The Spice SE87C was one of the most prolific privateer prototypes in late-1980s endurance racing, and the 1990 24 Hours of Le Mans saw several examples contesting the C2 category. Car No. 107, operated by Team P.A. Lombardi, represented exactly the kind of low-profile, single-entry effort that made up the competitive heart of that class. Spark Model has chosen to document it in 1:43 — a scale the French-focused marque has long used to build some of the most thorough Le Mans grids available to collectors.
The Spice SE87C: Spice Engineering's Customer Racer
Designed by Gordon Spice and Ray Bellm's Spice Engineering, the SE87C was the customer follow-on to the SE86C, built around a carbon-fibre monocoque and powered by a Ford Cosworth DFL 3.3-litre V8 producing approximately 475 bhp. Conceived for the C2 class rather than the top-tier C1 category, the SE87C offered privateer teams a competitive and relatively accessible endurance weapon. From 1987 onwards it became a fixture at circuits including Le Mans, the Nürburgring, and across the IMSA GTP calendar, where it earned Spice Engineering an enviable reputation among independent constructors.
Le Mans 1990: A Privateer Effort in C2
The 1990 24 Hours of Le Mans featured a substantial C2 field populated by Spice chassis running under various privateer banners. Car No. 107 was entered by Team P.A. Lombardi, with Pierre Alain Lombardi sharing driving duties with Denis Morin and Ferdinand de Lesseps. De Lesseps is a descendant of the engineer behind the Suez Canal, Ferdinand de Lesseps, and his presence in the cockpit adds a notable historical footnote to this entry. The car did not see the finish, retiring before the 24-hour distance was complete — a common fate for C2 machinery pushing hard across the Circuit de la Sarthe's demanding 13.6 km layout.
Spark Model in 1:43: Hand-Assembled Resin
Spark Model's 1:43 range is hand-assembled in resin, with photo-etched detail parts used throughout to capture bodywork edges, mirrors, and aerodynamic elements at a scale where conventional diecast processes fall short. Spark has long been the reference producer for documenting the full Le Mans grid — including back-markers and one-off privateer entries that larger manufacturers overlook. This model of the No. 107 Spice SE87C fits precisely within that remit, giving collectors access to a car that would otherwise remain unrepresented in miniature form.
In the Display Cabinet: Group C and C2 Context
This model pairs naturally with other Spark-produced Spice SE87C and SE88C entries from the same era, building toward a representative C2 class within a Le Mans 1990 grid display. It also sits well alongside Cougar C20 and ALD C289 subjects — fellow C2 competitors from the same period — and within any broader Group C collection spanning the late-1980s endurance scene. For collectors focused on the human stories behind Le Mans entries, the de Lesseps connection gives this particular car a conversation-starting identity that sets it apart from more anonymous period entries.
