this week in 1988: driving the lamborghini lm002

7/28/2019 This week in 1988: Driving the Lamborghini LM002

1/8

Larnbo's LM002 erves littlepractical purpose.But then neither do mostplaythings

B y Denise McCluggage

learly it is nusnamed, this Lam- craningto get a look at this phenomenm,youborghini LM002. It should be can tell instantlv which ones wre over theii

'

he007becauseone glancetells Sharper Image catalogsand ih ich ones will =to kill. Menace neverundegmd th e &h for Gnat hingsknife-crease that will do what vou didn't know 'til that

IIM, he purpouful bumps on nu hood and moment that you wantedthem doneIS slab-s~dedffin~tvo a tank "But uhat 's 11 for?" more than one oe r-~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ - ~ ~ -r --

And those two f k i n g seats in the railed- son asked. I hadto shrug. It's like I.P.

that a ma chii -gu npla cem ent is optional in Andif this crazy, glinting machine kickingplace of the cavernous hinged-top bin that up dust on the Pach ew CanyonRoad thatserves aseunk space. (Creditable. Thesec- swoops down the back way from the Santation w here the sp are tire ha ngs sw ings Fe Ski Basin makes you question its pw -downward out ofthe way to allow a clear pose, what can I say?rat-a-tat-tatting r e w a r d . ) Some chronology.I had seen a

And the vehicle even effects a built-in pict ure of the LM 002 a nd itsneer from the way the protectiveblack bar sparkeda thought.Maybe when Icrossesover the radiator. A brute of a p m - go to Italy this fall I can do a stor]militaryvehicleif ever therewere one. on it. I phonedthe Chryslerfolks

Then why is everybodysmiling? pmprietors of LamborghinisinctBecause somethingwinks at you in this last year. Why wait, said they

three-ton machine with $1.000 tires, this you ca n drive one here in thtseven-foot-wide monster with 455 hone- U.S.A. (About 10 LM002s are inpower. Somethingabout it whispers:"Hey, the wuntry.)dig my glove-leatherair-conditionedinte- And thus it came to pass that anor. Look undermy hood. Count my cylin- truck hauling some vehicles toders--count my valves! And I'll do I1 0 in C h r y s l e r ' s A r i z o n a p r o v i n gthe sand! Am I outrageous,or what!'' grounds droppedof f th e LM002in

The LM002 is the ultimate gadget. It Albuquerque.Dan Mancini, wh o

suggeslsall sons of uses-none of them es- tends to specia l vehic les f o rsential to life. few of them rational. indeed Chrvsler. flew out to meet it and. . ~~ ~~~~~~ ~.mostof themfrivolous. bring it to me in Santa Fe for a

And from watching the facesof he p p l e coupleof days.


2/8


3/8

So everything else in my life went unat- with dual ovemcad cams and four valves p;r dent with double wishbones, coil springstended and it was playtime. cylinder. Wes. thar malres 48.) Ihe engine and telescopic shack absorbers. TIE brakes

I wked some friends whose hearts ah developsits 455 hp at 7WOrpm. are discs. fore and all. (And do Wi obhave ovehead valves to go along for the That's good for thc afacmcDtiooed 110 admirably.) The t h s arc 32516SVR-17rids. EdwPrd T. (Ned)Hall. the anmmpOlo- in 62Dd and about 125 mph an p v c m ~ ~ t . Pinlli off-load models with an inch-wide lipgist, knows Santa Fe's envim116 and b w s $leering is rack and pinion, power-as- to help k p hwn fmm e g x, deeplycars. He paused not a second before &id- sisted (though I expnienced liltle evidcoee into d he eampwnd is mk-hard ( b y

ing to leave his next book in the werd p that it helped mucMt*s one tough job make a softer om for those who useWi

ccsvn or a few bow. And Dave H O W wheeling it around town.) br! g w h x is a 4wd to toaver% snowy mountaim rathcrwns a sure bet. He's a specialist in Mn- five-speed "Zed Eff ' maoual. And then than Mndy deserts).cedes G-wagens rhmugh his Empa Motors there is the four-wbecl-drivewith automatic And, g~ his, ttr 00'2 that came to S a mand knows more off-mads than wads variable toque distribution to e x h wheel. Fe had s ir Webar c How brave toaround the county. Both the fmnt and nu differentialscan b send such a touchy m y nto the 7Wfmt

Now, some facts about the LMW2. locked. Y w ave to k ead s t o p p e h d altitude (- 90M at thc Ski Bssin). AndYes, t is a genuim Lambaghioi. t h mt even then it gmwls a! ymt--to engage the b machioe, W@ p n p y at dms witb

(as om onlwke~ ugpestcd) a b b u i l t 8ps 4wd. And the hubs on the front whcds need threats of load@ up and an avmim to start-cial with a swiped namepate. Undatbe hard to be fiddled with. No all-fromthe-c& 4x4 ing ad staying J1Red. did wt & badly mo-is th Y12 CBIoWlrh en* (5.2 liten d it) this. Tbe suspension is a l l - m u d indcpn- Jidering it was adjusml fw W t vel.


4/8

W b s a t b c J m ~ ~ m o v a i n s i s b w . T b . 1 , d ~ o m . s w i d c ~ ( dg m t u numben, the Weben will k gma Immoh-wimh tira), climiDlrs tbe m -m a f ~ c l ~ w i l l b s m e ~ . ~ mething winks , , -s e a r ~ w i l l k ~ h l r i m - at you in this i n l r r m a . I o g L l o d ~ i n m e h a . I w.pat. ( S k be ad f Jollc, cabltsthns i u g I m n a ~ y o a a ~ t o i t s

monster with 455 hp *-atifiabhe h impossible.) , oo.A e m r l l y , h e v c h i c l a d k m ~ The surprise was the way the 002

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 te n a i r r y l r r ' s ~ ( 4 D ) h ~ f o r & m d . I t ~ . m *dwl kepm f i l l i e s r bo r i nad i DI I ytbemaksraaatoftbeMidcut . 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 t ~~.Mayk!wilhitswightdhigcirailL r m b a g l l i m i d - n e w ~ i n dmmunnphmebmorpbaein to~.~ m t i m D c d m e ~ f l a . T W t l i t c i l .me* arama. uademy. its tml;-LiLc ippur- l a l pd ve .

T& 002 is wide and bg-lbe ace, cawed bg lmgc pmt by "porrr Nsa impressive is the 002's pow-.r l m e h 6 3 . 6 ~ d i h a t ' s m m i h m lndgc"in&ehood,y idds to i t s lpomar nnicplein4wdvchicla. I tmsaLid: to1 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 o a r v e ( b e ~ o u q u i c k l y ~ . t s t o pelaanccis16.7inehsr(11.6inehsrmda lrscty aluminmad 6 t q b omposi- s i g n s . ~ i l n r s a d a ( h m d M n g o f fBcdi&reo t id ) ,d thanmkfaapnsoy 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 lhkapoptogetin.ItrtmdPsixfc4!tbigh, d ~ p ~ , t h e ~ o f , p v i t yc a r h d a l n r d r p o t ~ m d C ~

m m v m m r o n A ~ o R l s m w .n ' S A W L Y

HAS TAKEN A HOT NEW TURN. MEET

THE DODGE CARAVAN ES. Furry

EQUIPPED TO mRfiL w m IS" CASTALUMINUM ROAR WHEELSg AMIFMSTEREO RADIO, AIR CONDlllONlNOI

AVAILABLE OVERHEAD CAM V-6 AND

AN AOOlllSSlVE NEW LOOK. PLUS,

OUR OUTSTANDINO 7/70 PROTEC-

TION PLAN$ DODGE CARAVAN ES.DRESSED IMPRESS.


5/8


6/8

A driver ectueliy speaks to his tires.It's done vie steering input. So howwell e tire handles depends on howwell it listens.I f it's insensltiw to Input, the result i sa tire with w r y li t t le response. I f It'soverly sensitiw. the tire will be'twitchyl Meenlng It wli l reapond rad-ically to smell Inputs.

The graph Illustrates the amount of

MKHEllN NEWXGTVSPORT

LINE steering input needed to negotiate ac u m at e given speed. Notice e per-formance tin n g u i n s eas input toachieve the same oornering capabilityas the standard tire. The performancetire therefore has a higher 'gain?Which is pert of the reeponslveness ofth e total system: tin and suepension.

ATire Should

wnere doe. this response come from?i t comes from th e precise balancing offour different components: rim. pro-file, belt configuration, and footprint.The rim is he cornmunioatione linkbetween tin end drlwr. A wider rimprovides better eupport for the tire onth e road, and by changing the shape ofth e tire pieces higher tension in thebody ply cords, increasing gain.The profile, which refers to the shapeof the tire, h m e large Influence ongain. With shorter sidewalls (plus-onesizing for example) there exists a more

direct path from rim to footprint endthe result is higher gain.Belt configuration helps maintain tire

stability at high speeds. The VR-ratedSport XQT V utilizes angled steel beltscovered by zero degree nylon cords.These cords keep the tire from grow-in g ebnormelly under th e forces of veryhigh epmde and also help prevent sud-den loss of adhesion i n extreme drivingconditlone.The footprint must transfer el l th epower, cornering, end braking forces toprovide control. i t s shape is deter-

mined by the profile and belt darign.The tread pattern has tw o importantjobs. Removing water from the f w t -

print. And giving sufficient support tothe treed compound. i f it can't provideedequete support, e stiffer compoundhas to be used, thereby reduclng dry .cyB

rncornering adhesion. The Sport XQT V 11101was designed with triangular tread llllYD

01blocke, which have Inherent rigidity to

-rovide optimum support. 1IL'

Do W h a t It'sTold.The Variable Compllence Groove" onthe shoulder is also pert of this sup-port system. On wet surfaces, It ohen-wI a water away from the ehoulder. One dry surface during hard cornering.lateral forces act to squeeze it shut.

giving rigidiw to the shoulder equive-lent to that of e ellck.As you epproech e turn. you went yourt i n s to respond quickly end accuratelywithout overreacting. After ai l i f a tire

doasn't do whet it's told. you're theone who could be punished.Third In 4 rbchnlc.1 s8rl8s on p8rform8nc8 rims.-


7/8

The 002 shrinksinto a different

creature as you drive

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

V1 Z provides plenty of power, somahlngnot normally found in OW-road vehlcbs

A most lntringulngaspect of thlsLamborghlni Isfound at ths rear:The tallgate toldsdown to allowa c c e u to open-alrrear compartmantfeaturing 'rumbleMae: Outsiderear persongencan converse withthose lnalde bysliding open rear

window

it difficult. It was easier just to put yourfmtdeep into it and Vl2-roar away.

Tl~e lutch. t w, was as f i e w as the oneon my old 1929 Bissell-Scagrave f i truck.Which, incidentally, is the only vehicle I'veever driven that got as much attention as h e

002. (And favorable attention. by the way.No one seemed to resent the 002. Someexotic machinery I've driven for some re&-son stirred as much animosity as interest.)

That's a lot of power to put lhmugh any28

clutch I wouldn't doubt that the clutchcould be a chronlc trouble spot I thlnk theChrysler folk would do well to find an auto-matlc that would fit m here

So wlth that clutch and that throttle andthe hard sleenng at slow speeds (and the

turning circle of a herd of elephants) and thedmomfon of the carburetors at the alhtude.the 002 was not a plcnle m Santa Fe's nar-mw, tounst-clogged streets Clearly, the00 2 preferred the open roadspaved and

unpaved, the sandy arroyos and the rockyhillsides. What fun they were.

Actually, it might have been even moreFun being in this machine than driving it. Arare situation, indeed.

Maybe it was that amusing juxtaposition ofCraggy ruggedness and posh comfon. You sitdeep in any of the fw r leather seats becauseof the high m w l e between them, h tback. 11's rather like settling into a Guccishoe. ' h e seats are simple, fm and remark-

AUTOWEEKJULY 18. 1988


8/8

,., . ,> .....

SPECIFICATIONSLr- ................................. (1 81-m M ..................................... 18.1-@k ............................. 1S.W7&7C u b W @ h l ~ .....................................m-.. MOk--7ddW!?.

- ~ b b d r m d w ~ l p @ m m r p n . m b a @BmOm-h~nqla.Lbo

I m D m h . l l m p * l n r u l l m n l u m

W D ~ :....................................... " .....,T o p p . d ~ . . . I l l l O o . l ~ ~ I rIOhall0llph) ................................-. M C m d a C C ~ c d ~m J ~ l h o d o ~ M I I 4 b a 8

-cdpnplmWooplclhodoklr .......................M d o M m d I IIk ....................................... 17

7 s m q xmw -wmh........

I M y ~ . I h c 6 1 m t ~ ~ .B u t d o w c e v a ~ ~ ~ ~ ~. .

h s c m m o D f i a d d c n s a r i l h ~ w m ?M ~ ~ s p a i n I b e O m - i n ~ o fI b e l i a k ~ r r r S i n I b e o a t b r l . Ya ~ a i tdDep=yopfrcl-mm@ta-~ . ~ ~ o f ~ m p m v i d e s a w i n d -w, back slides soYO "cm@ intnrbarilhm-m-ve*rs(atdrtrhfamxcfilmcaUICbrta&). A g l u t way to go.

Some quirk8 worth mentioning. Th em k k U Z = + h . r ( a I b ewide comok, so you shift witb pllr arm totk side aud y w r hand at mr-shoulderIcvel. Odd. Nice genbox, h q & s y m h~ g h o I I t . A o d y o u h m t o l e m n m p l dpmbmdfhroug!htbcataa&vb&lmmm

AutoweekHASA VERYSPECIALFEEL

NO^^^

1 !Re, -lke a~ H k e ~ c c k

tthaalwn,dsrr.rylethap m y D u " h a l d C " ~ w a l d ~ f i r # A

-on he faea n K k myWeak.

M o W a c k h m m W l t h ~yOUmnt:'7#t"nnmllboulrwwl n o d e k , m m p M . ~ l t l amdpoduca.AndYsmereilnLl . ~ l g k l a e t h e l n o n m l k r g ns ~ l n e

A fact we'n wry proud of.ShwldnryougetgoIng .nd

~ 7 O n l y S 2 3 ~ p u 5 2m c k l y l m n c a u n . 3 ~ p l g a o (motodngndmoconpatr

- a r r v b r g o ( ~ ~ ~theanglccopyprks.usetheudin thb b, II t o~- i r eelg00331-1750[Opanmr116~orwm :

A & - - * ! !-w

9 6 5 E ~ ~ k a o k . M I 4 8 2 0 7

BMW TURBO535-635-735

n - u ~ p d l u p m a r ~ m x r m t h a t c a ~ a r ' K-bcannbut--mwR&I f q l T M s a i s ~ t u h a K J u n h a a H e dy w u i n a n T u r t o s y s t e m . . . w m n ~

%&cEs%fOrw m t e m k she has yw.

RlmWHOOSMmeUrtogmilntobmnnd~ a r ~ h i " , . I b u n a v F J u n ~w ~ the BMWTCA ca w "ndn w per-brmnce:'

N l O N E E K : Faa is mp-e wM hdds ak a t h d ~ ~ a c r r m m m r n d ~ sN M ~ nd waled BMWI me can an c o nB U R e d ~ ) ~ l m t a d h c r h a s m b e ~thb i ranaf temfke t~ ,R@htupmnewmthe bnt o( me ben:'

DiMn Enginmhg t!as a c w n p m line d ur-bo8wspmknnprmSknyMBMW

I b

81 Pioneer W, Mt Viou VI 94x1lt151 962-9417

U I C i ~ t c ~ o o e d o e s o f mw h t b 2 ~ k o c p s d y i o g . r f ~ i r y t oreach Pomd UIC wbccl, you're .pt to dIbe wiadshiold wipas into a po.mt . Even the Omcxpgieaad DM did thisa coupk of t ima.

And UIC dirrctiotl signal! SIlch a what's-m*-miaeitmks.SamdslikcQbr)olpwming beep oa g n b g c hucts. You'llD e v s r k a v e t h i s ~ o n t h m g h ~lioll. Even thwgh i t i s self-cmdhg, itnever got a chmx-I squelched i t early~ t i m . l a e o n l y s o u n d i n S . D u P CmrrrmmpingisIbepcswcLkcptbylomed i m w b d e n t i r t o n ~ u n i o t l .

S o w ~ l u d a g . a d t i m e ~ p i c ( u r -

a q o e a o g a , ~ i n I b e R i o O r m d s ,c h b h g a hill a wo. Even ga its @awem I b e f n m t ~ o f t h e N o u M u i e ~ .

W i ean. this L.mborghiai LMO(IZ.Even lonMe. And it un be youn for amac $130,000 a Umutmm. (Loolr. W -aha mrbw hr me.)

Tmth be told. we didn't put the 002m r m y h q o i t C a s ~ P I O f f - I O d ~ ~w r r a n t l y d i d t h c G w s g m t h n R i d ~ dMichek Mntiaez owl. I mm wc dido'tri*Losingitdoam~cmbanhnentorany-C b i n g . D r m w a r ~ y ~ v c o f2 *w to i nabcnPhilHillwaswailingforaarLatit .A d ilm Sylwster Stallone, who r n w tnrmi t fo ra rmvie .

C.ll'tyoujoat~.u.it-thcI(maboL.mbo7Well,youruwitbenfbt.

From the designers of the originalGottl five spoke wheel

I A STAR IS BORN II ~Etolkurh. .). (pronouneed6 all)aremadeof thef inatI

alloya.T.U.V. tensdandavailableasonaph 14". 16': 16"m thperfect offsets. Modular, 16". 16': and 17" withforged rims.

Call fix your newest dealer or of&x dfracl hwn TopWFor your FREE color brochure of the world's most beautiful wheels, send to:

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

this week in 1988: driving the lamborghini lm002

Documents