Mark Skaife’s spectacular rollover at the 1990 Australian Grand Prix support race remains one of the most memorable moments in Australian Touring Car Championship history. Behind the wheel of his Gibson Motorsport Nissan R32 GT-R, Skaife launched over a high kerb leading onto the backstraight and flipped in dramatic fashion. The incident became a legendary moment in the GT-R’s story which would ultimately be one of dominance in the early ‘90s. 


Fast forward to today, and a stunning tribute to that infamous car has just been completed. This recreation serves as both a nostalgic throwback and a testament to the GT-R’s place in Australian motorsport history.

Image courtesy of supercars.com.au

Diecast collectors have had their own slice of this history for years, thanks to AUTOart’s 1:18 scale model (89077) of the Jim Richards/Mark Skaife 1990 Ansett Airfreight Challenge GT-R. Launched in 2010 as an Exclusive Collectables special release, this model remains one of the most sought-after representations of the early Godzilla era.

Just 504 were produced, each with a distinctive red cardboard sheath over the standard white AUTOart box. With fresh interest in the real-life replica, demand for this model may rise again—if you can find one! 


2024 was an abnormally active year for transactions of this model with 7 sold, nearly double the 2023 tally. The increase in sales volume (perhaps driven by cost of living pressures) has softened values from an average transaction value of $480 in 2023 to $315 last year.