He sold his latest 1,015 hp Lamborghini to ultimately keep his 24-year-old Lamborghini, which is half as powerful.

When it comes to Lamborghini, you might think the hierarchy is simple: the newest is bound to be the best. However, for the famous British content creator Mat Armstrong, the reality is quite different. Despite having lost a small fortune on a Lamborghini Revuelto, he now claims that he much prefers his old Murcielago, a supercar he rescued from a junkyard a few years ago. This statement may come as a surprise, especially since the Revuelto produces 1,015 ch and is currently the top model in the Lamborghini lineup. But for Mat Armstrong, the numbers don’t tell the whole story.

A Murcielago bought against all logic

Back in 2022, Mat Armstrong came across a 2002 Lamborghini Murcielago with a 580 ch V12 engine that had been out of commission for nearly seven years. The engine had been removed, the transmission was gone, numerous parts were scattered in boxes, and no one had managed to fix the problem that had rendered the car unusable. Despite its disastrous condition, he jumped at the opportunity. The Murcielago has been the Lamborghini of his dreams since childhood—the one he admired in movies and whose naturally aspirated V12 has always fascinated him. He acknowledges that the purchase is unreasonable, but admits he bought this car with his heart rather than his head. The investigation would reveal that a timing chain issue had led to the engine being disassembled. An attempt at repair had resulted in the engine seizing up during reassembly, after which the project was shelved for several years. He would eventually restore it completely.

The Revuelto: A Financial Black Hole

A few years later, Armstrong treated himself to a Lamborghini Revuelto. The experience wasn’t as idyllic as he’d hoped. In an interview a few weeks ago, he revealed that this Revuelto represents the biggest financial loss of his entire career. Taking into account the purchase price and related expenses, he estimates he lost more than 200,000 euros on that single car. However, he explains that he does not buy cars for speculative purposes. His YouTube channel funds his projects, while cars are first and foremost a passion and a prop for his videos.

An Old Lamborghini That Has Become Irreplaceable

When he talks about the Murcielago, his tone changes completely. Armstrong estimates that he invested about 120,000 euros in the purchase, then an additional 60,000 to 70,000 euros for its complete restoration. Today, he considers this Lamborghini one of his best investments. In his view, a Murcielago with a manual transmission—fully rebuilt and with no accident history—will retain nearly all of its value. But beyond the financial aspect, it’s above all its character that makes the difference.

In his view, this generation represents an era when Lamborghinis were rougher, more mechanical, and more emotional. The naturally aspirated V12, the manual transmission with its metal shift gate, and the spectacular design offer sensations that no modern supercar—no matter how powerful—can fully replicate.

The Revuelto is undoubtedly faster, more sophisticated, and infinitely more powerful. Yet, for Mat Armstrong, the Lamborghini that truly deserves a spot in his garage is still that Murcielago—abandoned for seven years and then patiently brought back to life. Proof that when it comes to a passion for cars, emotion sometimes trumps performance.