Trofeu's 1:43 scale model captures car No. 43 as it appeared throughout the 1981 RAC Tricentrol British Saloon Car Championship — the only die-cast representation at this scale of the precise chassis assigned to Sir Stirling Moss during what proved to be his final sustained competitive season. The white and black BP/Audi Team livery, operated under Tom Walkinshaw Racing management, is rendered in die-cast metal across the B2-generation saloon body.
The Audi 80 GLE B2: a front-wheel-drive homologation saloon
Introduced at the September 1978 motor show and on sale in GLE fuel-injected form from early 1979, the Audi 80 B2 (Typ 81) measured 4,383 mm long on a 2,541 mm wheelbase. Its 1,588 cc SOHC inline-four with Bosch K-Jetronic injection produced around 110 hp — an architecture closely related to the contemporary Volkswagen Golf GTI unit. The FIA issued Group 1 homologation number 5774 on 2 January 1980, valid through 1 January 1982, covering the car's entire two-year BSCC campaign.
Sir Stirling Moss, TWR, and the 1981 BSCC season
The 1981 RAC Tricentrol British Saloon Car Championship was the 24th running of the series. For that season, Tom Walkinshaw Racing took over operation of the Audi programme — having replaced Richard Lloyd's GTi Engineering, which had run the cars in 1980 — and paired Moss with TWR protégé Martin Brundle. Moss, competing at 50 years of age, drove No. 43 in Class B across all eleven rounds at circuits including Mallory Park, Thruxton, Brands Hatch, and Donington Park. He finished 19th overall and 6th in Class B with 20 championship points, recording three class podiums. Brundle in the sister No. 42 took two outright Class B wins at Silverstone and Thruxton.
The Trofeu 1:43 die-cast
Trofeu is a Portuguese manufacturer with an established catalogue of 1:43 touring and rally car replicas. This model, catalogued as the Audi 80 GLE driven by Stirling Moss in the 1981 BSCC, is produced in die-cast metal. No limited edition run number has been stated by the manufacturer.
Placing it in the display cabinet
At 1:43, the model measures approximately 10.2 cm in length — compact enough for dense shelf arrangements or themed BSCC groupings. Natural companions include the TWR Mazda RX-7 of overall 1981 champion Win Percy and the Audi Quattro rally cars of 1981–1984, which together trace Audi's motorsport ambitions across disciplines in the same era. For collectors focused on TWR history, this modest 1,588 cc saloon sits at the very beginning of a dynasty that would later take overall victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1988.
Frequently asked questions
How big is the 1:43 scale model?
The road-going Audi 80 GLE B2 measures 4,383 mm in length. Divided by 43, the model comes out at approximately 10.2 cm long — compact for a saloon at this scale, fitting comfortably on a standard collector shelf without requiring the deeper display space needed for single-seaters or sports prototypes.
Does the model have opening parts?
No opening parts have been confirmed for this Trofeu casting. As is typical for die-cast touring car replicas at 1:43, the body is a sealed unit and the collector interest lies in the exterior detailing: the race livery, door number graphics, and body panel accuracy of the B2 saloon.
Why is the TWR connection historically significant for this model?
The 1981 BSCC was one of the earliest seasons in which Tom Walkinshaw Racing operated a full manufacturer-backed programme. The same organisation went on to win the World Sportscar Championship and the 24 Hours of Le Mans — making this Audi 80 an authentic, if understated, starting point of that lineage.
What was Stirling Moss's championship result in 1981?
Moss finished 19th overall and 6th in Class B, scoring 20 championship points across the eleven-round season. He achieved three class podiums — his best individual results being a second place in class at Oulton Park and a third at Mallory Park — but did not win a class race in the No. 43 Audi 80 GLE.
