Lamborghini’s Forgotten Failure: Troubled History of the LM002 SUV

The First SUV by Lamborghini
Started As a Military Vehicle
A Grim Failure at the Time

A supercar is a dream come true for anyone who loves cars. When talking about supercars, what brands come to mind first? It might vary from person to person, but most would probably think of Ferrari and Lamborghini, among others. Lamborghini has produced iconic cars over its 60-year history, including the Miura, Countach, Diablo, Murcielago, and Aventador.

Would you believe that even Lamborghini has a model that could be considered a dark chapter in its history? That model is the LM002, which began production in 1986. This vehicle is regarded as the first SUV model by Lamborghini. This article will examine the details of the LM002 and why it became a dark chapter for Lamborghini.

Lamborghini LM002
Began As a Military Vehicle

Lamborghini, which specialized in supercars, began developing military vehicles in the 1970s. With stable funding secured through the joint development of the M1 with BMW, Lamborghini started developing this vehicle. In 1977, they produced a prototype named Cheetah. They then switched from the Chrysler V8 engine to the AMC V8 engine, completing the development of their first model, the LM001.

However, the LM001 had many shortcomings, particularly in handling during off-road driving, which were pointed out during its final testing process. As a result, Lamborghini went back to the drawing board and developed the LM002. The production model was unveiled at the 1986 Brussels Auto Show. Interestingly, although it started as a military vehicle, the production model was released for military and civilian use. At the time, Pirelli even produced a dedicated run-flat tire specifically for the LM002.

Lamborghini Outperformed by Humvee
Lacking Competitiveness in the Civilian Market

Since the development began with military use in mind, Lamborghini tried hard to sell the LM002 to military forces worldwide.
However, the results were dismal. The U.S. military did not even test the pickup truck that Lamborghini had produced. There were various reasons for this. At that time, Lamborghini equipped the vehicle with a V8 gasoline engine. The problem was that gasoline fuel was highly susceptible to fire and explosion risks when hit by enemy fire. Also, due to its large engine displacement, the fuel efficiency was low, and the price was high. As a result, the LM002 was rejected by the U.S. military and the military forces in other countries.

Eventually, Lamborghini gave up on the military market and turned its attention to the civilian market. However, this vehicle was also thoroughly rejected by the civilian market. Despite its large and heavy body, it had a fast 0-60 mph time of 7 seconds, but its off-road performance was lacking compared to other models. Furthermore, its low fuel efficiency and high price made it uncompetitive. After its launch, only about 300 units were produced.

The Rarity of Only 300 Units
Its Value Has Increased Over Time

The LM002 was not popular at the time of sale. How about now? Over time, the value of the LM002 has been rediscovered, and with only 300 units in existence, its rarity has caused its price to skyrocket. It’s a model that car collectors worldwide are keenly interested in.

Of course, the biggest reason for the resurgence in the value of the LM002 is the massive success of Urus.
After the failure of the LM002, Lamborghini did not produce SUVs for a long time. However, as time passed and the SUV craze began, they were forced to try again. As everyone knows, the result was a huge success. Given this situation, the pickup truck developed before the Urus, the LM002, naturally attracted attention.