The 1990 24 Hours of Le Mans, held on 16–17 June, drew a substantial contingent of Group C2 sports-prototypes from British privateers, and among them was Team Mako's Spice SE88C bearing race number 103. Robbie Stirling, James Shead and Ross Hyett — a trio representative of the amateur and semi-professional talent that defined C2 competition — shared the cockpit for what would prove a characteristically arduous Sarthe adventure. Spark Model has chosen this low-profile, historically precise entry as the subject of a 1:43 resin model.
The Spice SE88C: Carbon-Fibre C2 Contender
Developed by Gordon Spice Racing and Spice Engineering from the earlier SE87C, the SE88C employed a carbon-fibre monocoque chassis and was powered by a Ford Cosworth DFL 3.3-litre V8 in its C2-class specification. The design was competitive enough to remain in active development through 1989 and 1990, making it one of the most enduring British sports-prototypes of its era. Multiple SE88C entries appeared on the Le Mans grid in each of those three seasons, reflecting both the car's reliability credentials and the confidence privateers placed in it.
Team Mako and the 1990 Le Mans C2 Grid
Team Mako operated as a British privateer outfit, fielding car No. 103 in the C2 class at the 1990 24 Hours of Le Mans. Ross Hyett had accumulated Le Mans experience across several entries during the late 1980s and early 1990s, lending the crew a degree of circuit familiarity typical of the most committed C2 campaigners. The C2 category at Le Mans in that period was populated almost entirely by outfits of this character — independent, underfunded relative to the GTP and C1 runners, yet technically ambitious. Car No. 103 retired during the race.
Spark Model 1:43 — Precision in Resin
This 1:43 scale model is produced by Spark Model, whose resin-cast catalogue at this scale is the reference point for Le Mans historical coverage. Spark's 1:43 range is constructed in resin with photo-etched detail parts as standard, a manufacturing approach that allows fine surface definition on complex bodywork such as the SE88C's aerodynamic package. The model reproduces car No. 103 in Team Mako livery as raced at the 1990 24 Hours of Le Mans by Stirling, Shead and Hyett.
In the Display Cabinet: Building the 1990 C2 Grid
This model sits naturally alongside other Spark 1:43 Spice SE88C entries from the 1990 Le Mans grid, making it central to any project focused on that year's C2 class. It also pairs well with earlier Spice entries — SE87C Le Mans cars — and with C2 contemporaries such as the ALD, Tiga and URD models that Spark has released from the same period. For collectors concentrating on British privateer motorsport of the late Group C era, the Team Mako No. 103 represents an irreplaceable and rarely replicated piece.
Frequently asked questions
What car does this model represent?
It represents the Spice SE88C No. 103, entered by Team Mako at the 1990 24 Hours of Le Mans in the Group C2 class, driven by Robbie Stirling, James Shead and Ross Hyett.
What is the Spice SE88C?
The SE88C was a Group C2 sports-prototype designed by Gordon Spice Racing and Spice Engineering, using a carbon-fibre monocoque and a Ford Cosworth DFL 3.3-litre V8. It competed at Le Mans in 1988, 1989 and 1990.
Who makes this 1:43 scale model, and what material is it made from?
It is made by Spark Model. Spark's 1:43 range is produced in resin with photo-etched detail parts, which is the standard construction method across their Le Mans historical series.
How did car No. 103 fare at the 1990 Le Mans 24 Hours?
Car No. 103 retired during the race and did not take a classified finish.
