1980 - ACA

Sbarro Rolls-Royce Camargue Hunting car -1980

King Mohamed V of Morocco asked Franco Sbarro to design a vehicle suitable for falcon hunting. Franco Sbarro had already built the six-wheeled Windhawk for this purpose. This time, however, the basis was to be the top-of-the-range 1978 Camargue coupé from English manufacturer Rolls-Royce.

Sbarro RR Hunting Car — Falcon perch, rear platform for the falconer, no doors, no roof, fold-down windscreen: ready for the hunt.

Adapted to falcon hunting

Franco Sbarro based his design on the Rolls-Royce Camargue coupé. To accommodate falcons, a chromed bar can be raised behind the seats to form a perch. The falconer stands at the very rear, on a small platform which, when closed, acts as a trunk lid. For maximum visibility, there's no roof (apart from a really ugly soft top when fitted), and no doors so you can get in and out as quickly as possible during a hunting trip (bars can be fitted for added safety). The windshield is retractable, as on a Jeep, again with the aim of getting the best view of the hunting ground.

Sbarro Hunting Car — A test drive on the German roads where the car is today.

A unique model

The car can accommodate four occupants in comfort and luxury worthy of a Rolls-Royce (original white Conolly leather, now orange, maple veneer). The Camargue's original equipment remains, including air conditioning, which seems unsuitable for such an open car. The wheels are specific to this model. The coat of arms of the Moroccan royal house in the center of the steering wheel was later replaced by the RR logo.

Sbarro Camargue Hunting car — The perch can be folded down when the falcons are not invited on the trip.

Controversy

The car was sold for around €250,000 in the early 2020s in Germany. It was tested on the German TV show Perfect cars (season 2 episode 42) while at a luxury car dealer. Opponents of the Moroccan regime wondered how the car could have left Morocco and been sold. Still, potential buyers of this kind of unique car with such a specific purpose must not be running around.

Some people made fun of the Sbarro Camargue's distinctive design. It's true that the car isn't beautiful. But you have to understand what it is: a transformation for hawk hunting. There was never any intention to make it a concours d'élégance car. Just a car for hunting, where function takes precedence over design. Perhaps the Camargue wasn't the ideal base (the Windhawk seemed better suited), but the customer is king (literally and figuratively here) and Sbarro has to work within the constraints imposed. Seen in this light, the Camargue Hunting car is a great success.

Sbarro, another vision of car

Sbarro Rolls-Royce Camargue Hunting car -1980

Adapted to falcon hunting

A unique model

Controversy

In brief

1- Based on a Rolls-Royce Camargue

2- A unique model designed for falcon hunting

3- Function first, design unimportant

Chronology - 1979

Main sources

1- André Blaize's book on Rolls-Royce and Bentley from 1904 to 1998

2- various websites