He abandoned his Gumball 3000 in a Lamborghini LM002 because he couldn't find any tires... Pirelli has just solved the problem at full price!

Take part in Gumball 3000 with a Lamborghini LM002 seemed like a perfect idea. A V12 from Lamborghini Countach, With a military look that's out of all proportion, and only 328 units produced, it's hard to find a more extravagant vehicle for crossing the world. Yet the project was abandoned for an almost absurd reason: it was impossible to find tires.

Twenty years later, Pirelli has finally relaunched the famous LM002 tires. Excellent news for owners of the mythical «Rambo Lambo»... provided they accept a very high price.

The Lamborghini SUV before the Urus

Long before the Lamborghini Urus, Lamborghini had already attempted the adventure of the ultra-sporty SUV with the LM002, launched in 1986. At the time, the model seemed almost unreal: a huge luxury 4×4 powered by a 5.2 V12 derived from the Lamborghini Countach, capable of tackling the desert at very high speeds. Initially designed for military use before becoming a vehicle for wealthy Middle Eastern customers, the LM002 boasted unprecedented dimensions, gargantuan fuel consumption and astonishing performance for a behemoth weighing almost 3.5 tons. But above all, it required very special tires.

The 2006 Gumball 3000 was to be his playground

In a recent video posted on the Vinwiki channel, Dustin Worles recounts how he was to take part in the 2006 Gumball 3000 aboard an LM002 purchased especially for the event. To this day, the event remains one of the craziest in rally history. Spanning three continents and ten countries in just eight days, the Gumball required an insane amount of logistics: three planes to transport around 120 cars, plus a Boeing 757 reserved for participants and staff. The total cost of the event is said to have reached $45 million.

The owner of the LM002 wanted a vehicle different from the usual Ferrari and Lamborghini rally cars. His choice fell on this mythical SUV nicknamed «Rambo Lambo». After picking up the vehicle in South Carolina, the two men discovered a machine as fascinating as it was intimidating: huge radiator, Countach engine, typical 80s interior and impressive behavior in the rain at high speed. But very quickly, a major problem emerges.

Tires that are virtually impossible to find

Even before purchasing the vehicle, the dealer had warned the owner: finding tires for an LM002 had become a real nightmare. The reason was simple: the LM002's tires were unique in the world. Specially developed by Pirelli in the 1980s, the famous Scorpion BK tires had been designed to withstand the extreme temperatures of the desert, while supporting the power of the Lamborghini V12.

Their most spectacular feature was the lateral fins, nicknamed «ears», allowing the vehicle to float better on sand. Pirelli also explained that these tires used rally-derived technologies, including aramid reinforcements capable of absorbing high-speed impacts. The problem was that production of these tires was halted in the early 1990s, shortly after the end of the LM002's career.

In the video, the participants explain that they had just two weeks to ship the vehicle to London before the Gumball departure. It was impossible to find tires in that time. A few months later, they finally got their hands on a complete set... for around $10,000 at the time. Too late: the LM002 had missed its appointment with the Gumball 3000.

Pirelli finally relaunches tires... but at an outrageous price

In 2023, Pirelli has finally announced the return of the Scorpion BK to its «Pirelli Collezione» range, dedicated to iconic classic cars produced between 1930 and 2000. The Italian manufacturer explains that it has recreated these tires almost identically in order to preserve the LM002's original characteristics. The famous lateral fins are still present, as are the technologies for sand and road use.

This return finally solves the main problem for LM002 owners: being able to use their vehicle without having to search for years for an old stock of tires. But this renaissance comes at a price.

Today, a complete set of five Pirelli Scorpion BK tires in size 345/60 R17 is sold by some specialists at over €30,000 incl. VAT. That's well over the price of a new compact car... just for the tires. A crazy sum, but almost logical for such an extreme vehicle. After all, the LM002 was never a normal Lamborghini. And even nearly forty years after its launch, this «Rambo Lambo» continues to push the limits of absurd Italian motoring.