When you think SUV Lamborghiniwe spontaneously imagine the Urus, the brand's worldwide bestseller. But long before this ultra-profitable model, there was an even more extravagant, rarer... and more family-friendly SUV. You may be familiar with its basis: the LM002, that wild 4×4 from the 1980s, halfway between a military machine and a millionaire's toy. Except that one very special customer decided that the "standard" LM002 was neither luxurious nor practical enough for his family life.
This customer is the Sultan of Brunei (whom we've already talked about with the Ferrari F90). And it was he who, in the mid-80s, gave birth to what is probably the true spiritual ancestor of the Urus: an LM002 transformed into a huge 7-seater estate, officially validated by Lamborghini, powered by a Countach V12, and equipped with... a cathode-ray tube TV in the trunk. Yes, this Lamborghini family SUV did exist. And its story is worthy of a movie script.
From LM002 SUV to royal station wagon
It all began in 1986 with a "normal" LM002. Chassis KLA12162, supercar V12, gigantic Pirelli Scorpion tires, desert raid vehicle look. In 1989, the Sultan of Brunei's LM002 took a completely different direction. The royal owner wanted to transform this luxury pick-up into a family limousine. The task was entrusted to Italian master coachbuilder Salvatore Diomante.
The result has little in common with the original LM002, as the rear tipper disappears, the roof is lengthened and raised, the silhouette becomes that of a giant station wagon, and the rear passenger compartment is completely redesigned. Instead of a simple loading area, Salvatore Diomante created a living room on wheels: U-shaped bench seat, lounge atmosphere, elaborate roof lining, lighting and, above all, a totally outrageous piece of equipment for the time: a cathode-ray tube television housed in the rear section, like in some executive limousines of the Reagan years. Basically, it's a VIP lounge mounted on a Lamborghini 4×4, with the same V12 as the Countach.
A crazy project... but validated by Lamborghini
What makes this car even more interesting is that it's not a do-it-yourself project from the corner of a garage, but one officially validated by Lamborghini. In a video shot in Sweden, the owner insists on this point: there were indeed several converted LM002s, but only one station wagon of this type was validated as "legitimate" by the Sant'Agata Bolognese brand. This is the one.
Under the hood, Lamborghini makes no compromises: the LM002 station wagon retains the 5.2-liter V12 with four camshafts and six Weber carburetors, in its Countach QV configuration, rated at around 450 hp. No deflation to make it more docile or more of a "family SUV". Power is transmitted to a 5-speed ZF manual gearbox, with three locking differentials. In short, this behemoth can theoretically climb through the desert with the same devotion as a "standard" LM002, while carrying an entire family in a leather lounge in the back. The only detail is that the transformation adds 500 kg to an already rather light LM002. We're talking about a car that weighs well over three tons.
From the court of the Sultan, to the management of BMW and Volkswagen, and finally Sweden
After a few years in the extraordinary collection of the Sultan of Brunei, this LM002 changed its life. It left Asia for Europe and passed into the hands of another key figure in the automotive industry: Bernd Pischetsrieder, former head of BMW and then Volkswagen. Far from being a mere whim, the car was taken very seriously. It was appraised and certified by the brand's specialists, then entered in Lamborghini's historical registers as an officially recognized one-off. The kind of detail that makes all the difference in the world of collectors. It's easy to imagine the effect this V12 station wagon could have had when parked in front of the headquarters of a major automotive group...
The most incredible thing is what happens next. In the 2010s, the LM002 station wagon lands in Sweden. It was imported, registered, and eventually purchased... by a family. A Swedish owner uses it to take her children to school. The scene is easy to imagine: in front of the school, a line of Volvos, a few German SUVs... and in the middle, this monster weighing over 3 tons, Countach V12, 345-wide Pirelli Scorpion tires, rumbling exhaust, the silhouette of a military truck transformed into a limousine. According to the story told by the collector who exhibits it today, the children became stars at every drop-off. And the LM002 station wagon really did serve as a family shuttle, packed with friends in the back, on that U-shaped bench seat worthy of a mini salon. Yes, this Lamborghini family SUV really did serve as an everyday car, at least for a period of its life.
A life hidden, then rediscovered in Sweden
After this unexpected use, the LM002 station wagon disappeared off the radar once again. The Swedish collector who owns it today recounts that it took him almost eight years to manage to buy it. When he finally got it back, the car was literally covered in dust, like something out of a barn. Since then, it's been revived: the V12 has had a major overhaul, the carburetors have been rebuilt, and the car is running again, even if certain elements remain in their original condition, such as the silver paintwork marked by time and a few blisters. The original color was black, but its slightly weathered appearance is now part of its charm.
The odometers read just over 11,000 km. For a 1989 vehicle that has been through Brunei, Germany and Sweden, this is almost unreal. In the video at the end of this article, we see the car leave the showroom and take to the road. The V12 screams, and the driver struggles to see what's going on ahead, as the bulging hood and air intakes obscure the view.
An Urus before its time
Why is this car so interesting today? Because it ticks all the Urus boxes before its time. It's a luxury, family SUV, both unreasonable and usable, commissioned by an ultra-wealthy customer, with supercar mechanics and a level of excess that perfectly matches Lamborghini's DNA. At the time, this LM002 station wagon obviously didn't make it into series production. Lamborghini's economy was fragile, the market not yet mature, and the "luxury SUV" concept still marginal. But from today's perspective, it's hard not to see it as a kind of rough draft of the Urus's specifications. So how much is it worth? Well, it's currently up for auction and the price has so far exceeded €220,000.
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