t mention anywhere in the listing that the vehicle is an LM/American spec; it may need double-checking.
