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LM002 Paris Dakar - the STORY

In 1988, Automobili Lamborghini SpA decided the time was right to try the notorious Paris Dakar rally with their powerful four-wheel drive LM002.

Sandro Munari was found to drive the car and a white over black leather LM002 was taken from the chain and modified by a special team of engineers.

The interior was stripped from just about everything that put on weight and two race type bucket seats were installed with four-point seat belts.

A big tubular roll cage was mounted, together with all kinds of GPS and position equipment; you do not want to get lost in the desert now do you ?

For this special LM, a competition engine was developed, pumping out 600 Bhp, an open exhaust system was also mounted giving the LM a very brutal almost animal like sound when flooring the gas pedal.

The suspension was also upgraded to cope with the constant pounding of high-speed desert driving, and the glass was replaced with lighter Plexiglas, the front side windows now featured small sliding part like on most race cars.

Unfortunately this LM002 was never entered in the Paris Dakar Rally, according to some sources, the money ran out before it could be entered, although I personally think there had to be another reason, since the LM002 was entered in the Rally of the Pharaohs in 1987 and again in the off-road rally in Greece during 1988, both rallies were driven by Sandro Munari with this specific LM002.

After its short competition life, the engine was replaced by a more 'standard' V-12 and the car was sold to a collector.

Another LM002 was prepared for the 1989 Paris Dakar rally by a private party, this one was finished in orange over black, this one was later bought by Hubert Siegez, the Belgian Importer back in 1993, still in full Rally dress, he sold it to a Japanese collector who according to the Lamborghini Registry, still drives it with the original open exhaust system.

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