Lamborghini LM002
1986–1993 · Lamborghini LM002 — Super SUV, V12, designed by Lamborghini (in-house).
The Story
Before the Urus, before ‘Super SUV’ was even a phrase, there was the LM002 — the original Rambo Lambo. Built from 1986, it crammed the Countach’s 5.2-litre Quattrovalvole V12 (around 450 hp) into a hulking, military-derived 4×4, riding on bespoke Pirelli Scorpion run-flat tyres developed specifically for it. It began life as Lamborghini’s attempt to sell off-roaders to the US military; when that fell through, they sold it to the world’s wealthy adventurers instead.
The nickname stuck because Sylvester Stallone — Rambo himself — was an early owner, and the LM002 became the supercar set’s ultimate flex. Mike Tyson tells the origin of his own purchase perfectly: he was 21 and newly rich when Malcolm Forbes rolled up in a green one — ‘A Lamborghini truck. And I was like, “What is that!” As soon as I found out how to get one, I got one.’
Around 300 were built, and the owner list reads like a tabloid index: Forbes, Tyson, Tina Turner, Eddie Van Halen, the Sultan of Brunei. Absurd, excessive and decades ahead of its time, the LM002 is the V12 great-grandfather of every Urus on the road today.
The Numbers
Benchmarked against its class
Each dial ranks this car within its Super SUV class — fuller means higher, and the tick marks the class midpoint.
Signature Colors
The Designer
Lamborghini (in-house)
In-house design for the LM002 military-derived 4×4, evolved from the Cheetah and LMA prototypes rather than an external studio. Source: Wikipedia: Lamborghini_LM002. FLAG: no single credited designer — a factory effort.
Studio Motors POV
The LM002 is the original Super SUV and one of the great conversation pieces in all of cars — the V12 ancestor of the Urus money-machine. We love a documented, honest example: buy it for the history and the sheer absurdity, and enjoy that it’s finally getting the respect (and the prices) it deserves.
Market & Value
Values on cars like this move monthly. Our brokers price from real transactions.
What Reviewers Said About LM002
Worth Knowing About the LM002
3 Things You Didn’t Know
- Its V12 is the Countach Quattrovalvole's 5.2-litre engine — a supercar motor in an off-roader.
- It began as a bid to sell military 4×4s to the US armed forces; the civilian version followed when that failed.
- Pirelli developed bespoke 'Scorpion' run-flat tyres specifically for it.
5 Fast Facts
- Built 1986–1993; ~301 made.
- Countach QV 5.2L V12, ~444–450 hp; four-wheel drive.
- Nicknamed 'Rambo Lambo' after early owner Sylvester Stallone.
- Bespoke Pirelli Scorpion run-flat tyres.
- The conceptual ancestor of the Urus — the original Super SUV.
Provenance
Owners & what to look for
Famous Owners
Documented/reported owners: Sylvester Stallone (the ‘Rambo Lambo’ namesake), Malcolm Forbes, Mike Tyson (who tells the story first-hand), Tina Turner, Eddie Van Halen, Keke Rosberg, the Sultan of Brunei. (Reported across multiple outlets; Tyson’s account is first-person.)
Studio Buyer’s Brief
~300 built; the civilian LM002 (V12, luxury trim) is the one — the final 60 ‘LM/American’ cars carry extra equipment. Originality, working AC/electrics and a healthy Countach V12 are key; these are complex and costly to run. Values $250K–700K+ and climbing with SUV mania; special-history cars top the market.
Full Specifications
- Make / Model
- Lamborghini LM002
- Class
- Super SUV
- Production years
- 1986–1993
- Units built
- 301 total (final 60 = LM/American edition)
- Variants
- LM/American (rare)
- Engine layout
- Front
- Engine
- V12
- Engine family
- Bizzarrini V12
- Displacement
- 5.2L (5,167 cc)
- Power
- 444 hp
- Torque
- 368 lb-ft
- 0–60 mph
- 7.7 s
- Top speed
- 130 mph
- Power-to-weight
- 164 hp/tonne · 13.4 lb/hp
- Transmission
- 5-speed manual
- Drivetrain
- 4WD · Petrol
- Curb weight
- 5952 lb
Questions
LM002 FAQ
Why is the Lamborghini LM002 called the Rambo Lambo?
The LM002 earned the Rambo Lambo nickname because Sylvester Stallone — who played Rambo in the film series — was among its earliest owners. The nickname captured the car’s military heritage and theatrical excess so perfectly that it became the model’s universal alias and the source of its enduring pop-culture identity.
What engine does the Lamborghini LM002 use?
The LM002 uses the 5.2-litre Bizzarrini V12 from the Countach Quattrovalvole, producing approximately 444 hp and 368 lb-ft of torque, driving all four wheels through a 5-speed manual gearbox. Lamborghini also offered an optional 7.2-litre marine-derived V12 for buyers needing additional output.
What was the Lamborghini LM002 originally designed for?
The LM002 grew from Lamborghini’s late-1970s bid to supply the US military with a high-performance off-road vehicle. When the military contract failed to materialise, Lamborghini pivoted the design into a luxury civilian 4×4, launching it in 1986 as what became the world’s first super-SUV.
How much does a Lamborghini LM002 cost?
Lamborghini LM002 values average approximately $395,000, ranging from $250,000 for driver-quality examples to over $700,000 for exceptional cars with documented provenance. Values have risen sharply as the original Super SUV narrative has taken hold and the LM002’s status as the Urus ancestor has become widely understood.
How does the Lamborghini LM002 relate to the Urus?
The LM002 is the direct spiritual ancestor of the Urus: both are Lamborghini’s answer to the same question — can a supercar brand dominate the SUV segment? The LM002 did it first in 1986 with the Countach V12; the Urus did it again in 2018 with a twin-turbocharged V8, thirty-two years later.
Can you buy a Lamborghini LM002?
Yes. The LM002 surfaces through specialist collectors, auction houses and private estates.
The Lamborghini Lineup
Explore every Lamborghini
350 GT ’64400 GT ’66Miura ’66Espada ’68Islero ’68
Jarama ’70Urraco ’72Countach ’74Silhouette ’76
Jalpa ’81LM002 ’86
Murcielago ’01Gallardo ’03Reventon ’08
Aventador ’11Veneno ’13Huracan ’14Centenario ’16Huracan Performante ’17Urus ’18Aventador SVJ ’18Sian ’19
Huracan STO ’21Countach LPI 800-4 ’21Revuelto ’23Temerario ’25
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