This year’s Geneva Motor Show has been just the place for the world’s showiest millionaires to find the next toy to add to their collection. But even against the Bugattis and Lamborghinis making their debuts at the event the Lazareth LM847 is able to turn heads.
Is it a motorcycle or a car? The riding position and controls, as well as its ability to lean though corners, say the former. The number of wheels errs towards the latter. It closely resembles the Dodge Tomahawk concept from more than a decade ago, but instead of an 8-litre V10 the Lazareth packs a 4.7 litre Maserati V8.
That engine adds up to 470bhp at 7000rpm and 620Nm of torque at 4750rpm, all powering a machine that weighs just 400kg. That’s a lot for a motorcycle, but not much for such a big engine to haul along. Its weight explains why the design gets away with a single-speed transmission and a hydraulic coupler rather than a conventional gearbox. A differential splits the drive to each rear wheel, with a chain on each side taking it the last step of the way.
The leaning suspension system comes courtesy of a swingarm for each wheel. Those at the back are fairly conventional single-siders, albeit doubled-up, while the front has a brace of hub-centre-steering systems. The steering itself looks is achieved via a complex-looking set of links, and the hugely wide bars suggest it takes a fair bit of muscle to move them all. Further complicated linkages connect the suspension from each side, allowing the bike to lean like a two-wheeled motorcycle. The swingarms are connected to cradles around the engine and transmission, using it to provide most of the bike’s chassis strength.
The seat comes from a Ducati Panigale, and at least part of the silencer also appears to come from the same source.
French bike builders Lazareth are behind the project, and it’s by no means the first four-wheeled project the firm has done. As usual with the company’s creations, it’s a one-off at the moment but any customer wanting something similar isn’t likely to be turned away providing they’ve got a big enough budget.
