The origins of the Lamborghini LM002 permanent all wheel pick up lie in a prototype rear engined Chrysler powered Armored Reconnaissance Scout Vehicle built by FMC Corporation (Food Machinery and Chemical Corporation) called the XR311. Under the direction of Lamborghini’s new owners Georges-Henri Rossetti and René Leimer Lamborghini took on a contract to develop a Armored Reconnaissance Scout Vehicle for Mobility Technology International (MTI) who, unknown to Lamborghini, passed on plans for the new vehicle that “borrowed” heavily from the prototype FMC XR311.

When the prototype Lamborghini Cheetah with a larger Chrysler motor in the back was announced in 1977 it immediately triggered legal action from FMC against MTI and Lamborgini and the project was abandoned after it had been demonstrated but before it was submitted to the US Military for testing. The US Military contract for which the Cheetah was built to compete for was won by AM General and their M998 Series High Mobility Multi-Purpose Wheeled Vehicle or HMMWV also known as Humvee which would find a civilian application known as the Hummer.

Lamborghini meanwhile went bankrupt in 1978 and was put into the care of Swiss food entrepreneurs Jean-Claude and Patrick Mimran by the Italian courts in 1980. Under their stewardship a second all wheel drive prototype LM001 was developed in 1981 now powered by a rear mounted AMC motor. It was soon realised this had the same handling issues as the Cheetah and so a front engined LMA002 (Lamborghini Militaria Anteriore) powered by 370hp V12 from the Countach super car.

By the time the LM002 went into production, in 1986 just before Lamborghini was acquired by Chrysler, it was fitted with a 450 hp version of the Countach V12 complete with 4 valve heads as seen above in this 1991 version. Later a even more powerful version of Lamborghini’s offshore powerboat marine V12 could also be specified.

Nickmaned the “Rambo Lambo” the only tyres on which the vehicle of this weight and performance can run were specially commissioned by Lamborghini from Pirelli and are marketed as Pirelli Scorpions which have a run flat capability. 328 LM200’s with air conditioning and leather interiors were built between 1986 and 1993 with none being sold for military service.

Thanks for joining me on this “Rambo Lambo” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I shall be looking at a Countach the last in this series celebrating 50 years of Lamborghini car production. Don’t forget to come back now !

Brighton Speed Trials Under Threat of Permanent Cancellation !

In their infinite wisdom, Brighton & Hove City Council are seeking to ban the Brighton Speed Trials from 2014.

If you care about speed and or motorsport history, please sign this linked petition to save Brighton Speed Trials in 2014 and beyond.

It’s a faf to Register before signing, but relatively painless compared to loosing the event which has been run with few interruptions since 1905.

You do not need to be resident in Brighton or even the UK to sign.

Thanks and please spread the word through whatever social media you have at your disposal.