A 1987 Lamborghini LM002, more than new after 11 months of restoration.
Before the Urus SUV, there was the Lamborghini LM002: the Italian automaker's first SUV, produced from 1986 to 1992, is so old that some surviving models are in need of a full restoration. Such is the case with this 1987 model, which has just completed an 11-month rebuild by British company Bell Sport & Classic.
This LM002, of which 40 out of 301 were built, is currently being restored to better-than-new condition after a failed restoration project, Bell Sport & Classic announced in a press release on Tuesday.
Nicknamed the "Lambo Lambo," the LM002 began as an attempt to create a military vehicle similar to the more famous Humvee. Unable to win a contract with the U.S. military, Lamborghini shifted its focus to high-performance SUVs for the civilian market.
Thus was born the LM002, powered by a Countach 5.2-liter V-12 engine that produced 375 horsepower. According to Lamborghini, the LM002 reached a top speed of 124 mph and could climb a gradient of 120%.
According to Bell Sport & Classic, the LM002 was purchased by its current owner in 2003 and was driven regularly until it was put into storage in 2009. The restorer said that "The Stig" drove it in a Lamborghini feature in Top Gear.
By the time it arrived at Bell Sport & Classic in 2019, the SUV had been partially disassembled for a restoration that was never completed. While the engine remained, most of the accessories had been removed, and many other parts arrived in boxes.
The engine was in good condition and had only 13,690 miles on it. However, the water pump was leaking from a bearing seal. Replacement parts were no longer available, so a new pump was made. Similarly, the worn gear teeth on the transfer case had to be reshaped with a die grinder and file because new parts were no longer available.
The LM002's front suspension has an unusual spring-with-spring setup, with two springs wound in opposite directions. Special equipment was built to disassemble it, and the parts were inspected and powder coated.
To conclude the restoration, the factory light gray leather interior was cleaned and repaired, and LM002 was repainted in the same blue Acupulco Metallizate finish as the factory.
Lamborghini's current SUV is quite different from the LM002. The Urus is more luxurious, with more emphasis on on-road performance. Instead of a naturally aspirated V-12, the Urus uses a twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V-8 that produces 641 hp.
