View source for Lamborghini LM002

{{Short description|Off-road SUV built 1986–1993}}
{{redirect|Rambo Lambo|other models in the series|Lamborghini Militaria|the 21st century SUV|Lamborghini Urus}}
{{Infobox automobile
| image = Lamborghini_LM002_Gen1_Type129_1986-1993_1988_frontleft_2013-03-17_U.JPG
| caption = 1988 Lamborghini LM002
| name = Lamborghini LM002
| manufacturer = [[Lamborghini]]
| aka = Lamborghini LM/American
| production = 1986–1993<ref name=RegIndex>{{Cite web |url=http://www.lamborghiniregistry.com/LM002/index.html |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071030082049/http://www.lamborghiniregistry.com/LM002/index.html |url-status=dead |title=Lamborghini Registry LM002 Index|archivedate=October 30, 2007 | date = 2001-05-23}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|last=Lieberman|first=Jonny|title=King in the North|journal=[[Motor Trend]]|date=May 2013|volume=65|issue=5|page=126}}</ref>
| assembly = Italy: [[Sant'Agata Bolognese]]
| class = [[Light commercial vehicle]]
| body_style = {{Plainlist|
*4-door [[SUV]]
*4-door [[SUV|sport utility truck]]
}}
| layout = [[Front-engine, four-wheel-drive layout|Front-engine, four-wheel-drive]]
| platform = {{Plainlist|
*tubular steel frame
*riveted aluminium body panels
}}
| designer = [[Giulio Alfieri]]<ref>{{cite web |title=For Sale: A Lamborghini LM002 – The "Rambo Lambo"|url=https://silodrome.com/lamborghini-lm002-rambo-lambo-4x4/|date=4 December 2022|first=Jon|last=Branch|website=Silodrome|access-date=4 March 2023}}</ref>
| related = [[Lamborghini Countach]]
| engine = {{Plainlist|
*5.2 L (5167&nbsp;cc) ''[[Lamborghini V12#First generation|L503]]'' [[V12 engine|V12]]
*7.2&nbsp;L ''[[Lamborghini V12#First generation|L804]]'' marine V12
}}
| transmission = 5-speed [[Manual transmission|manual]]
| wheelbase = {{convert|2950|mm|in|1|abbr=on}}<ref name=RegIndex/>
| length = {{convert|4790|mm|in|1|abbr=on}}<ref name=RegIndex/>
| width = {{convert|2000|mm|in|1|abbr=on}}<ref name=RegIndex/>
| height = {{convert|1850|mm|in|1|abbr=on}}<ref name=RegIndex/>
| weight = {{convert|2700|kg|lb|0|abbr=on}}<ref name=RegIndex/>
| predecessor = {{Plainlist|
*[[Lamborghini Cheetah]]
*[[Lamborghini LM001]]
*[[Lamborghini LMA002]]
}}
| successor = [[Lamborghini Urus]] (spiritual)
}}

The '''Lamborghini LM002''' is an off-road vehicle manufactured by [[Lamborghini]] between 1986 and 1993. The LM002 was an unusual departure for Lamborghini which, at the time, was primarily known for high-performance, hand-built, super/sports cars. The LM002 was not the first of its kind to be built by Lamborghini.  Two prototype vehicles, the [[Lamborghini Cheetah|Cheetah]] and the [[Lamborghini LM001|LM001]], paved the way for LM002. Both vehicles used rear-mounted American power plants and were intended for military use, but were not well received. With the idea of using a front mounted Countach V12 to power the LM001 came the next model, the "LM002", which was the first of the three to see actual production by Lamborghini. The LM002 is part of the [[Lamborghini Militaria]] series of vehicles.

==History==
[[File:1989 LM-002 rear.jpg|left|thumb|Rear view of a 1989 LM002]]
[[File:Lamborghini LM002 Brunei 1989 side 2009-03-14 A.jpg|left|thumb|The one-off [[Station wagon|estate]] Lamborghini —made for [[Hassanal Bolkiah]], the [[List of Sultans of Brunei|Sultan of Brunei]]]]

Lamborghini built its first military vehicle, a prototype vehicle codenamed "[[Lamborghini Cheetah|Cheetah]]", in 1977. Lamborghini had designed the vehicle with hopes of selling it to companies in the [[oil exploration]] and production industry.<ref name=osborne>{{cite journal|last1=Osborne|first1=Donald|title=1991 Lamborghini LM002|journal=[[Sports Car Market]]|date=January 2014|volume=26|issue=1|pages=60–61}}</ref> The original Cheetah prototype had a rear-mounted [[Chrysler Corporation|Chrysler]] [[V8 engine]]. The only finished prototype was never tested by the U.S. military, only demonstrated to them by its designer, Rodney Pharis. It was later sold to Teledyne Continental Motors by MTI and is apparently still in the U.S. This led Lamborghini to develop the [[Lamborghini LM001|LM001]], which was very similar to the Cheetah, but had an [[American Motors Corporation|AMC]] V8 engine.

It was finally determined that the engine being mounted in the rear caused too many unfavourable handling characteristics in an offroad vehicle, and the [[Lamborghini LMA002|LMA002]] was built with an entirely new chassis, moving the engine (now the V12 out of the [[Lamborghini Countach]]) to the front. After much testing and altering of the prototype, it was finally given a serial number and became the first LM002. The production model was unveiled at the [[Brussels Motor Show|Brussels Auto Show]] in 1986. It was dubbed the "Rambo-Lambo".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/gassing/topic.asp?f=23&t=633935&nmt=RE:%20PH%20Zeroes:%20Rambo%20Lambo |title=RE: PH Zeroes: Rambo Lambo |publisher=Pistonheads.co.uk |access-date=2009-05-02}}</ref>  Civilian models were outfitted with a full luxury package, including full leather trim, tinted power windows, [[air conditioning]], and a premium stereo mounted in a roof console. In order to meet the vehicle's tire needs, Lamborghini commissioned [[Pirelli]] to create the Pirelli Scorpion tires with custom, run-flat tread designs. These were made specifically for the LM and were offered in two different tread designs, one for mixed use and the other for sand use only. These tires could be run virtually flat without risk and could handle the desert heat, the loading, and the speeds of the LM. The LM002 was fitted with a {{convert|169|L|usgal|adj=on}} fuel tank.<ref>{{cite web |title=1991 Lamborghini LM002 specifications |url=https://www.carfolio.com/specifications/models/car/?car=94391 |website=www.carfolio.com |access-date=14 June 2021}}</ref>

===In the market===
A total of 301 examples were built.<ref name=RegIndex/> The last sixty were a special edition called '''LM/American''', only sold in the United States. First shown at the 1992 Detroit Auto Show, these have OZ alloy wheels, chromed bumpers, a special interior, and various badging and trim additions.<ref name=RegIndex/> For those requiring even more power, the Lamborghini L804 type 7.2 litre marine V12, more commonly found in class 1 offshore powerboats, could be ordered. The end of production was announced in 1991; while Lamborghini claimed to have received orders for around 800 cars, the complicated manufacturing process made them discontinue the car in order to focus on more profitable models.<ref name=TV0591.8>{{cite magazine | ref = GD91 | title = Ökenskeppet | trans-title = The Desert Ship | language = sv | magazine = [[Teknikens Värld]] | publisher = Specialtidningsförlaget AB | location = Stockholm, Sweden | page = 8 | date = 1991-03-07 | issue = 5 | volume = 43 | first = Gunnar | last = Dackevall }}</ref>

Near the end of the LM002's production, Turin-based autoshop owner [[Salvatore Diomante]] created a one-off "[[Station wagon|estate]]" version for the [[List of sultans of Brunei|Sultan of Brunei]] by enclosing the back area and raising the roof. This added significant interior capacity.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lambocars.com/lm/lm002sp.htm|title=Lamborghini LM002 Estate|last=Smeyers|first=Mark|date=26 April 2019|website=www.lambocars.com|access-date=2020-04-07}}</ref>

[[Uday Hussein]] owned a LM002; it was blown up in 2004 by US military for an ostensible car bomb test.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://content.time.com/time/specials/2007/article/0,28804,1658545_1658533_1658530,00.html|title=The 50 Worst Cars of All Time: 1986 Lamborghini LM002|year=2007|magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.military.com/off-duty/why-us-troops-blew-uday-husseins-rare-lamborghini-suv-iraq.html|title=Why US Troops Blew Up Uday Hussein's Rare Lamborghini SUV in Iraq| first = Blake | last = Stilwell | website=[[Military.com]]|date=4 April 2021 }}</ref> After the [[Fall of the Assad regime|fall of Ba'athist Syria]], footage emerged of a massive car collection belonging to former dictator [[Bashar al-Assad]], stored within the [[Presidential Palace, Damascus|Presidential Palace]] in [[Damascus]]; a red LM002 was briefly shown in the recording, in addition to other luxury cars such as the [[Ferrari F50]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/dec/09/luxury-cars-labels-syrians-assad-family-residences | title= Luxury cars and high-end labels: shocked Syrians roam Assad family residences | website=The Guardian | date=2024-12-09 | access-date=2024-12-10}}</ref>

An LM002 was featured in the films ''[[No Holds Barred (1989 film)|No Holds Barred]]'' (1989), ''[[Toys (film)|Toys]]'' (1992) and ''[[Fast & Furious (2009 film)|Fast & Furious]]'' (2009), as well as the video game ''[[Stunts (video game)|Stunts]] (1990) and [[Forza Horizon 4]] (2018).''

==Motorsport==
'''LM002 Evoluzione''' (alias: LM002 Paris Dakar, 1988)

* Two special LM002 cars were built with the intention of making them capable of participating in the [[Dakar Rally|Paris Dakar Rally]]; one is painted white and the other is painted orange.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.jloc-net.com/lamb/proto/lm002.html | title=LM002 Evoluzione |website=JLOC | publisher =  Japan Lamborghini Owner's Club | language = ja | access-date=2019-01-05}}</ref> The white one was built in 1988. Lamborghini stripped it of all unnecessary weight and gave it an upgraded suspension, engine modifications which brought it to {{Convert|600|PS|kW|0|abbr=on}}, full roll cage, [[plexiglas]] windows, and [[GPS]] equipment. Funding ran out before it could officially be entered in competition, although one of them did participate in the [[Rallye des Pharaons]] in Egypt and another in Greece, both times driven by [[Sandro Munari]]. The orange car was developed by the Swiss-based World LM Racing Team.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.lambocars.com/archive/lm/lm002pd.htm | title=Lamborghini LM002 Paris-Dakar | access-date=2019-01-05}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Lamborghini Urus]], the successor vehicle to the LM002
* [[Mercedes-AMG G 65]], another V-12 SUV

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Lamborghini LM 002}}
* [[Internet Movie Cars Database]]: [https://www.imcdb.org/v524012.html 1986 Lamborghini LM-002 in ''No Holds Barred'']

{{Lamborghini early timeline}}
{{Lamborghini road car timeline 1990 to date}}
{{Lamborghini}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lm002}}
[[Category:1990s cars]]
[[Category:Cars discontinued in 1993]]
[[Category:Cars introduced in 1986]]
[[Category:Lamborghini vehicles]]
[[Category:Luxury sport utility vehicles]]
[[Category:Military light utility vehicles]]
[[Category:Off-road vehicles]]