1990 Lamborghini

‘The Camel Collection’

1990 Lamborghini-Lotus Type 102 F1

Driven by Derek Warwick, Martin Donnelly & Johnny Herbert during the 1990 season

Powered by 640 bhp Lamborghini V12 engine & restored recently by Polo Storico

The type 102 was an innovative Formula 1 car embracing the combination of two historic brands in motorsport; Lamborghini and Lotus. In fact, the 102 was the only Lotus F1 car to ever be graced with a V12 powerplant, being a 3.5-litre unit with 640 bhp.

Lamborghini had recently been purchased by Chrysler, who were keen for the Italian brand to enjoy success on the race-track. When the F1 engine regulations changed in 1989, moving away from turbo-charging, Lamborghini were able to use their expertise from V12 naturally-aspirated engines in their road cars, such as the Countach, to create a high-revving power unit for use in the F1 World Championship.

The type 102 was introduced for the 1990 world championship and would eventually complete 37 races across 3 seasons, being driven by notable drivers Derek Warwick, Martin Donnelly and Johnny Herbert. Over the course of the 1990 season, chassis #02 would compete in a total of 6 Grand Prix, with a best finish of 8th at the Imola GP, as well as competing on the Monaco race weekend of that season.

The type 102 is one of the most iconic designs from arguably the finest eras of F1; the end of the manual transmissions with high-revving V12 engines. Further, the yellow Camel livery is synonymous with both Lamborghini and Lotus of the era, one that adorned a beautifully sculpted and aerodynamically-inspired body.

Following its retirement from competition on the racetrack, #02 was held in a notable collection for a several decades and appropriately stored to retain originality. More recently, the historic F1 car would enjoy a trip to Lamborghini Polo Storico at the factory and enjoy a complete mechanical restoration and recommissioning, with full records and imagery held on file. The car is also still accompanied by period build and specification documents and is now fully running and ready to be enjoyed.

Now being maintained and occasionally run through the Furlonger workshops, 102/2 is ready to be used and enjoyed as more historic racing series become available in the coming years. There is much speculation that at the Monaco Historic in 2028, cars from the early 90s will be eligible to compete and a new ‘Masters’ series is also in the works. F1 cars from the late 80s and early 90s are the most modern examples that can be used and enjoyed without an extensive team and with relatively limited expense. The car comes complete with all the required equipment and spares for it to be used at a Historic F1 event and the Furlonger team can be on hand to assist with running the car.

In more recent times, the Lamborghini-Lotus 102 is significant in the context of the F1 Movie (2025), with Sonny Hayes (played by Brad Pitt) driving this vehicle in his ‘original’ stint on the F1 grid in 1990. In fact, the very first scene of the F1 Movie shows the 102 F1 in action, with Hayes behind the wheel. One would imagine that the striking Camel livery and also V12 Lamborghini sound-track, were the reasons behind it being chosen for the F1 movie – certainly one of the most striking and iconic cars of the era.

1985 Lamborghini Countach 5000 QV

The only right-hand drive Countach 5000 QV painted in Giallo from the factory

Previous long-term ownership for nearly 30 years

Completing the ‘Camel Collection, is this beautifully presented Lamborghini Countach 5000 QV. Furlonger have been fortunate to handle the purchase and sale of several Countach over the last 20 years; from the LP400 to 25th Anniversaries. Our workshop has been entrusted with maintaining and restoring numerous special examples, some of which have been awarded class wins at renowned concours events around the world.

Chassis no. FLA12848 was configured in Giallo over Naturale, with optional rear wing, and delivered new via Portman Lamborghini in June 1985 to its first owner, a Mr E. Marshall of Cornwall. Remarkably, chassis no. LA12848 was the only right-hand drive Countach 5000 QV's painted in Giallo; a shade with a noted resemblance to the yellow shade of the Lamborghini-Lotus 102 F1 car. In more recent times, this beautiful Countach would enjoy single ownership from 1995 until we purchased it, following a period where the car had been in long-term storage since the mid-2000s.

Further, in period FLA12848 was supplied to Autocar for a track test at Bruntingthorpe and featured on the cover of their May 1987 issue ‘Countach Vs Superbike – how fast is fast?’. The Countach posted a 0-60 time of 4.9 seconds and had a top speed of 179 mph, and the Yamaha FZR 1000 did 0-60 mph in 3.2 seconds, but hit 160 mph flat out. Adding to the car’s provenance, it was also featured in the 1993 Chris Bennet book, ‘Lamborghini Countach’.

Following our recent purchase of the vehicle, we carried out a comprehensive mechanical recommissioning and extensive cosmetic refresh in our workshops. This preparation included a complete repaint in its original shade of Giallo, and one that complements the 102 F1 that is also part of the Camel Collection. Following the completion of this exceptional repaint, we mirrored the iconic livery of the F1 car, with complete sponsorship decals and matching black wheels – however this livery can be easily returned to ‘factory specification’ and the original wheels remain with the vehicle.

The Camel Collection is a unique proposition to own two of the most renowned V12 Lamborghinis; one for the track and one for the road. Both examples are simply the best of their type and both are in markets that are rapidly maturing, being that of classic Lamborghini road cars and historic F1 cars. The late 80s and early 90s are regarded by many as the pinnacle of supercars and race cars, with the Camel Collection creating the opportunity to own two of the finest examples produced.

Lamborghini in F1 notes:

Lamborghini supplied engines to Team Lotus for the 1990 Formula 1 season primarily as part of a strategic expansion into motorsport following Lamborghini's acquisition by Chrysler in 1987.

Key reasons for the partnership included:

Chrysler’s Ambition: Under Chrysler’s ownership, a special division called Lamborghini Engineering was created with a $50 million investment to enter Formula 1 as an engine supplier. The goal was to elevate the brand's prestige to the level of competitors like Ferrari.

Regulatory Changes: The FIA mandated a shift to 3.5-liter naturally aspirated engines starting in 1989, banning turbochargers. This created an opening for new engine manufacturers like Lamborghini to enter with their V12 design, the Lamborghini 3512.

Lotus's Need for a Powerhouse: After struggling with less powerful engines, Team Lotus sought a competitive V12 unit to power their new Lotus 102 chassis. The Lamborghini V12 was one of only two V12 engines in F1 at the time, alongside Ferrari's.

Early Success with Larrousse: Lamborghini's engine had shown promise in its debut 1989 season with the Larrousse team, prompting Lotus to request a supply for the following year.

Despite the high expectations, the partnership was short-lived. The engine proved unreliable and underpowered compared to rivals from Honda and Renault, leading Lotus to switch to Judd engines for the 1991 season.

These articles explain Lamborghini's 1990 Formula 1 engine supply deal with Lotus, covering Chrysler's motorsport ambitions, regulatory changes, and engine performance:

Yes, McLaren almost used Lamborghini engines in the 1994 Formula 1 season, and even built a test car that was driven by Ayrton Senna and Mika Häkkinen in late 1993. The deal ultimately fell through, and McLaren signed with Peugeot instead.

The McLaren-Lamborghini Story

Engine Search: In 1993, McLaren was unhappy with their customer-spec Ford V8 engines, which were less powerful than the factory Ford engines used by Benetton and significantly down on power compared to the dominant Renault V10s in the Williams cars.

The Test Car: A "handshake deal" was made between McLaren boss Ron Dennis and Chrysler president Bob Lutz (Chrysler owned Lamborghini at the time). McLaren created a modified version of their 1993 car, the MP4/8B, to fit the longer and heavier Lamborghini V12 engine.

Driver Impressions: Both Senna and Häkkinen tested the car at Silverstone and Estoril. Despite an engine failure during Häkkinen's run, both drivers were reportedly very impressed with the V12's power and potential, with Senna even wanting to race it in the final two Grands Prix of the 1993 season.

The Deal Breaker: Ron Dennis ultimately decided against the Lamborghini deal, citing concerns over Chrysler's commitment to fully developing the engine for 1994. Instead, McLaren secured a more financially attractive "works" deal with Peugeot for the 1994 season.

Aftermath: The McLaren-Peugeot partnership was a failure, marked by poor reliability and performance, and it lasted only one year before McLaren switched to Mercedes engines in 1995. Many insiders believe that if McLaren had gone with the Lamborghini engine, Ayrton Senna might have stayed with the team for 1994.

Beyond supplying engines to Lotus, Lamborghini's involvement in F1 from 1989 to 1993 included providing engines to several other teams and even fielding their own de facto works team, the Modena Team (often called "Lambo" or GLAS F1) in 1991.

Engine Supply to Other Teams

Lamborghini, through its dedicated division Lamborghini Engineering, supplied its 3.5-liter V12 engine (the LE3512) to multiple F1 teams:

Larrousse (1989, 1990, 1992, 1993): Larrousse was the first team to use the Lamborghini V12 and remained a primary customer throughout the program. Their best result with this engine was a 3rd place podium finish for driver Aguri Suzuki at the 1990 Japanese Grand Prix.

Ligier (1991): Lamborghini supplied engines to the French Ligier team for a single season.

Minardi (1992): The Italian Minardi team used the Lamborghini engine for the 1992 season, achieving a best finish of 6th place.

The "Factory" Team Effort

In 1991, Lamborghini made its most significant push by designing not only the engine but also the entire car (chassis) for their own works team.

Team Name: The team was officially named Modena Team SpA, a strategic decision by Chrysler executives to avoid potential negative brand association if the team performed poorly. It was frequently referred to as the "Lambo" team.

Performance: The car, the Lambo 291, was aesthetically unique but struggled significantly with reliability and performance. Its best result was a 7th place finish in the opening race, the 1991 United States Grand Prix, but it often failed to qualify for subsequent races. The effort lasted only one season before financial issues forced the team to fold.

After the 1993 season, and following the sale of the company by Chrysler, Lamborghini completely withdrew from Formula 1.