Though it has four wheels and a car engine, the Lazareth LM 847 identifies as a motorcycle. Some might disagree with that, but one thing's for sure: it's one of the wildest production vehicles ever.
As uniquely insane as it looks, this V8-powered beast wasn't the first of its kind.
Twenty years ago, Dodge unveiled arguably the most spectacular concept in brand history at the Detroit Auto Show.
Dubbed Tomahawk, it featured a Viper V10 and four wheels, but it wasn't a car.
Inspired by two employees debating how the ultimate vehicle would look, the insane four-wheel motorcycle became the show's biggest star.
Dodge never planned to produce the vehicle, but encouraged by the overwhelmingly positive reaction and hundreds of inquiries from potential buyers, the Chrysler division eventually greenlighted a limited production run of ten units.
The Tomahawk project fueled the imagination of many enthusiasts, leading to the creation of other equally insane motorcycles.
The French cousin of the Tomahawk
Photo: Lazareth Auto-Moto
Arguably, the coolest Tomahawk-inspired motorcycle was the LM 847, developed by the French company Lazareth Auto-Moto.
Founded in 1998 by visionary designer Ludovic Lazareth, the company made a name for itself by creating breathtaking coachbuilt vehicles.
Some are based on production cars or motorcycles, others are designed from scratch, but all of Lazareth's vehicles are far from conventional.
About a decade after the Tomahawk wowed the crowd at the Detroit Auto Show, Ludovic Lazareth decided to create a similar vehicle, probably because he wanted to celebrate the future annulment of an annoying French law that limited road-legal motorcycles to 100 hp.
Calling it a challenging project is an understatement
Photo: Lazareth Auto-Moto
Turning the Tomahawk from an idea to a functional vehicle was difficult, even with Dodge's talent and financial means.
However, building a similar vehicle with only a fraction of the resources seemed impossible. Nevertheless, Lazareth was never the kind of person to back down from a challenge, and after sketching the wild bike, he began building it.
As British engineer Allen Millyard has proven, building a somewhat conventional, two-wheel motorcycle with a humongous car engine stuffed into its frame was possible.
But, to make it more stable at higher speeds for less hardcore riders and increase the overall wow factor, Lazareth opted to go with an over-engineered four-wheel arrangement - similar to what he saw on the Tomahawk.
An engineering masterpiece
Photo: Lazareth Auto-Moto
At the front, the LM 847 received two front wheels wrapped in Michelin Power Cup tires. Each one was bolted to a swing arm and featured an independent suspension as well as a rim-mounted four-piston brake Nissin caliper that hugged a huge 420-mm rotor.
Covered by a carbon-fiber mudguard, the front wheels steer via an intricate bub-center system connected to an extremely wide handlebar with reverse-action levers.
A similar setup was used for the rear - albeit the Brembo brakes used were smaller, and a third, transversely-mounted shock was added for sharper damping.
Minimal fairings
Photo: Lazareth Auto-Moto
Completely handbuilt, the LM 847 featured minimal fairings, as the French designer aimed to expose the engineering brilliance and attention to detail that made the bike possible.
The sharped-angled front end received a set of headlights and a split windshield, while at the rear, Lazareth masterfully integrated the tail of a Ducati Panigale into its ludicrous design.
Apart from that, the bike was left completely naked, which drew attention to the impressive engine.
Powered by a monstrous Italian V8
Photo: Lazareth Auto-Moto
The pièce de résistance of the French engineering masterpiece was, of course, its humongous engine.
A 4.7-liter version of the F136 V8, commonly known as the Ferrari-Maserati engine, the all-aluminum DOHC 32-valve unit taken from a Maserati Quattroporte supplied the LM 847 with 470 hp and a whopping 457 lb-ft (620Nm) of twist.
Considering that the figures listed by Maserati were lower, we suspect that the engine received a fair bit of tuning, but Lazareth only revealed that it replaced the stock exhaust with a completely bespoke system.
Visually, the throttle body was exposed, guarded only by the two-piece windshield. Another eye-catching feature related to the engine was the placement of the steering column, which ran through the upper intake manifold.
Europe's most outrageous motorcycle
Photo: Lazareth Auto-Moto
The initial prototype was unveiled in 2016, the same year the French government repealed the law that limited road-legal motorcycles to a maximum of 100 hp.
During the official announcement, the company revealed plans for a limited production run. In the end, nine additional examples were built, each selling for around 200,000 euros (about $225,000).
Theoretically capable of mind-blowing speeds, all examples of the 882-pound (500 kg) brute were factory-limited to a top speed of only 93 mph (150 kph).
Nearly two decades after its introduction, the Lazareth LM 847 remains Europe's most outrageous production motorcycle and one of the wildest ever developed.
Though surely tough to tame and grossly impractical, this insane vehicle is a work of engineering art that one can't help but lust for.
Vlad's first car was custom coach built: an exotic he made out of wood, cardboard and a borrowed steering wheel at the age of five. Combining his previous experience in writing and car dealership years, his articles focus in depth on special cars of past and present times. Full profile
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