1986 - 1993 Lamborghini LM002
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Lamborghini LM002
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Year:1986- 1993
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Make:
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Model:
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Transmission:2 speed manual
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Horsepower @ RPM:444 @ 6800
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Torque @ RPM:6800
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Displacement:5167 L
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0-60 time:7.8 sec.
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Top Speed:130 mph
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Price:175000
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Price:
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body style:
Ready your preconceptions for shattering, because they aren’t long for this world: the behemoth SUV pictured here is from Italian exotic sports car manufacturer Lamborghini. Dubbed the “Rambo Lambo”, this particular example represents one of only 328 vehicles produced between the years of 1986 and 1993. It’s the byproduct of Lamborghini’s “Cheetah” program, which began in 1977 as the development platform for a new military off-roader. The original design, featuring a rear-mounted Chrysler V-8, went to Mobility Technology International (MTI). MTI ended up contracting for the US military, and in some respects, the Cheetah could be considered the precursor to the Humvee.
After the Cheetah, Lamborghini created the LM001, which was similar, but came with a V-8 from AMC. When it was determined that a rear-mounted engine was responsible for unfavorable off-road handling characteristics, Lambo decided to build an entirely new chassis with the V-12 from the Countach sitting up front. Thus, the LM002 was born, making its official debut at the 1986 Brussels Auto Show.
In 1988, Lamborghini attempted to enter an LM002 in the Paris-Dakar Rally, with preparations including a stripped interior, a roll cage, suspension enhanced with heavy-duty components, an engine with output upped to 600 horsepower, and GPS. Unfortunately, funding ran out before the rally took place, but the beefy rally variant did eventually manage to compete in off-road races held in both Egypt and Greece.
Another interesting story finds one particularly unfortunate LM002, owned by Uday Hussein, son of the dictator, blown to smoldering chunks by US service members in 2004 during the invasion of Iraq to help demonstrate the effects of a car bomb.
With such a tumultuous genesis, it’ll be interesting to see what Lamborghini decides to do when it comes to an off-roader/SUV offering. With concepts like the Urus making headlines in the past few years, it certainly looks like Lambo is searching for the right way to reenter the market. Only time will tell if this latest effort is more successful than the LM002.
Updated 9/1/2015: Our man Jonathan Lopez took some pics at Monterey Car Week. Enjoy!
Click past the jump to read more about the Lamborghini LM002.
Latest Lamborghini LM news and reviews:
Hilarious: K-IDEA - The Rambo Lambo Takes Gstaad
Lamborghini’s LM002 was the original super-SUV. It had the looks, it had the power, and it surely had the off-road ability. While today’s SUVs and off-roaders rely on a bunch of electronic gizmos to carve their way through rough terrain, the LM002 did it with brute force. That’s what we call strong personality.
Amazing Car for Sale: 1989 Lamborghini LM002 - The Real Lamborghini SUV
When we talk about Lamborghini’s history, the Miura, Countach, the 350 GT, and the Espada come to mind. One model, however, that barely makes it to the conversation is the LM002 – the company’s off-road truck.
This may come as a surprise for the non-Lamborghini fanboys, but yes, the Italian automaker produced an off-road truck in the past. Lamborghini made the LM002 between 1986 and 1993 and, surprisingly, only 328 examples were built. Of these, 49 were built for the U.S. market. Now, one of them has arrived at Bring-a-Trailer’s auction and we can’t stop admiring it.
Is Lamborghini Planning To Resuscitate The Iconic 1986 LM002?
The Italian automaker, known for creating raging bulls that have been every child’s dream at some point in life, is actually known for much more than just the super fast hypercars it is known for lately. Speak to the Generation X folks, and they will reminisce Lamborghini as a company that once used to build a hardcore truck that made them go weak in the knees. Fast forward to 2019, and the company is actually considering the prospect of building an SUV that falls in line with the iconic LM002. Time to pop that bottle of 1986 Disaronno again!
Lamborghini Urus measured against classic LM002
Lamborghini’s Urus isn’t the first high-riding SUV vehicle the company has ever made. Despite the awesomeness of the Urus, we can’t forget that Lamborghini manufactured the imposing LM002 between 1986 and 1991. Only 328 LM002s were ever made and, while it wasn’t excessively practical or useful, its front-mounted V-12 engine borrowed from the Countach, plus the military-style squared off design helped win some fans.
The 10 Best Lamborghinis Ever Built
One of the most iconic sports car manufacturers, Lamborghini was born out of Ferruccio Lamborghini’s frustration over a bad experience with a Ferrari he bought and the way Enzo treated him. Having built tractors since 1948, Ferruccio decided he could do a better sports car and launched Automobili Lamborghini in 1963. But while Ferrari has produced over 50 nameplates to date, Lambo remained a lower profile carmaker. Sant’Agata has only produced 21 models up until 2018, including some limited-edition nameplates based on existing supercars.
Some became iconic from day one, while some gained notoriety as they became classics, A few of them remain somewhat anonymous due to the period they were launched or their subpar performance. Still, there are plenty of cars to choose from to round up a Top 10 list, and we did just that. It includes both modern and classic models, but I went for specific versions instead of nameplates, as these usually spanned over many years and included many different iterations. Check out my list below and let me know if I should’ve included other models too in the comments box.
Continue reading for the full story.
Video of the Day: Deciding to Build the Lamborghini LM002 and Lamborghini Urus
Back in the ‘80s, Lamborghini went about building the large-and-in-charge LM002 SUV, an absolute bruiser of a vehicle that was completely at odds with the Raging Bull’s speed-laced history. Affectionately dubbed the “Rambo Lambo,” the LM002 was the off-shoot of the Italian supercar-maker’s “Cheetah” program, which was originally tasked with creating a new off-roader for the military. Only a few hundred were ever produced, but Lambo never forgot about it, and in December of 2017, the manufacturer unveiled a spiritual successor - the Urus.
It’s a fascinating story, and our friends over at Fifth Gear got a chance to sit down and hear it told by Lamborghini’s insiders, including Stefano Domenicali, Chairman and CEO at Automobili Lamborghini, and Mitja Borkert, Lamborghini’s Head of Design.
Not only does the video include some fascinating perspectives on both the LM002 and the Urus, but it tosses in a number of truly epic shots of both vehicles out and about in their natural environments, plus the all-important exhaust note rumblings from both the LM002’s 12-cylinder and the Urus’ twin-turbo V-8. And, just for fun, there’s some nice side-by-side shots of the LM002 cruising alongside its contemporary sports car sibling, the Countach.
So then, if you want to learn a bit more about the LM002, or perhaps the DNA that makes up the Urus, or you just want to indulge in the glory shots of these menacing Raging Bulls, this 7-minute, 22-second video is for you.
Urus vs. LM002: Lambo’s Utility Vehicles - 30 Years Apart
The Lamborghini Urus was unveiled in 2017, five years after the Italian carmaker unveiled its first SUV in the form of a concept car. But even though it’s Lambo’s first SUV, the Urus isn’t the first utility vehicle coming from Sant’Agata Bolognese. Lamborghini began meddling with the idea all the way back in 1977 and launched its first production model in 1986 as the LM002. That’s a few good years before AM General introduced the iconic Hummer H1 for civilian use in 1992.
In many ways, the LM002 is the spiritual successor of the Urus, but the two utility vehicles are actually very different. They were conceived for different purposes, have radically different designs, and deliver different performance figures. With the modern SUV now official and on its way to showrooms, we take a look back at Lambo’s history with utility vehicles and the iconic LM002. How does the Urus compare to Lambo’s first venture into this market and what sets the two SUVs apart? Find out below.
Continue reading for the full story.
With The Urus Debut Now Imminent, Lambo Does A Throwback To Its First SUV
We’re only a few a months away from the official debut of the Lamborghini Urus SUV, which is slated to appear in the metal at Lambo’s headquarters in Sant’Agata Bolognese, Italy, on December 4th. In anticipation of the big unveiling, Lamborghini is spotlighting its very first venture into the SUV segment – the LM002, a.k.a., the “Rambo Lambo,” by bringing out the fully restored chassis #12231 from the Lamborghini museum. Finished in black, this large-and-in-charge Italian off-roader is one of just 300 units produced during the LM002’s original production run, which concluded about a quarter century ago. Today, it remains an odd, yet fascinating look at what happens when a sports car maker decides to make SUVs.
Of course, the LM002 isn’t that weird if you dig into Lambo’s history. Prior to making fast cars, Lamborghini actually produced tractors, and it continues to do so today. In addition, Lamborghini also makes powerboat engines and motorcycles. The point is this – just because its best known for its outlandish sports cars, Lamborghini won’t be pigeonholed. So what’s the deal with the LM002, and what can it tell us about the upcoming Urus? Read on for the details.
Continue reading for the full story.
Ready your preconceptions for shattering, because they aren’t long for this world: the behemoth SUV pictured here is from Italian exotic sports car manufacturer Lamborghini. Dubbed the “Rambo Lambo”, this particular example represents one of only 328 vehicles produced between the years of 1986 and 1993. It’s the byproduct of Lamborghini’s “Cheetah” program, which began in 1977 as the development platform for a new military off-roader. The original design, featuring a rear-mounted Chrysler V-8, went to Mobility Technology International (MTI). MTI ended up contracting for the US military, and in some respects, the Cheetah could be considered the precursor to the Humvee.
After the Cheetah, Lamborghini created the LM001, which was similar, but came with a V-8 from AMC. When it was determined that a rear-mounted engine was responsible for unfavorable off-road handling characteristics, Lambo decided to build an entirely new chassis with the V-12 from the Countach sitting up front. Thus, the LM002 was born, making its official debut at the 1986 Brussels Auto Show.
In 1988, Lamborghini attempted to enter an LM002 in the Paris-Dakar Rally, with preparations including a stripped interior, a roll cage, suspension enhanced with heavy-duty components, an engine with output upped to 600 horsepower, and GPS. Unfortunately, funding ran out before the rally took place, but the beefy rally variant did eventually manage to compete in off-road races held in both Egypt and Greece.
Another interesting story finds one particularly unfortunate LM002, owned by Uday Hussein, son of the dictator, blown to smoldering chunks by US service members in 2004 during the invasion of Iraq to help demonstrate the effects of a car bomb.
With such a tumultuous genesis, it’ll be interesting to see what Lamborghini decides to do when it comes to an off-roader/SUV offering. With concepts like the Urus making headlines in the past few years, it certainly looks like Lambo is searching for the right way to reenter the market. Only time will tell if this latest effort is more successful than the LM002.
Updated 9/1/2015: Our man Jonathan Lopez took some pics at Monterey Car Week. Enjoy!
Click past the jump to read more about the Lamborghini LM002.
Lamborghini has been on the fence about which model to add to their lineup for what seems like forever, but it looks like the decision will finally be made sometime before the end of the year. At first it was believed that we would get to see the production version of the Estoque, but it may be the successor for the legendary LM002 that will come out on top due to the trends in growing markets like China.
"We haven’t asked our customers so much in terms of a personal question but the feeling, especially for the new markets, is SUV seems to be the majority," said Christian Mastra Lamborghini Asia-Pacific boss. "If you think about India, China, Brazil, Mexico — all the new markets are more keen on this kind of car. Especially as we might have also the heritage with that, if you think about the LN002. We’ll see, the decision has not been taken yet."
If Lamborghini does go through with their SUV, they would be clearly following in the footsteps of their main competitor, Porsche, but that will be where the trail ends. Mastra says Lamborghini will not be going into the hybrid, or even diesel markets with their models. They say their supercars will always be powered by V10 or V12 engines and the SUV or sedan may be seeing a turbocharged engine, but that’s the only compromise they will make to their heritage.
Lamborghini started 2011 off right with the debut of their new supercar, the Aventador LP700-4. And true to being one of the greater supercar manufacturers, Lamborghini is well on its way to establishing plans for its lineup for the next few years. Thanks to history finding a way to continually repeat itself, we’ve established what we think will be the Italian automaker’s future lineup.
In 2012, we will begin to see different variations of the Aventador, starting off with a Spyder version. That same year, we will also be getting the brand’s first SUV, the LM00X and the production version of the Sesto Elemento concept. The coupe will be followed by the Sesto Elemento Spyder in 2013.
Jumping off the supercar track for a bit, Lamborghini will then bring out the Estoque Sedan in 2014, followed by a Cabrio version in 2016. In between those two debut, Lamborghini will revisit their supercar mainstay with the Aventador Super Veloce.
If we happen to live past the supposed end of the world in 2012, then 2013 will be bringing us a new model set to replace the Gallardo. It will be called the Cabrera - after a famous Spanish bull of course - and will be powered by a V10 engine with a total output of 570 HP. The Cabrera will be built on a multi-sectional, bonded carbon monocoque and will be lighter than the model it replaces. A Roadster version will follow in 2014.
Hit the jump for a breakdown of each model.
A few days ago, a report came out that Lamborghini is teaming up with Porsche to build its very own SUV that will be based on the latter’s latest GT architecture. While this news poses a shift in philosophy for the Raging Bull and could potentially undermine its tradition, the latest word - at least according to Car and Driver - is that Lamborghini is on the fence on which model will join the Gallardo and the Aventador in the lineup.
Apart from this long-rumored SUV - it’s been codenamed as the ’LM00X’ - the other choice is the production of the Estoque. The Italian automaker is considering both vehicles, but has made it known that only one is going to be green-lighted for production.
While no decisions have been made yet, the company is looking at October as the time to decide. As it stands the SUV has a slight edge over the Estoque because the car will be on a class of its own as far as high-end SUVs are concerned whereas the Estoque will have its hands full going up against competitors like the Porsche Panamera Turbo S, the Aston Martin Rapide, and the recently launched Ferrari FF.
The final decision is still a few months away, but it’s never too early to put your two cents in. For us, we prefer seeing the Estoque finally come alive after years of drooling over it. Besides, just like Ferrari, the words ’Lamborghini’ and ’SUV’ don’t belong in the same sentence.
Let us know which model you prefer in the comments section below.
We have been waiting for this moment for some time now, ever since Porsche got into the crossover business in fact. We had our doubts, but when Aston Martin announced they would be making the Lagonda, it seemed that the pieces were in order for a Lamborghini crossover. This is especially true since rumors have been floating about claiming that Lamborghini was working on an SUV anyway.
Now, when Porsche first made the Cayenne there were many enthusiasts who rioted in the streets, but look how it turned out. The Cayenne is the first selling model in their range, despite some interesting design cues in the first generation. Aston’s Lagonda will take those design cues and turn them upside down, as this thing is ugly in concept form. Still, an Aston SUV might sell if the price is right.
With high-performance SUV sales as good as they are, Lamborghini wants in the mix. Given the fact that they are apart of the Volkswagen Group, they should have plenty of bits lying around to use.
Hit the jump to read on.
Show the photo of this car to 10 people out on the streets and ask them to guess what band it is. Chances are nobody’s going to get the answer right. If somebody did, he probably made a lucky guess.
This is a 1986 Lamborghini LM002 – hardly looks like a vehicle Lamborghini would make, right? And we must advise you not to bet your house on the premise that this is just some run-of-the-mill vehicle the folks from Lambo built because they were bored. Arguably one the rarest Lamborghinis you can find anywhere in the world, this particular LM002 was originally built for the Sultan of Brunei – yes the same man who reportedly has over 6,000 cars in his garage – and while Sultan Bolkiah doesn’t own it anymore, the man who does is, apparently, selling it.
The car, by all accounts, has been remodelled and modified a number of times with the end product boasting of a number of different features including an upgraded interior with electric front sears, a couple of roof-mounted CD and DVD players, LCD monitors, an electric sunroof, and so much more.
Continued after the jump.
The LM 400 is a concept vehicle designed by Rene Harrigan inspired by the 1980s Lamborghini LM 002. The intention was to design a luxury luxury off-road vehicle that could mark the return of Lamborghini in this prestigious segment, to compete against Lincoln, Hummer, Cadillac, Land Rover.
The LM 400 Concept is based on the Audi Q7 platform. It features an all-aluminum structure and is powered by a range of engines that includes V8, V10 and V12 units.
The LM 400 is designed in four (...)
This is a part of a car collection some were in Iraq, a very known one because it was in propriety of the Hussein family. The American soldiers use this Lamborghini LM002 as a test car for an explosion. This is possible to be one of the expensive test they ever done because this is not a cheap SUV, a v12 Lamborghini that car provide 450hp when is still alive.
This Ferrari 550 Maranello is part of a collection that it suppose to number1200 cars. The cars were in propriety of Uday Hussein, (...)