The Ford Capri 3000 GXL was among the most capable British touring cars competing in European endurance racing in the early 1970s. This Trofeu 1:43 scale model reproduces car number 6 as entered at the 1973 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps, co-driven by Gordon Spice and John Hine. The yellow and black livery is one of the more visually arresting Capri race schemes of the period.
Ford's Sporting Flagship: the Capri 3000 GXL
The Capri 3000 GXL sat at the top of Ford's Mk1 Capri line-up, combining the Essex V6 — a pushrod OHV unit — with the GXL luxury and performance trim package. It gave the Capri genuine GT credentials against European competition. Its proportionate fastback silhouette translated well to circuit use with relatively limited homologation modifications for the touring car classes.
24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps, 1973: Spice, Hine and Car Number 6
Gordon Spice was one of the most consistent and prolific Ford Capri campaigners of the decade, contesting endurance events and British Saloon Car Championship rounds throughout the early-to-mid 1970s. John Hine was a regular co-driver during this period, the pair forming an established pairing. The 1973 Spa 24 Hours attracted a strong Capri contingent in the touring and GT classes, reflecting the model's breadth of support among British privateers. Car number 6, in bold yellow and black, was among the entries representing that privateer tradition alongside the better-known factory Cologne machines.
Trofeu's 1:43 Scale Model
This 1:43 scale model is produced by Trofeu, the specialist manufacturer with a long specialism in rally and touring car subjects from the 1960s through the 1980s. It is part of Trofeu's DSN racing series and replicates the yellow and black livery of the Spice/Hine entry, including race number 6 markings as carried at Spa in 1973.
In the Display Cabinet: Touring Car History at 1:43
At 1:43, the Capri 3000 GXL presents the characteristic fastback roofline and long bonnet in a format that stands out on the shelf. It pairs naturally with Ford Capri RS 2600 and RS 3100 models from the European Touring Car Championship, or with other Spa 24 Hours entries from the 1970s touring car era. Collectors focused on Gordon Spice's career will find it a complementary piece to his other Capri appearances across 1972–1976. The yellow and black finish makes it a strong visual anchor in any British touring car grouping at this scale.
