It was the Hollywood era of Miami Vice and gun-toting renegades roaming the forests of north-west America.
Unsurprisingly, the idea of a military vehicle powered by a Lamborghini engine was expected to take off in the 1980s motoring world.
The reality was rather different.
Nicknamed the Rambo Lambo, the Lamborghini LM002 has gone down in history as one of the more expensive supercar flops in recent times.
There were a few out here in the Middle East and they were so good to drive out in the desert as they were very versatile
Arthur Hughes,
former Lamborghini employee
One of the few 1988 models of the LM002 vehicles on the open market was recently sold through Nostalgia Classic Cars in Dubai to an unknown mystery buyer.
But another is on display at the Off-Road History Museum tucked away in Al Shuwaib, deep in the Sharjah desert.
The private collection of off-road vehicles owned by Sheikh Hamad bin Hamdan is proudly on show at museums in Sharjah, Abu Dhabi and Morocco.
And it is the show-stealing 1987 Lamborghini LM002 that takes pride of place on the museum floor, despite it being dwarfed by the nearby Dhabiyan, the largest SUV in the world and other rare, collectable off-road vehicles.
With a rogue’s gallery of previous owners, including Libyan dictator Muammar Qaddafi, Mike Tyson and Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar, the Lamborghini’s 4x4 V12 super off-roader code-named ‘The Cheetah’ has almost disappeared from trace.
Arthur Hughes worked for Lamborghini in Bahrain and maintained one of the vehicles when he moved to Dubai 23 years ago.
“Sylvester Stallone owned one of these and was the reason why it picked up its name,” he said.
“There were a few out here in the Middle East and they were so good to drive out in the desert as they were very versatile.
“The car’s independent suspension gave it a real focus on the sand. It was built for the US Army but never really took off.
“The original design had the engine in the back, but it was treacherous handling and that is why it wasn’t picked up by the military.
“It had two straight six-cylinder engines arranged as a V configuration, and as a young mechanic, my job was to balance them out. It was very powerful but very heavy.
“The Rambo Lambo name was perfect for the car’s utilitarian physique.”
Code name: The Cheetah
The vehicle has become something of a collector's item and has an unusual history as it almost bankrupted the Italian sports car manufacturer.
Its design was born out of an approach by US defence contractor Mobility Technology International to Lamborghini in 1976 to develop a military off-road vehicle.
An Italian government grant helped fund the development of the Lamborghini Cheetah that was later presented at the 1977 Geneva Motor Show in Switzerland.
Problems began when a legal battle ensued between the American FMC Corporation that claimed its XR311 off-road vehicle’s design had been copied.
The two vehicles had a similar chassis, but different bodies, and a functional capacity for machine guns and anti-tank missiles.
The Cheetah project was mothballed by Lamborghini until several years later, when its design was resurrected in the LM001 and then the LM002.
The reincarnation included a V12 Countach engine inserted into the front end rather than the rear to bring more off-road stability.
The vehicle was no longer designed with the military in mind, but as a high-performance civilian car ideally suited to the terrain of the Middle East.
To make a crazy car even more wild, the manufacturers gave an option to insert a seven-litre powerboat engine for a little extra oomph, while its specially designed Pirelli tyres cost an eye-watering $3,800 each.
Due to its weight, fuel economy was on the low side – with most vehicles averaging 100kph expected to get little more than 16km for every gallon of fuel.
Collector's item
When it first went on sale, the LM002 cost about $120,000 and today it is valued at almost double that amount due to its scarcity.
“This model from 1987 is a very early example, so it is particularly special, especially as Lamborghini only made around 300 or so of these,” said Mr Hughes, who is co-owner of RMA Motors in Dubai.
“It wasn’t everyone’s cup of tea, and it had a high price point. People told me it performed really well in the desert, it was heavy but it had the power to work through the dunes easily.
“It is a very rare car. When you are a young lad from Scotland working on Ford Escorts it was a real treat to come out and work on these kind of unusual cars.
“Lamborghini was ahead of its time and set the standard for off-road high-performance vehicles.
“It was the grandfather of the luxury SUVs we see today.”
Results
5pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 1,400m; Winner: Faiza, Sandro Paiva (jockey), Ali Rashid Al Raihe (trainer).
5.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh90,000 1,400m; Winner: Greeley, Connor Beasley, Helal Al Alawi.
6pm: Emirates Fillies Classic Prestige (PA) Dh100,000 1,600m; Winner: Marzaga, Jim Crowley, Ana Mendez.
6.30pm: Emirates Colts Classic Prestige (PA) Dh100,000 1,600m; Winner: Jawaal, Jim Crowley, Majed Al Jahouri.
7pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 1,600m; Winner: AF Ashras, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel.
7.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 2,200m; Winner: Somoud, Richard Mullen, Ahmed Al Mehairbi.
The Birkin bag is made by Hermès.
It is named after actress and singer Jane Birkin
Noone from Hermès will go on record to say how much a new Birkin costs, how long one would have to wait to get one, and how many bags are actually made each year.
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
57%20Seconds
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Profile of RentSher
Started: October 2015 in India, November 2016 in UAE
Founders: Harsh Dhand; Vaibhav and Purvashi Doshi
Based: Bangalore, India and Dubai, UAE
Sector: Online rental marketplace
Size: 40 employees
Investment: $2 million
Tips to avoid getting scammed
1) Beware of cheques presented late on Thursday
2) Visit an RTA centre to change registration only after receiving payment
3) Be aware of people asking to test drive the car alone
4) Try not to close the sale at night
5) Don't be rushed into a sale
6) Call 901 if you see any suspicious behaviour
The story in numbers
18
This is how many recognised sects Lebanon is home to, along with about four million citizens
450,000
More than this many Palestinian refugees are registered with UNRWA in Lebanon, with about 45 per cent of them living in the country’s 12 refugee camps
1.5 million
There are just under 1 million Syrian refugees registered with the UN, although the government puts the figure upwards of 1.5m
73
The percentage of stateless people in Lebanon, who are not of Palestinian origin, born to a Lebanese mother, according to a 2012-2013 study by human rights organisation Frontiers Ruwad Association
18,000
The number of marriages recorded between Lebanese women and foreigners between the years 1995 and 2008, according to a 2009 study backed by the UN Development Programme
77,400
The number of people believed to be affected by the current nationality law, according to the 2009 UN study
4,926
This is how many Lebanese-Palestinian households there were in Lebanon in 2016, according to a census by the Lebanese-Palestinian dialogue committee
RIVER%20SPIRIT
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Wicked: For Good
Director: Jon M Chu
Starring: Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Ethan Slater
Rating: 4/5
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Tiger:independent, successful, volatile
Rat:witty, creative, charming
Ox:diligent, perseverent, conservative
Rabbit:gracious, considerate, sensitive
Dragon:prosperous, brave, rash
Snake:calm, thoughtful, stubborn
Horse:faithful, energetic, carefree
Sheep:easy-going, peacemaker, curious
Monkey:family-orientated, clever, playful
Rooster:honest, confident, pompous
Dog:loyal, kind, perfectionist
Boar:loving, tolerant, indulgent
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Emiratisation was introduced in the UAE more than 10 years ago
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Growing the number of Emiratis in the workplace will help the UAE reduce dependence on overseas workers
The Cabinet in December last year, approved a national fund for Emirati jobseekers and guaranteed citizens working in the private sector a comparable pension
President Sheikh Khalifa has described Emiratisation as “a true measure for success”.
During the UAE’s 48th National Day, Sheikh Khalifa named education, entrepreneurship, Emiratisation and space travel among cornerstones of national development
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The Emiratisation programme includes the creation of 20,000 new jobs for UAE citizens
UAE citizens will be given priority in managerial positions in the government sphere
The purpose is to raise the contribution of UAE nationals in the job market and create a diverse workforce of citizens
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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EA Sports FC 25
Developer: EA Vancouver, EA Romania
Publisher: EA Sports
Consoles: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4&5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S
Rating: 3.5/5
AS IT STANDS IN POOL A
1. Japan - Played 3, Won 3, Points 14
2. Ireland - Played 3, Won 2, Lost 1, Points 11
3. Scotland - Played 2, Won 1, Lost 1, Points 5
Remaining fixtures
Scotland v Russia – Wednesday, 11.15am
Ireland v Samoa – Saturday, 2.45pm
Japan v Scotland – Sunday, 2.45pm
The specs: Macan Turbo
Engine: Dual synchronous electric motors
Power: 639hp
Torque: 1,130Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Touring range: 591km
Price: From Dh412,500
On sale: Deliveries start in October
SPECS
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