Australian motorsport has lost a true legend with the passing of John French. Best known for his iconic Bathurst 1000 victory in 1981 alongside Dick Johnson, French was a highly respected driver whose career spanned decades.

A master of touring cars and endurance racing, French was both a skilled competitor and a gentleman of the sport. His consistency and mechanical sympathy made him a sought-after co-driver, while his influence extended beyond racing through his successful Alfa Romeo dealership—the brand he was most closely associated with throughout his career.

Ironically, despite this association, of the ten 1:18 scale models bearing his name, all but one (a Nissan) are Fords!

Product Code	Image	Year	Model	Event	Drivers	No. Made
ACR18N83A Authentic Collectables		1983	Bluebird Turbo	Hardie-Ferodo 1000	Fred Gibson John French	372
86910 AUTOart		1969	XW Falcon GT-HO	Datsun 3 Hour Trophy Race Winner (Sandown)	Allan Moffat John French	504
87210 AUTOArt		1972	XY Falcon GT-HO Phase III	Hardie-Ferodo 1000 2nd Place	John French	2004
87315 AUTOart		1973	XA Falcon GT Hardtop	Hardie-Ferodo 1000	John French Bob Skelton	790
B180201A Biante		1980	XD Falcon	Hardie-Ferodo 1000 "The Rock"	Dick Johnson John French	7200
MB007 (TR8009) Biante		1981	XE Falcon	Hardie-Ferodo 1000 Winner	Dick Johnson John French	8274
B180301B Biante		1982	XE Falcon	Hardie-Ferodo 1000	Dick Johnson John French	3100
MB008 (TR8008) Biante		1984	XE Falcon	Hardie-Ferodo 1000	Dick Johnson John French	5100
18228 Classic Carlectables		1971	XY Falcon GT-HO Phase III	Hardie-Ferodo 500	John French	1000
18160 Classic Carlectables		1972	XY Falcon GT-HO Phase III	Hardie-Ferodo 1000 2nd Place	John French	2000

Top 3 Most Valuable John French Models

The car that delivered John his most significant racing achievement is also the most valuable model bearing his name—the 1981 Bathurst Winner. The current Diecast Detective Price is approximately $850 (New) / $750 (Used).

Next in value is the 1973 French/Skelton XA GT Bathurst car, priced around $700 (New) / $750 (Used).

Rounding out the top three is the 1984 Bathurst car, currently valued at $650 (New) / $550 (Used).

A special mention goes to the 1982 Bathurst car, which has a higher used price but a lower new price than the 1984 model, sitting at $625 (New) / $620 (Used).