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1990 Lamborghini LM002 roars into Jay Leno's Garage

High-performance SUVs have become fairly common in recent years, with vehicles like the Land Rover Range Rover Sport SVR, Mercedes-AMG G65, and plenty of others to fill the niche. However, the Lamborghini LM002 was arguably the segment's pioneer when it debuted decades ago. Jay Leno welcomes one of these Italian beasts into his garage in a new video, and this thing is fascinating to see on the road. The LM002 is a wonderfully incongruous vehicle. The exterior has a brutish collection of chiseled features, but there's a high-output 5.2-liter V12 from the Countach under the hood. Leno says that the "Rambo Lambo" sounds "like an Italian opera," and he lets the big engine sing several times during the clip. Leno praises the way the Lambo drives, but the LM002 ownership experience sounds difficult. According to guest Damiano Barbuscia, replacement tires are eye-wateringly expensive, and the V12 gulps down fuel. The high price is likely worth it for this SUV's charisma on the road – see for yourself in the latest from Jay Leno's Garage.

Rolls-Royce, Lamborghini utilities await approval from German parents [w/poll]

A cursory look at the top of the automobile market would suggest that the world's carmakers are gunning it full steam ahead into a new stratosphere of ultra-luxury and high-performance utility vehicles. After all, companies like Bentley and Maserati are preparing to launch their very first crossovers, while established players like Mercedes-Benz and Land Rover keep producing ever more expensive sport-utes of their own. But that's not the case across the board.
Rolls-Royce, for example, has yet to receive the green light to start working on its proposed CUV project. Though the dimensions of its sedans may already eclipse those of some crossovers, this would be the first time that Goodwood would produce a utility of its own. But while the British automaker's financial performance may have earned it a degree of autonomy, the final call may still come down to parent company BMW, which just might be waiting to see how Bentley fares with its upcoming crossover - and how much money it brings in to the Volkswagen Group - before deciding on whether or not it should proceed.
However, Rolls-Royce may not be alone in waiting for its German parent company to approve its high-priced ute. It's been two and a half years since we first laid eyes on the Lamborghini Urus (pictured), but the Italian automaker reportedly has not yet received approval from its parent company Audi and the greater Volkswagen Group to proceed with development and production. Envisioned to share its platform with the next Volkswagen Touareg, Audi Q7, Porsche Cayenne and the production version of the Bentley EXP 9 F concept, the high-riding Lamborghini was originally set to reach production as the marque's third model line in 2017. But while Audi drags its feet - potentially waiting to see how the Bentley version pans out - the Urus' launch keeps getting pushed back, if it's ever to be made at all.

1971 Lamborghini Miura SV is PoloStorico's first restoration

Lamborghini is fitting in at the annual Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance, trotting out a fully restored 1971 Miura SV. This is not just any Miura, though. It's been the subject of a complete restoration courtesy of Sant'Agata's young restoration arm, PoloStorico. Wearing chassis number 4846, this Miura SV was introduced on the Bertone stand during the 1971 Geneva Motor Show – the company's new Countach was on the main Lambo stage. According to Lambo, this car is "truly a one-off," featuring parts from the Miura S alongside pioneering features that would be seen on later SVs. But who cares about its history – just look at this thing. Lamborghini has gone mad restoring this Miura, with PoloStorico inspecting each individual body panel and then finishing all of them in this beautiful Verde Metallazata – literally green metallic. The company claims that every component was restored or replaced, and that "exhaustive research" went into the process. But why Amelia Island, and why now? The head of PoloStorico has the answer. "This is the year in which the Lamborghini Miura celebrates its 50th anniversary," Enrico Maffeo said in the official statement. "This car not only illustrates the iconic appeal of the Miura, widely acknowledged as the forerunner of modern super sports models, but is also a perfect example of the expertise available in Lamborghini PoloStorico in providing the most authentic Lamborghini restorations." This Miura SV marks the first completed project for the PoloStorico team. Based on the few images we've seen, it's the start of something big for Lamborghini's vintage models. Related Video: LAMBORGHINI POLOSTORICO CELEBRATES MIURA 50 ANNIVERSARY AT AMELIA ISLAND WITH RESTORED MIURA SV 1971 GENEVA SHOW CAR Sant'Agata Bolognese, – The original Lamborghini Miura SV shown at Geneva motor show in 1971 has been the subject of more than a year's restoration by Lamborghini PoloStorico, and is presented as a finished project at the Amelia Island concours event (USA) from 10 to 13 March. The Lamborghini Miura SV (Super Veloce), chassis #4846, was the pre-production model for subsequent Miura SV production. Unveiled at the 1971 Geneva motor show on Bertone's stand (while Lamborghini showed its new Countach), the car was truly a one-off, carrying over parts from the previous Miura S and introducing new features that would be seen on later SVs. Lamborghini PoloStorico was appointed a year ago to fully restore chassis #4846 to its perfect original state.