Trofeu
Portuguese diecast rally cars in 1/43 scale.
Trofeu is a brand of 1/43 scale diecast cars from the Portuguese manufacturer Replicar. Founded in 1989, the company was based in Espinho, a town just south of Oporto that had earlier hosted the production of Metosul and Luso Toys during the 1960s and 1970s. The lineup focuses mainly on contemporary rally cars, along with their standard road-going versions.
The first model released, in March 1989, was a 1987 Ford Sierra Cosworth RAC Rally car driven by Stig Blomqvist. A Toyota Celica GT4 ST165 followed in 1990. Trofeu later produced the newer Toyota Celica GT-Four ST185 and ST205 in both rally and stock forms. The miniature cars were built from diecast metal on plastic chassis, with most retailing around 40 Euros.
To keep tooling costs down, a single rally model often appeared in multiple paint schemes. For instance, the mid-1970s European Ford Escort RS2000 came in more than 30 different versions, with production continuing at least through 2004.
Beyond rally cars, Trofeu also made Le Mans and prototype racers like the Porsche LMP and 936. Occasionally, taxis and police cars were produced, as well as an unusual Scandinavian Volvo Duett panel van.
Early models used a numbering system with a zero prefix: 010–015 for the Ford Sierra, 016–030 for the Toyota Celica ST165, and 031–042 for the Mitsubishi Galant. The first Celica ST185 carried the number 044, but the entire ST185 line was later renumbered with four-digit prefixes from 444 to 459. Subsequent models, such as the Celica ST205, received numbers starting with 7##. Packaging typically consisted of clear plastic display cases, sometimes accented with folded card decorations.
A partial list of Trofeu’s 1/43 scale models includes: Ford Sierra Cosworth, Toyota Celica GT4 ST165, Mitsubishi Galant VR4, Toyota Celica Turbo 4WD ST185, Ford Escort RS Mk 1, Subaru Impreza 555, Toyota Celica GT-Four ST205, Renault Alpine A110, Subaru Impreza WRX STi 22B, Ford Escort RS 1800 Mk 2, Ford Cortina, Ford Capri, Lancia Delta, Fiat 131 Abarth, Saab 96, Triumph TR7, Audi Quattro, Opel Kadett, Porsche 936, Porsche LMP prototype racer, BMW 2002, Volvo 445 Duett, Maserati presentation car, and Vauxhall Chevette.
- Founded
- 1989
- Location
- Espinho, Portugal
- Scale
- 1/43
- Material
- Diecast metal on plastic chassis
- First model
- 1987 Ford Sierra Cosworth RAC Rally (March 1989)
- Typical price
- About 40 Euros
Lore & Background
The first Trofeu model was a 1987 Ford Sierra Cosworth RAC Rally driven by Stig Blomqvist, released in March 1989. In 1990, the second model was introduced, a Toyota Celica GT4 ST165. Trofeu also manufactured the newer Toyota Celica GT-Four ST185 and ST205 in both rally and stock guises. Early models were numbered with a 0 prefix, such as 010-015 for the Ford Sierra, 016-030 for the Toyota Celica ST165, and 031-042 for the Mitsubishi Galant. The first Celica ST185 came with reference 044, but later the whole line was renumbered with four prefix numbers from 444 to 459. The Celica ST205 used 7## references. Models were usually packaged in clear plastic display cases sometimes highlighted with folded card decor.
Reader's Guide
Trofeu occupies a niche in diecast collecting focused on rally cars of the 1980s and 1990s, produced in Portugal from 1989 onward. The company's practice of making multiple liveries of the same rally model to save tooling costs is typical of the era; for instance, the mid-1970s European Ford Escort RS2000 appeared in more than 30 different variations, produced up through at least 2004. Beyond rally, Trofeu occasionally produced Le Mans and prototype racing models such as the Porsche LMP and 936, as well as taxi and police cars. An unusual model was a Scandinavian Volvo Duett panel van. The models were diecast metal on plastic chassis, typically priced around 40 Euros. The numbering system evolved from early 0-prefix numbers to later four-digit references. Trofeu's focus on rally cars alongside their stock counterparts, and its production of multiple liveries, made it a notable manufacturer for collectors of that subject.
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