Two is Better Than One
The classic car market is enjoying a healthy boom; it seems people are seeking out and spending big money on these select models rather than buying more watches or investing in art. It has become a somewhat smart investment to go all-in on a classic now and watch the value steadily rise over the years.
Individual models as rare as a Lamborghini Countach or a classic Lotus Formula 1 car fetch decent money these days, but imagine selling both as a package? Imagine also that it isn’t just a buy-one-take-one situation; both are actually intertwined by history.
The Camel Collection
Introducing the Camel Collection, currently listed on Pistonheads, this set features two very good examples of high-value classics, a 1990 Lamborghini-Lotus Type 102 F1 and a 1985 Lamborghini Countach 5000 QV. Let’s start off with the F1 car. This 1990 model car was driven by Martin Donelly, Derek Warrick, and a current F1 pundit, Johnny Herbert. What makes the Type 102 a rarity is that it’s a partnership between Lambo and Lotus; this car is the only Lotus F1 car to feature a V12, in this case a 3.5-liter, 640hp unit.
This car is chassis #02 and was actually raced for 6 Grand Prixs, with a best overall finish of 8th at the Imola GP. It even raced during the Monaco GP of that season. After retiring from Grand Prix racing, the car sat well-kept in a notable collection, preserving as much originality as possible, including the iconic yellow-and-blue Lotus-Camel livery.
More recently, it was sent to Lamborghini Polo Storico, where it underwent a full mechanical rebuild and restoration. It’s currently under the care of Furlonger workshops and is said to be in tip-top condition, ready for use.
Unofficially Unique
A collection isn’t possible with just one car, and in this case, the Lotus Type 102 is bundled together with a car from the company that built its engine. The particular Countach is a later model 5000 QV with the optional rear wing, and is painted in Giallo over Naturale. In fact, the listing claims this is the only right-hand-drive Countach in this colorway ever made. Interestingly, this Countach chassis #FLA12848 is somewhat of a celebrity; it was featured in the May 1987 issue of Autocar and in a book titled Lamborghini Countach. To complement the collection, the Countach was given a full livery mirroring that of the F1 car, but the seller is willing to restore the paint scheme to factory specs.
The Camel Collection isn’t an official collection, but for something conceived by an individual, it actually makes this more interesting rather than blasphemous. Both cars are period-correct and meticulously maintained; having them both in a collection makes for great storytelling about how they are related.
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