Larnbo's LM002 serves little practical purpose.

But then neither do most playthings

By Denise McCluggage
learly it is nusnamed, this Lamborghini LM002. It should be ' the007 because one glance tells to kill. Menace knife-crease IIM, he purpouful bumps on n u hood and IS slab-s~ded affin~tv to a t a n k And those two fking seats in the railedthat a machii-gunplacement is optional in place of the cavernous hinged-top bin that serves as eunk space. (Creditable. The section where the spare tire hangs swings downward out of the way to allow a clear rat-a-tat-tatting r e w a r d . ) And the vehicle even effects a built-in sneer from the way the protective black bar crosses over the radiator. A brute of a p m military vehicle if ever there were one. Then why is everybody smiling? Because something winks at you in this three-ton machine with $1.000 tires, this seven-foot-wide monster with 455 honepower. Something about it whispers: "Hey, dig my glove-leather air-conditioned intenor. Look under my hood. Count my cylinders--count my valves! And I'll do I10 in the sand! Am I outrageous, or what!'' The LM002 is the ultimate gadget. It suggesls all sons of uses-none of them essential to life. few of them rational. indeed most of them frivolous. And from watching the faces of he p p l e craning to get a look at this phenomenm, you

can tell instantlv which ones wre over theii Sharper Image catalogs and ihich ones will never undegmd the &h for Gnat lhings that will do what vou didn't know 'til that moment that you wanted them done
"But uhat's 11 for?" more than one - ~ r oer~ -- son asked. I had to shrug. It's like I.P.
~ ~ ~~~~~~~

And if this crazy, glinting machine kicking up dust on the Pachew Canyon Road that swoops down the back way from the Santa Fe Ski Basin makes you question its pwpose, what can I say? Some chronology. I had seen a picture of the LM002 and it sparked a thought. Maybe when I go to Italy this fall I can do a stor] on it. I phoned the Chrysler folks pmprietors of Lamborghini sinct last year. Why wait, said they you can drive one here in tht U.S.A. (About 10 LM002s are in the wuntry.) And thus it came to pass that a truck hauling some vehicles to Chrysler's Arizona proving grounds dropped off the LM002 in Albuquerque. Dan Mancini, who tends to special vehicles for Chrvsler.. flew out to meet ~. it and bring it to me in Santa Fe for a couple of days.

~~

~~~~~~

AUTOWEEK JULY 18. 1988

So everything else in my life went unattended and it was playtime. I wked some friends whose hearts a h have ovehead valves to go along for the rids. EdwPrd T. (Ned) Hall. the anmmpOlogist, knows Santa Fe's envim116 and b w s cars. He paused not a second before &iding to leave his next book in the werd p ccsvn for a few bow. And Dave H O W wns a sure bet. He's a specialist in Mncedes G-wagens rhmugh his Empa Motors and knows more off-mads than wads around the county. Now, some facts about the LMW2. Yes,it is a genuim Lambaghioi. It h mt (as om onlwke~ sugpestcd) a b b u i l t 8ps cial with a swiped namepate. Undatbe hard is th Y12 CBIoWlrh en* (5.2 liten d it)

with dual ovemcad cams and four valves p;r cylinder. Wes. thar malres 48.) Ihe engine develops its 455 hp at 7WO rpm. That's good for thc afacmcDtiooed 110 in 62Dd and about 125 mph an p v c m ~ ~ t . $leering is rack and pinion, power-assisted (though I expnienced liltle evidcoee that it helped mucMt*s one tough job wheeling it around town.)7br! g w h x is a five-speed "Zed Eff' maoual. And then there is the four-wbecl-drive with automatic variable toque distribution t o e x h wheel. Both the fmnt and nu differentials can b locked. Y w have to k dead s t o p p e h d even then it gmwls a! ymt--to engage the 4wd. And the hubs on the front whcds need to be fiddled with. No all-fromthe-c&4x4 this. Tbe suspension is a l l - m u d indcpn-

dent with double wishbones, coil springs and telescopic shack absorbers. TIE brakes are discs. fore and all. (And do W i job admirably.) The t h s arc 32516SVR-17 Pinlli off-load models with an inch-wide lip g ux, deeply to help k p thwn fmm e into d The eampwnd i s mk-hard ( b y make a softer om for those who use W i 4wd to toaver% snowy mountaim rathcr than Mndy deserts). And, g~ this, ttr 0 0 ' 2 that came to S a m Fe had sir Webar!-c How brave to send such a touchy m y into the 7Wfmt altitude ( 90M at thc Ski Bssin). And b machioe, W@ p n p y at dms witb threats of load@ up and an avmim to starting a d staying J1Red. did wt & badly moJidering it was adjusml f w W t bvel.

WbsatbcJm~~movain
gmtu numben, the Weben will k gma

m a f ~ c l ~ w i l l b s m e ~ . ~ inlrrma.IogLlod~inmeha.Iw. i s e a r ~ w i l l k ~ h l r i m pat. ( S k tbe ad of Jollc, cabltsthns i u g I m n a ~ y o a a ~ t o i t s catifiabhe h impossible.) ,too. The surprise was the way the 002 Aemrlly,hevchicladkm~ m p p l y b a r i f w l m t I b a d h ~ a o y*itspmpmtiomnlatcitwelltothe l m D a b c d d ~ m d s , t h e r a t e n a i r r y l r r ' s ~ ( 4 D ) h ~ f o r& m d . I t ~ . m*dwlkepmfilliesrborinadiDIIy tbemaksraaatoftbeMidcut. Ah, i b e 0 0 2 s e e r m t o s b r i a L . s y m ~ s ~ i tc~~.Mayk!wilhitswightdhigcirail Lrmbagllimid-new~in dmmunnphmebmorpbaeinto~.~ j m t i m D c d m e ~ f l a . T W t l i t c i l . m e * . arama. uademy. its tml;-LiLc ippur- l a l p d v e . T& 002 is wide and bg-lbe N s a impressive is the 002's pow-. ace, cawed bg lmgc pmt by "porrr r l m e h 6 3 . 6 ~ d i h a t ' s m m i h m lndgc"in&ehood,yiddstoitslpomar nnicplein4wdvchicla.ItmsaLid:to 1 6 % ~ t o f i t m r p l h h g p L P e . ~ b m d l i a g a t k r r t . ~ t ok a rve(be~ouquickly~.tstop elaanccis16.7inehsr(11.6inehsrmda lrscty aluminmad 6 t q b oomposi- s i g n s . ~ i l n r s a d a ( h m d M n g o f f Bcdi&reotid),dthanmkfaapnsoy t i a n d m t h e w i g h t o f t h e ~ ~ ~~ t h e t h m u k o 1 1 t h e S I P h l hkapoptogetin.ItrtmdPsixfc4!tbigh, d ~ p ~ , t h e ~ o f , p v F i c t ayr h d a l n r d r p o t ~ m d C ~

omething winks , at you in this monster with 455 hp *-

isbw.Tb.1,d~om.swidc~(d Immoh-wimh tira), climiDlrs tbe m-

, ,

- ,

mmvmmronA~oRlsmw.
n ' SF A W L Y HAS TAKEN A HOT NEW TURN. MEET THE DODGE CARAVAN ES. Furry EQUIPPED TO mRfiL w m IS"CAST ALUMINUM ROAR WHEELSgAMIFM STEREO RADIO, AIR CONDlllONlNOI AVAILABLE OVERHEAD CAM V-6 AND AN AOOlllSSlVE NEW LOOK. PLUS, OUR OUTSTANDINO 7/70 PROTECTION PLAN$ DODGE CARAVAN ES. DRESSED IMPRESS.

A driver ectueliy speaks to his tires. It's done vie steering input. So how well e tire handles depends on how well it listens. If it's insensltiw to Input, the result is a tire with w r y little response. If It's overly sensitiw. the tire will be 'twitchyl Meenlng It wlil reapond radically to smell Inputs. The graph Illustrates the amount of

MKHEllN SPORT

NEW XGT V

stability at high speeds. The VR-rated Sport XQTV utilizes angled steel belts covered by zero degree nylon cords. These cords keep the tire from growing ebnormelly under the forces of very high epmde and also help prevent sudden loss of adhesion i n extreme driving conditlone. The footprint must transfer ell the power, cornering, end braking forces to provide control. its shape is determined by the profile and belt darign. The tread pattern has two important jobs. Removing water from the f w t print. And giving sufficient support to the treed compound. if it can't provide edequete support, e stiffer compound has to be used, thereby reduclng dry cornering adhesion. The Sport XQTV was designed with triangular tread blocke, which have Inherent rigidity to provide optimum support.

LINE steering input needed to negotiate a

c u m at e given speed. Notice e performance tin n g u i n s leas input to achieve the same oornering capability as the standard tire. The performance tire therefore has a higher 'gain? Which is pert of the reeponslveness of the total system: tin and suepension.

rn
01

.cyB

11101 llllYD

1IL'

ATire Should Do What It'sTold.

The Variable Compllence Groove" on the shoulder is also pert of this support system. On wet surfaces, It ohenwIa water away from the ehoulder. On e dry surface during hard cornering. lateral forces act to squeeze it shut. giving rigidiw to the shoulder equivelent to that of e ellck. As you epproech e turn. you went your t i n s to respond quickly end accurately without overreacting. After ail if a tire doasn't do whet it's told. you're the one who could be punished.
Third In 4 rbchnlc.1 s8rl8s on p8rform8nc8 rims.

wnere doe. this response come from? it comes from the precise balancing of four different components: rim. profile, belt configuration, and footprint. The rim is the cornmunioatione link between t i n end drlwr. A wider rim provides better eupport for the tire on the road, and by changing the shape of the tire pieces higher tension in the body ply cords, increasing gain. The profile, which refers to the shape of the tire, h m e large Influence on gain. With shorter sidewalls (plus-one sizing for example) there exists a more direct path from rim to footprint end the result is higher gain. Belt configuration helps maintain tire

T h e 002 shrinks
into a different creature as you drive

sun am nrm. c o m b b . &st way to m c h ignltlon nwltch in through wM

V1Z provides plenty o f power, somahlng not normally found in OW-road vehlcbs
A most lntringulng

aspect of thls Lamborghlni I s found at ths rear: The tallgate tolds down to allow a c c e u to open-alr rear compartmant featuring 'rumble M a e : Outside rear persongen can converse with those lnalde by sliding open rear window

it difficult. It was easier just to put yourfmt deep into it and Vl2-roar away. Tl~e clutch. t w , was as f i e w as the one on my old 1929 Bissell-Scagrave f i truck. Which, incidentally, is the only vehicle I've ever driven that got as much attention as h e 002. (And favorable attention. by the way. No one seemed to resent the 002. Some exotic machinery I've driven for some re&son stirred as much animosity as interest.) That's a lot of power to put lhmugh any
28

clutch I wouldn't doubt that the clutch could be a chronlc trouble spot I thlnk the Chrysler folk would do well to find an automatlc that would fit m here So wlth that clutch and that throttle and the hard sleenng at slow speeds (and the turning circle of a herd of elephants) and the dmomfon of the carburetors at the alhtude. the 002 was not a plcnle m Santa Fe's narmw, tounst-clogged streets Clearly, the 002 preferred the open roadspaved and

unpaved, the sandy arroyos and the rocky hillsides. What fun they were. Actually, it might have been even more Fun being in this machine than driving it. A rare situation, indeed. Maybe it was that amusing juxtaposition of Craggy ruggedness and posh comfon. You sit deep in any of the fwr leather seats because of the high m w l e between them, h t back. 11's rather like settling into a Gucci shoe. ' h e seats are simple, fm and remarkAUTOWEEK JULY 18. 1988

,., .%',>'.'.qG ...

................................. (-1 8 1 m M...................................... 118.1 @ k ............................. 1S.W 7 & 7 C u b W @ h ...................................... l~ m -..- ~ b b d rMOk--7ddW!?. mdw~lp@mmrpn.mba@
L r BmOm-h~nqla.Lbo ImDmh.llmp*lnrullmnlum D ~ : " T o p p . d ~ . . .~ I l l l O o . l ~ ~ I r

SPECIFICATIONS

HASA VERY SPECIAL FEEL

NO^^^ -1 !Re, Ilke a ~ H k e ~ c c k tthaalwn,dsrr.ryletha pmyDu"haldC"~wald~fir#A on the faeanKk my
Weak.

Autoweek

........................................ ......, IOhall0llph) ................................ -. M C m d a C C ~ c d

W

BMW TURBO 535-635-735

klr
I k

~ MoWackhmmWlth m J ~ l h o d o ~ M I I 4 b a 8 yOUmnt:'7#t"nnmllboulrww -cdpnplmWooplclhodo

~
n-u~pdlupmar~mxrmthatca~ar'K -bcannbut--mwR&
IfqlTMsais~tuhaKJunhaaHed ywuinanTurtosystem...wmn~

........................M d o M mdII ........................................ -17 ......... 7smq xmw w m h

lnodek,mmpM.~ltla mdpoduca.AndYsmereilnL l.~lgklaethelnonmlkrgn

s~lne

he has yw. A fact w e ' n wry proud o f . I M y ~ . I h c 6 1 m t ~ ~ . RlmWHOOSMmeUrtogmilntobmnnd B u t d o w c e v a ~ ~ ShwldnryougetgoIng.nd ~ ~ ~ ~ a r ~ h i " , . I b u n a v F J u n ~ . t BMWTCA caw "ndn w perh s c m m o D f i a d d c n s a r i l h ~ w m ? ~ 7 O n l y S 2 3 ~ p u 5 2 w ~ the brmnce:' M ~ ~ s p a i n I b e O m - i n ~ o f mcklylmncaun.3~plgao( N l O N E E K : Faa is mp-e wM hdds a I b e l i a k ~ r r r S i n I b e o a t b r l . Y a ~ a i t motodngndmoconpatr k a t h d ~ ~ a c r r m m m r n d ~ s N M and ~ waled BMWI m e can an c o n dDep=yopfrcl-mm@ta-arrvbrgo(~~~ BURed~)~lmtadhcrhasmbe~ ~ . ~ ~ o f ~ m p m v i d e s a w i n d theanglccopyprks.usetheud thbiranaftemfket~,R@htupmnewm w, back slides so the bnt o( m e ben:' in thb b , U I Ito~-iree DiMn Enginmhg t!as a c w n p m line d curYO"cm@intnrbarilhm-mlg00331-1750[Opanmr116~or bo8wspmknnprmSknyMBMW ve*rs(atdrtrhfamxcfilmcaUICbrt wm: a&). A g l u t way to go. Some quirk8 worth mentioning. The I mkkUZ=+h.r(aIbe wide comok, so you shift witb pllr arm to t k side aud y w r hand at mr-shoulder 965E~~kaok.MI48207 8 1 Pioneer W, Mt Viou VI 94x1 Icvel. Odd. Nice genbox,h q & s y m h lt151 962-9417

%&cEs%fOr a w m t hemks

A& --*!! -w

~ghoIIt.Aodyouhmtolemnmpld

pmbmdfhroug!htbcataa&vb&lmmm U I C i ~ t c ~ o o e d o e s o f m whtb2~kocpsdyiog.rf~iryto reach Pomd UIC wbccl, you're .pt to d Ibe wiadshiold wipas into a po. mt. Even the Omcxpgieaad DM did this a coupk of tima. And UIC dirrctiotl signal! SIlch a what's-

m*-miaeitmks.SamdslikcQbr)olp wming beep oa g n b g c hucts. You'll

Devsrkavethis~onthmgh~ lioll. Even thwgh it i s self-cmdhg, it never got a chmx-I squelched it early

~tim.laeonlysoundinS.DuPC mrrrmmpingisIbepcswcLkcptbylome
dimwbdentirton~uniotl.

Sow~ludag.adtime~pic(uraqoeaoga,~inIbeRioOrmds, c h b h g a hill a two. Even g a its @awe

mIbefnmt~oftheNouMuie~. W i bean. this L.mborghiai LMO(IZ. Even lonMe. And it un be youn for a mac $130,000 a Umutmm. (Loolr. WI aha mrbw hr me.) Tmth be told. we didn't put the 002 mrmyhqoitCas~PIOff-IOd~~

From the designers of the original Gottl five spoke wheel

I
I

A STAR IS BORN I

wrrantlydidthcGwsgmthnRid~d Michek Mntiaez owl. Imm wc dido't ri*Losingitdoam~cmbanhnentorany-

~Etolkurh..).(pronouneed6 wall)are madeof thefinat alloya.T.U.V. tensdandavailableasonaph 14". 16': 16" mth perfect offsets. Modular, 16". 16': and 17" with forged rims. Call fixyour newest dealer o ro f & x dfracl hwn TopW For your FREE color brochure of the world's most beautiful wheels, send to:

2 wt o i on abcnPhilHillwaswailingforaarLatit.
nrmitforarmvie. C.ll'tyoujoat~.u.it-thcI(maboL.mbo7 Well,youruwitbenfbt.
AVrOWEEK JULY 18. 1988

C b i n g . D r m w a r ~ y ~ v c o f

ITOPLINE

2872-A Walnut Avenue rustin, CA 92680 (714) 838-7021

A d ilm Sylwster Stallone, who r n w t