This 1:43 scale model by Trofeu documents a specific moment in WRC history: car number 1, driven by Fulvio Bacchelli and co-driver Francesco Rossetti, crossing the finish line of the 1977 South Pacific Rally as the outright winner — visibly damaged at the front, and still ahead of everyone. The model belongs to Trofeu's dedicated New Zealand rally series, produced in a confirmed run of 150 units.
The Fiat 131 Abarth in Group 4
Homologated in FIA Group 4 in 1976, the Fiat 131 Abarth was built around the Mirafiori production bodyshell, reinforced by Bertone and lightened with fibreglass and aluminium panels. Its 1,995 cc DOHC 16-valve inline-four produced 215–230 hp at 7,000 rpm in full rally specification, driving through a 5-speed gearbox with limited-slip differential. The competition car measured 4,181 mm long and 1,720 mm wide — 100 mm broader than standard — with McPherson strut front suspension and a solid live rear axle. Approximately 400 units were produced to satisfy homologation requirements. The 131 Abarth won the WRC Manufacturers' Championship in 1977, 1978 and 1980.
Round 6, 1977: Bacchelli's One and Only
The 1977 South Pacific Rally — Round 6 of the World Rally Championship — was held 1–7 May 1977 out of Auckland across 2,211.06 km of mixed tarmac and gravel competitive distance, with 75 entries. Bacchelli and Rossetti won outright in 24 hours, 29 minutes and 55 seconds, finishing just 94 seconds ahead of Ari Vatanen's Ford Escort RS1800. Markku Alén, also in a Fiat 131 Abarth, was third at 24h 51m 54s. It was Bacchelli's only WRC event victory across a career spanning 1973–1982. The win was also part of Fiat's title-clinching 1977 season — five WRC victories that secured the marque's first manufacturers' world championship. The Olio Fiat navy blue and yellow livery was used only from 1975 to 1977; from 1978 the works cars carried the Alitalia red, white and green scheme, making this colour combination historically precise to a three-season window.
The Trofeu 1:43 Scale Model
Trofeu is a Portuguese manufacturer producing 1:43 rally car models since 1990, with a particular focus on historically documented WRC entries. This model replicates car number 1 in the Olio Fiat navy blue and yellow livery as it appeared at the finish of the 1977 Rally New Zealand — with the front-end damage Bacchelli's car sustained during the event deliberately reproduced. That forensic detail sets this variant apart from any standard clean-body interpretation of the same car. The run is limited to 150 units, consistent with Trofeu's practice on its New Zealand rally series.
In the Display Cabinet
At 1:43, the model measures approximately 9.5 cm in length — compact enough for a densely curated shelf, yet detailed enough to hold its own alongside any WRC period collection. It pairs logically with other 1977-season Fiat 131 Abarth entries in Olio Fiat colours — including Lampinen's 1977 RAC Rally car — or with a 1:43 representation of Vatanen's Ford Escort RS1800, which finished 94 seconds behind on the same day. For collectors focused on New Zealand rally history, it sits at the top of any podium shelf for that event.
