The Lamborghini Urus has been an enormous success story, with well over 30,000 of the mega-SUVs sold since 2018. In fact, some critics have argued that it’s almost too successful and that a car made in those numbers and based on off-the-shelf VW Group underpinnings can never be a ‘proper’ Lambo. The Lamborghini LM002, on the other hand, never really faced those accusations.
This was Lambo’s first crack at an unashamedly in-yer-face 4×4, and quite frankly could only have happened in the 1980s. Spawned from a couple of rear-engined prototypes crafted by Lamborghini in an unsuccessful bid to tempt the US military into a contract, the company built around 300 between 1986 and 1993 in a remarkably forward-thinking move that foresaw the rise of the ultra-luxe, ultra-fast SUV.
Lamborghini LM002 – front
Of course, back in the ’80s, an independent Lambo didn’t have access to the VW Group’s enormous pool of engineering resources, so had to work with what it did have. Up front went a 5.2-litre V12 from the Countach, with a five-speed manual sending power to all four wheels.
In early carbureted cars – like this one – the engine was making 444bhp, which propelled the 2.7-tonne off-roader to 62mph in 7.8 seconds, all while up to four occupants sat among sumptuous wood and leather.
Lamborghini LM002 – interior
This particular LM002 has done some globetrotting in its time. It was delivered new to Sweden in 1988, before spending time as a museum exhibit in Italy, then heading to the Netherlands, the UK and Kuwait.
In that time, it’s covered 17,273km – around 10,700 miles – and now, back in the UK, it’s coming up for auction at RM Sotheby’s Cliveden House sale on 12 June. A reasonably restrained Acapulco Blue on the outside, it makes up for that with the most ’80s of interiors, with white leather in places you didn’t know white leather could go.
Lamborghini LM002 – rear
If you fancy this utterly ridiculous yet unquestionably cool vehicle, you’ll need to find between £225k and £275k by RM Sotheby’s reckoning. Oh, and a small note on upkeep – the description notes a 2015 service with DK Engineering that set the then-owner back £10,177. Yikes.
Nevertheless, if you needed any more convincing, Tina Turner never owned an Urus – but she did have an LM002. That alone probably makes it simply the best Lambo SUV ever.
