Corgi 1/43 VA13503 Mini 1275GT 1979 Tricentrol British Saloon Car Championship, Overall and Class A Winner, Richard Longman.

British Leyland were keen to promote the Mini 1275GT and encouraged Richard Longman, who’d reduced his motor sport commitments as a driver after he started his tuning business in 1971, to come back and take on Bernard Unett’s all-conquering 1300cc Avenger. After promising forays in 1977 Longman was back full time for 1978 and won Class A in eleven of the twelve races to take a convincing title win. He built a new 1275GT for 1979, won ten out of twelve races, and was again crowned overall champion. This was the Mini’s fifth BSCC title and proved to be the model’s last hurrah; a fitting end to its glorious twenty year competition career.