The Sultan of Brunei’s Custom Lamborghini LM002 Heads to Auction
Some people just don’t want to wait.
The Sultan of Brunei is one such person. Back in the 1980s, he wanted a Lamborghini SUV. So, rather than wait three decades for the Urus, he decided to have the brand’s off-roader, the truck-like LM002, converted into a wagon. And now that custom build is set to be auctioned off by SBX Cars.
Sports cars have always been what Lamborghini does best, but the company has been willing to take chances from to time. One of the chief examples of this willingness to try something new was the company’s first off-roader, the LM002. Introduced in the mid-1980s, the boxy four-door—which was powered by a rear-mounted, American-made V-12—was intended for military use. This wasn’t to be the case, but the vehicle was loved by one of the decade’s biggest stars, Sylvester Stallone, who earned it the nickname the “Rambo Lambo.”
The Sultan’s LM002 is from the vehicle’s first year of production, 1986. Some may call the off-roader an SUV, but thanks to its bed it’s more of a truck, just like the Humvee that inspired the first-generation Hummer. This wouldn’t do for the royal, though, so he hired coachbuilder Salvatore Diomante to turn it into a wagon. Three LM002 wagons would be built during the seven years the vehicle was in production, but this one-off is the only build that Lamborghini sanctioned.
The conversation involved closing the back, raising the roofline, and installing a U-shaped bench in the rear part of the cabin. The modified exterior, which was originally painted black, is finished in Argento Metallizzato, while the larger interior is covered in Cuoio Nero. Unsurprisingly, the vehicle comes loaded with extras including air conditioning, power windows, a stereo system and DVD player, a custom dashboard, wood trim, and a sunroof.
The Sultan’s LM002 is powered by a 5.2-liter V-12 that churns out 450 hp and 368 ft lbs of torque. Factory-spec models could accelerate from zero to 60 in 7.7 seconds and hit a top speed of 130 mph. This customized example carries around an additional 1,000 pounds of weight, so those numbers may be out of reach. Regardless, it’s unlikely anyone looking to buy the vehicle is planning to race it.
The Sultan of Brunei’s LM002 is scheduled to go up for auction on SBX Cars on Wednesday, August 7. No estimate is listed, but it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the gavel price top seven figures.
Click here for more photos of the Sultan of Brunei’s 1986 Lamborghini LM002 wagon.
Authors
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Bryan Hood
Senior Staff Writer
Bryan Hood is a digital staff writer at Robb Report. Before joining the magazine, he worked for the New York Post, Artinfo and New York magazine, where he covered everything from celebrity gossip to…