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Ex-Sultan of Brunei 1986 Lamborghini LM002 Wagon is headed to auction

The rare LM002 is widely credited as Lamborghini's first SUV, but it was closer to a four-door pickup than to a wagon on stilts. Some were turned into SUVs by third-party coachbuilders, and one of these will be auctioned off after spending time in the Sultan of Brunei's collection. Spotted by our colleagues at The Drive, the LM002 is listed on auction site SBX Cars, and it's fascinating on many levels. First, there's the rarity: Only a small handful of LM002s were turned into SUVs by third-party companies, and this example, which was built by an Italian coachbuilder named Diomante, is reportedly a one-of-one model. Then, there's the provenance: This truck was reportedly delivered new to the Sultan of Brunei by a Lamborghini dealership in Singapore. His collection is one of the largest in the world, yet very few have ever seen it. Cars that enter the collection rarely leave. This one has been out for at least a decade, however, and it was listed for sale in August 2009. Assigned vehicle identification number (VIN) ZA9L00000KLA12162, the 6,600-pound LM002 Wagon is painted in Argento Metallizzato with a black leather interior. It's left-hand-drive, its odometer displays 10,383 kilometers (about 6,500 miles), and it's powered by a 5.2-liter V12 shared with the Countach. It features air conditioning, a wood-rimmed steering wheel, and a sunroof, and it was fitted with a DVD player and a TV at some point in its life. The auction description notes that Argento Metallizzato isn't the original color; it was originally painted black. The sale includes service records, period details about the wagon conversion, and a new set of tires — it's still on its original tires. This LM002 is also listed on Lamborghini's registry of historic cars. It's located in Uppsala, which is about an hour north of Stockholm in Sweden. It's hard to predict how much this LM002 will sell for. The auction is "coming soon," according to SBX Cars.

Drive like Mario Andretti: His '84 Lamborghini Countach is for sale

Mario Andretti is, arguably, the name most synonymous with “racing driver.” There are good reasons why: He has won the Indy 500 (1969) and the Daytona 500 (1967). HeÂ’s a four-time IndyCar champion and all-time IndyCar lap leader. He is also the last American to be Formula One world champion, in 1978 (Andretti emigrated from Italy to the United States when he was 15). The extraordinary length of his career is emphasized by the fact that he is the only racer to be named driver of the year in three different decades: 1967, 1978 and 1984. Perhaps it was in celebration of that third time that Andretti treated himself to a new Lamborghini, this Â’84 Countach S. Now someone else is gets the chance to own it. ItÂ’s for sale at Motorcar Gallery, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, with an asking price of $499K. The livery of this Â’84 Countach 5000 S reflects AndrettiÂ’s Italian heritage in its classic red-over-tan color scheme, a contrast to the Bolivian-marching-powder white that was so emblematic of Â’80s Countachs. Subtle custom touches include pinstriping that integrates the Mario Andretti logo, and logos on the outside mirrors as well. The V12 engine pumps out 371 horsepower and is paired with a five-speed manual with a gated shifter. The selling dealer states that the car has been treated to an engine-out mechanical refurbishment, and the odometer shows just 17k miles. Despite the low miles, we imagine Andretti liked this car well enough — he ended up owning a string of Lamborghinis, reportedly including an Â’89 Countach, a Â’91 Diablo, a Murcielago and an Aventador S. The pairing of a fast driver and fast cars is a natural one, it seems. Featured Gallery Mario Andretti's Lamborghini Countach View 14 Photos Celebrities Lamborghini Crossover

Lamborghini exploring more elegant designs

Ferrari's front-engined V12s and mid-engined V8s have taken turns monopolizing the brand's perception; the 550 Maranello was probably the last front-engined V12 to be first-to-mind, now the 458 Italia leads the family. Not so at Lamborghini, where a mid-engined V12 has been the go-to and centerpiece since the extraterrestrial Countach landed, and it still is no matter how much the Huracan outsells the Aventador. That shape, those doors, that engine – they're the franchise. That doesn't mean Lamborghini isn't trying new things. The Asterion LPI 910-4 concept from last year's Paris Motor Show was more than the marque's first draft of a hybrid, it was an exploration of a different avenue in design. According to design chief Filippo Perini, "We need to understand if we can open another window in our future to be not so extreme but also a little bit more politically correct and elegant." The Asterion points at elegance and "a daily use of the car" with more room inside, a slimmer rocker panel and sill for easier entry, and a raised hip point in the seats for a higher driving position. Perini said that from the driver's seat, "You can see the color of the car. That is something unknown in our very extreme designs." Extreme Lamborghinis aren't going away, however – note that Perini spoke of opening "another window" of design. The goal, he said, "is to understand if [its] design language will be appreciated by a different kind of customer." We can't imagine why not, and we hope we get more news about the "hyper cruiser" GT outside of magazine articles and auto show grandstanding. If it were up to us, Lamborghini would open that window all the way.