Uploaded September 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago

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MATCHBOX Vauxhall Cavalier BTCC custom

This isn't my first time working on one of Matchbox's short-lived MB201 Vectra / Cavalier GSi 2000 MB201 castings. Before, I customised one to replicate John Cleland's 1992 British Touring Car Championship entry. Some time has passed since then and I wanted to revisit it by recreating the last Vauxhall Cavalier to grace the BTCC from 1996.

The Fujifilm and Danepak liveried car belonged to Mint Motorsport and was driven by Richard Kaye in 1996 and then Jamie Wall in 1997 (albeit in a different livery that year). The car was the last Cavalier built by Vauxhall Sport. After it's retirement from top level motorsport in 1997 it would eventually be restored and now competes in historic touring car racing, driven by Tony Absolom whose number 67 appears on the side of this recreation today.

Vauxhall used their legacy name for the Opel Vectra A when it was launched in 1988. The Cavalier name stretched back to 1975 when the name was used on the UK equivalent to the Opel Ascona B. The GSi 2000 model was the highest performance offering on the car until 1992 when it received a facelift and an upgraded engine with a turbocharger. The casting had been introduced in 1990 and would last only two years, disappearing after 1991, possibly due to this facelift.

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jason.crouch88@gmail.com

Parts source:
Wheels:
c1-models.com/creative-one64

Decals and rear panel:
waltonstyle.com

Music by Karl Casey
@whitebataudio
Hackers
youtube.com/watch?v=NZ4Of3lID84

New Dawn
youtube.com/watch?v=5LtoISiR_oo

Night Runner
youtube.com/watch?v=sIJFV6bPhno

Second Life
youtube.com/watch?v=mzZTAEi6j1A

Millenia
youtube.com/watch?v=2BDZBt_flmU

Image credit:
1996 Vauxhall Cavalier BTCC:
upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5f/Richard_Kaye_1996_BTCC.jpg

Vauxhall Cavalier Mk1:
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Vauxhall_Cavalier_first_iteration_Brecon.jpg

Opel Ascona B:
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Opel_Ascona_B_1.9.jpg

Vauxhall Cavalier Sports Hatch:
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:1979_Vauxhall_Cavalier_1.6_GLS_Sports_Hatch_(53585847038).jpg

Vauxhall Cavalier Mk2:
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Vauxhall_Cavalier_II_Hatchback_Trinity.jpg

Opel Ascona C:
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Opel_Ascona_1.6_S_(9042070597).jpg

Vauxhall Cavalier Mk2 Estate:
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Vauxhall_Cavalier_Mark_2_Estate.jpg

Vauxhall Cavalier Mk3:
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cav_DSCF0370.JPG

Opel Calibra:
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Opel_Calibra_in_Germany.jpg

1988 Opel Manta:
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:1988_Opel_Manta_2.0_Executive_(52807755565).jpg

1990 Vauxhall Cavalier GSi:
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:1990_Vauxhall_Cavalier_GSi_16V.jpg

Opel Vectra Turbo:
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Vectra_Turbo.jpg

Opel Vectra B:
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Opel_Vectra_B_-_1998.jpg

1993 BTCC BMW 3 Series:
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:David_Leslie_-_Vauxhall_Cavalier_leads_Paul_Radisich,_Steve_Soper_and_Matt_Neal_into_the_Old_Hairpin_at_the_1993_TOCA_Shootout,_Donington_(50094068801).jpg

1994 BTCC Alfa Romeo 155:
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Alfa_155_Goodwood.jpg

1994 BTCC Vauxhall Cavalier:
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Steve_Soper_-_BMW_318i_loooks_to_dive_inside_John_Cleland_at_the_BTCC_races,_Brands_Hatch_April_17_1994_(32709289315).jpg

1995 BTCC Vauxhall Cavalier:
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cleland_(Vauxhall_Cavalier_16v),_Harvey_(Volvo_850_20v)_%26_Hoy_(Renault_Laguna)_at_Brands_Hatch_1995_(49641996107).jpg

1996 BTCC Toyota Carina:
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lee_Brookes_1996_BTCC.jpg

1997 BTCC Vauxhall Cavalier:
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:128_jamie_Wall.jpg

Outro footage credit:
youtube.com/watch?v=SGksEhPqGYA
youtube.com/watch?v=8JstCfjH7U4
youtube.com/watch?v=m0cThVZtulQ

#Matchbox #Diecast #DiecastCustom