The Lamborghini LM002 combines the performance of a V12 engine with the capability of an off-road vehicle, military-tuned, and equipped with a luxurious interior worthy of any Lamborghini. The result, produced from the 1986 to 1993 model years, created a sensation in the world of exotic cars, although it would later become a Lamborghini SUV you’ve probably never heard of.
A very diverse group of Lamborghini LM002 owners included Sylvester Stallone, Malcolm Forbes, Tina Turner, and Muammar Gadaffi. This was around the time when Stallone’s first three “Rambo” movies were released in 1982, 1985, and 1988, so the press latched onto the name “Rambo Lambo” – and it stuck. It also doesn’t hurt that the Lamborghini LM002 has road cred from its history as a vehicle originally built for the US military.
“Rambo Lambo” was a really clever idea. Producing 450 horsepower, it had the same 5.2-liter V12 found in the Countach Quattrovalvole, topped with six Weber carburetors. It was like the Countach, one of the most powerful cars of any kind that could be bought at the time. All of that 450 horsepower is channeled through a five-speed manual transmission supplied by ZF, before being sent to all four wheels in a drive system that includes three differentials with automatic locking. And then you had that beautiful interior that offered the comfort of leather lining, full carpets. Despite being one of Lamborghini’s worst-looking models, there was nothing else like it in the world of rare cars, especially at the time.
What else should you know about ‘Rambo Lambo?’
The Lamborghini LM002 is based on a 1977 military vehicle called the Cheetah developed by Lamborghini alongside the American company, Mobile Technology International. This was at a time when the Lamborghini company was facing difficult financial times. It saw the potential of this military contract as a means of continuous revenue generation that would allow Lamborghini to build more cars and obtain certification for US sales.
Long story short, the Cheetah project failed and Lamborghini disappeared. Later, it was revived by two brothers, Jean-Claude and Patrick Mimran, and their investment of three million dollars in the company. The military contract, however, was awarded to AM General, which went on to produce the successful Humvee. The military-oriented Cheetah prototype was redesigned and transformed into the “Rambo Lambo,” now intended for sale to the general public — or at least to those who could afford a $120,000 car at the time.
A total of between 300 and 328 examples of the Lamborghini LM002 were produced during its eight-year run, and these days the model fetches over $400,000 in original condition. The legacy of the Lamborghini LM002, extreme as it was, can be seen in the success of the next Lamborghini SUV: the Urus. The Lamborghini Urus is the company’s best-selling car. Known as a super SUV, the Urus has been more successful than the LM002.