“I love it when we’re able to find great cars for our great clients, whether it’s the bluest of blue-chip Ferraris or a race-winning modern-era Formula 1 car. The ‘Lindner Nocker’ Low Drag was one of those cars. At the tail end of 2020 we were tasked with sourcing and negotiating the purchase of a Jaguar E-type Lightweight. The car on which we trained our sights and successfully rehomed was ‘4868 WK’, the only factory-built Low Drag and, in my eyes, the most beautiful E-type of them all. This was definitely a car I’d have loved to host for a little while longer.”Click here to find out more about the 1963 Jaguar E-type Lightweight, The Lindner Nocker Low Drag. 

“As someone who grew up sat in front of the telly on Sundays watching Michael Schumacher win race after race and title after title driving a scarlet Ferrari, having the opportunity to sell this 412 T2 was unforgettable. I don’t think you can really understate how important this car is. Not only is it a podium-finishing example of the final twelve-cylinder Ferrari Formula 1 car, but it’s also the very first of the Prancing Horse’s single-seaters driven by Schumacher, in my opinion the greatest F1 driver of them all. Michael tested the car at Fiorano right at the end of 1995, an event which drew over 10,000 Tifosi to the circuit’s fence to get a glimpse of their new king.”Click here to find out more about this 1995 Ferrari 412 T2.

“Okay, so I’ve chosen three cars rather than one. But who’s going to try and tell me that three Martinis at lunch aren’t better than one? These were three of the six Martini-liveried Lancias we sold in 2020 which belonged to the late John Campion. It was with a heavy heart that we learned about the death of John, who was just 57-years old. It was an honour to find new homes for his Lancias – cars he cherished with boundless enthusiasm! It was also great to welcome the three endurance racing cars, the Beta Montecarlo Turbo, LC1 and LC2, to Belchers Farm ahead of their appearance at the recent Hampton Court Concours d’Elegance.”Click here to find out more about these three Martini-liveried Lancia endurance legends.

“The Bizzarrini 5300 GT Strada could not be more Italian if it tried, which is kind of strange considering there’s an American V8 beneath the bonnet. The example we recently were able to source for a client was a fabulous car with a really well-documented history – a real rarity. Unlike several of my colleagues, I was able to fit in it. And to drive, it’s every bit as good as I hoped: powerful, loads of low-end torque and a beautifully laid-back reclined driving position. Oh, and it makes a fantastic noise!”Click here to find out more about this 1967 Bizzarrini 5300 GT Strada.

“Talk about a baptism of fire. Within a few short weeks of joining Girardo & Co., I was volunteered by my colleagues to be the main protagonist in the traditional Girardo & Co. Christmas film. The fact one of the wildest and most rare Group B rally cars of them all, the Audi Sport Quattro S1 E2, was starring definitely helped to quash any anxiety about my dodgy acting. We sourced this incredibly special Audi for a client late last year and, almost unbelievably, were able to find a new home for a second ex-Works S1 E2 a matter of weeks later.”Click here to find out more about this 1985 Audi Sport Quattro S1 E2 Group B or click here to watch the 2020 Girardo & Co. Christmas film.

“What a privilege it’s been to spend so much time in the presence of this McLaren F1 GTR, one of endurance racing’s all-time greats. We looked after chassis 011R for its owner while the car was in the UK for its service at McLaren. That provided ample time to geek out and learn about the intricacies of the GTR. If you need to know the differences between the 1995 cars and the 1996 cars, I’m your man! By sheer coincidence, this very chassis played a key role in the development of another of my absolute favourite cars: the Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR.”Click here to find out what it was like to have this McLaren F1 GTR serviced at McLaren Special Operations.

“As I’m sure you’re aware, we’re currently in the final stages of creating the definitive book about the Ferrari 550 Maranello Prodrive, which is famously the last V12 Ferrari to have won at Le Mans. I feel as though these incredibly special GT racers have been my life in the last year as we work towards our publication date for the book. We wanted to include new images of the ex-Colin McRae 550 Maranello Prodrive in our collection, chassis number CRD03, so we photographed the car here at Belchers Farm on a freezing cold day back in February. I’ve spent a lot of time with this car over the years, but I never tire of drinking in the details and we’re always learning new things. Bring on Rétromobile!”Click here to find our more about our forthcoming book ‘Ferrari 550 Maranello Prodrive – The Last V12 Ferrari to Win at Le Mans’.

“I’ve always thought the 275 GTB was one of the most beautiful Ferraris – Pininfarina’s desperately pretty fastback body represents the quintessential 1960s Gran Turismo and embodies the glamour and romance with which that’s intrinsically linked. To be entirely honest, I’d never seen one of the elusive Competizione Clienti variants in the metal before this car, chassis number 07437, arrived at the farm back in March. Spending time extensively researching the model for our definitive guide was an utter joy.”Click here to read Girardo & Co.’s guide to the 1965 Ferrari 275 GTB Competizione Clienti.

“The beauty of having moved both my home and Girardo & Co. out of London and to a farm in Oxfordshire is that I have some of the most wonderful country roads on my doorstep and plenty of special cars around with which to enjoy them. My ex-Jolly Club Lancia Stratos HF Group IV usually lives in Italy, so it was a real treat to have it over here last year when we moved in. Admittedly, the pace was a little bit more sedate than when Roberto Cambiaghi and Gianpiero Bertocci were flying over jumps and sliding around hairpins in this car during the Sanremo round of the 1974 World Rally Championship.”

Our vision remains the same: we want to create a destination for classic car lovers across the world. We’re at a pivotal point right about now. Having just received planning permission for our bespoke 100-car storage facility, mezzanine showroom and expansive archive room, we’re about to ‘break ground’ and begin realising the dream. Naturally, we’re itching to welcome you to the farm, but for now, feast your eyes on these architectural drawings, which give you a good idea of how the new Girardo & Co. showroom is going to look.Photos: Tom Shaxson, Robert Cooper, Veronica Lane