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Diecast cars, Fun Stuff

Mercedes-AMG

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Minichamps Mercedes-AMG Petronas W11:
Lewis Hamilton, 2020 Eifel GP Record 91 wins …

Another Formula 1 season starts this weekend and to mark the season’s launch it seems appropriate to review a Minichamps 1:43 scale model of the Mercedes-AMG Petronas driven by all-time F1 race winner Lewis Hamilton, when he set the record in 2020.

Sir Lewis Carl Davidson Hamilton is a seven-time F1 champion now as he enters his 17th F1 season. His record is overwhelming with 103 wins, 103 poles, 61 fastest laps, and 191 podium finishes after starting with McLaren and then switching to Mercedes. He is the undisputed leader and winner in F1, although his seven world titles only tie Michael Schumacher in that category. Hamilton, a Brit, is also the first, and only, black driver in F1.

The History

Mercedes sought Hamilton for their team as Schumacher was retiring and the German automaker wanted the top-rated driver for its team leader. Hamilton quickly became the highest paid F1 driver ever and has remained so for much of his career.

Hamilton won his first Grand Prix in Canada in 2007 during his rookie season where he lost the title by one point to Kimi Räikkönen. But Hamilton won the title the following year, 2008, with a last-lap pass to cement his first crown. He won his other F1 titles in 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020. He barely missed the title several other times.

This Mercedes racer celebrates his record breaking 91st win that moved him past Schumacher on the all-time win list. During the 2020 season he won 11 of the 17 contests. While he has increased that total to 103, he failed to win a GP in 2022, the first time he didn’t visit the winner’s circle in a season. His hopes are high, along with teammate George Russell for 2023, but Red Bull, Ferrari and Aston Martin appear to be the other favorites.

The Mercedes W11 racer was designed by James Allison and John Owen and a team of technical experts at Mercedes race team. It was said to pack 1,025 horsepower from its 1.6-liter turbocharged V6, aided by an electric motor. It also included something Mercedes called Dual Axis Steering that allowed the driver to adjust the toe of the front wheels for better handling as race conditions changed.

Obviously the car was stout too as Hamilton’s win total attests, but his teammate Valtteri Bottas also won two races in 2020, so the car took victories in 13 of 17, an extremely dominant performance. The W11 also helped Mercedes win its seventh straight F1 Constructor’s title to set a record, besting Ferrari’s longtime mark.

The Model

               First, I love how Minichamps packages its F1 racers in shallow 1.5-inch tall cases that measure 5 5/8 long and just under 3 inches deep for easy stacking if you want to collect a variety of F1 cars representing various teams and drivers. The acrylic cases protect the cars and make for easy display, that shallow height not wasting vertical space as some display cases do.

               Minichamps is expert at creating wonderfully formed racers with near perfect markings and sponsorship decals for the various venues where F1 cars perform worldwide.

               This one is the more recent black Mercedes livery with the cool white/silver Mercedes “peace sign” logo dotting the back half of the car’s engine cover. Trim is turquoise on the front wing, mirror tops, and rear spoiler where the bright color accentuates the Petronas name. By the way, Petronas is a Malaysian oil and gas company owned by the government there. It’s logo is the turquoise oil drop seen in several locations on the car.

               Hamilton is No. 44 and that’s in white on the nose and on each side of the finned engine shroud.

               Petronas, in off-white and trimmed in silver, is on each side pod , while also on the top of the front wings’ edges and Petronas Syntum is imprinted just in front of the cockpit on the nose. There’s a Pirelli badge near the nose’s front edge along with the typical Mercedes emblem.

               Tiny IWC decals are on either side of the cockpit’s edge, with AMG just in front of the cockpit’s sides. The safety halo includes an End Racism sticker and AMD logo. Petronas Primax is on the tail just below the No. 44 and Epson and Crowdstrike are on the spoiler’s side plates.

               Minichamps includes the dark red trim around the air intake just above Hamilton’s head, including the Ineos logo. That logo is also on the wing’s rear.

               All the body aerodynamics are here from the multi-tiered front wings to those winglets and scoops by the front suspension, and beside the cockpit above the side pods and flat carbon fiber skirting. A tiny blue and white EQ Performance logo rides on the rear portion of the skirt.

               Slicks are the supersoft race tires with Pirelli P-Zero labels in red, the hub edges being a spiffy turquoise to match the car’s accents. Naturally front and rear suspensions are nicely detailed and the rear light bar extends from the tail as a warning for use in rain and during slow lapping situations.

               Almost forgot about Lewis, the racer is in the cockpit with a purple and black helmet like he wore for the Eifel GP. You can see the safety belts holding him tightly in the cockpit and a flat-bottom and top race steering wheel in his grip.

               This special release marking his record 91st win also includes a replica of an orange Schumacher helmet that was presented to Hamilton after his victory, and a pit board that can be posed with the car. Atop it says Lewis in yellow with 91 wins and Danke Michael in turquoise below that. Classy!

               Equally classy, the back plate art here is a picture of Hamilton with his name in all caps, so you won’t mistake who drove this car.

               Note too that this car is available for other GPs run during the unusual 2020 season where fans were not permitted due to the worldwide Covid pandemic. And Minichamps makes models of virtually all F1 entrants each season, so if you have a favorite driver or team you likely can find a model of that car, possibly even one in markings from its best race of the season.

               I’ve been dealing with Replicarz for years and they are a fast and reliable supplier of die-cast cars. But for Minichamps there are many sources, including eBay. I’ve listed Minichamps and Diecastlegends websites below too.

               Got a favorite, just Google the driver’s name and 1/43 diecast and you’ll likely find exactly what you want.  

Vital Stats: Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team: Lewis Hamilton record 91 F1 wins

Rightly the tire of choice is the supersoft red sidewall!

Maker: Minichamps
Scale: 1/43
Stock No.: P201144

MSRP: $79 (est.)

Link: Replicarz.com or diecastlegends.com or miniatures-minichamps.com/gb/

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Diecast cars, Fun Stuff

Ford GT Heritage Edition Prototype

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Autoart launches a gorgeous 1/18 scale Heritage edition …

No doubt in my mind that the original Ford GT40 was the most beautiful enclosed race car ever and the street versions created by Ford since 2017 are likewise top-shelf designs, both retro and cutting edge.

The flying buttresses on each side, just behind the doors, that allow air to rush through to provide downforce are both beautiful and inspired. They also helped Ford race these successfully at Le Mans and in IMSA sports car endurance races the past several years, further enhancing Ford’s race cred.

Now Ford has announced the final run of these exquisite gas burners, and with it they revealed a variety of Heritage editions. Autoart is modeling three of the current Heritage trims. Our sample car is Wimbledon White (an off-white) with Antimatter Blue (nearly black) trim.

Officially this is known as the 2022 GT 1964 Prototype Heritage Edition, honoring the first GT/101 Prototype of the Ford GT. That got the GT40 ball rolling until the breakthrough year of 1966 when drivers Ken Miles and Lloyd Ruby won the 24 Hours of Daytona in a Ford GT. In fact, the Fords took the top three spots before heading off to Le Mans in France where they would also sweep the podium, and then win three more years in a row.

The History

So now 57 years after those Daytona 24 and Le Mans wins comes these Heritage models of the Ford GT that debuted in 2017 and now wraps its production run. The modern version touts a 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6 that makes an incredible 660 horsepower while producing 550 pound-feet of torque.

That translates to a top speed of 216 and Car and Driver tells us it’ll do 0-60 mph in 3 seconds flat, or 0-100 mph in 6.2 seconds. Freaky fast, although McLaren and Bugatti can boast slightly better, but then they cost more, generally.

Although these current Ford GTs are not for you and me. They list at $500,000 and the Heritage models add another $100k on top of that. Once purchased their value will hit $1 million or more due to scarcity though, so if you’ve got the spare cash they could be a fine investment.

All have 7-speed automatic dual-clutch trannys and boast dual titanium exhausts that are said to give their engines a distinctive and racy roar. I’ve only heard them online,  but I know how great the Mustang GTs sound, so it’s likely.

Another cool feature, hollow taillights to help dissipate heat, and double bi-spoke carbon fiber 20-inch wheels, plus carbon-ceramic brakes to keep the Ford GT light, and stop it quickly.

While the Ford GT rides on a 106.7 inch wheelbase it’s just 43.7 inches high, so it can’t be called a GT40, and GT43.7 is pretty awkward. The supercar weighs just 3,381 pounds.

The Model

               As for the model, it offers all the detail you’d expect at this price, an opening rear engine cover, flip-out scissor style doors, a small opening frunk with white coolant containers inside, and a rear spoiler that can be raised with a release under the car’s tail. Front wheels are posable too.

               The paint job is superb, although I gotta say the Antimatter Blue is so dark you’ll think it’s black unless in direct sunlight. That blue covers the nose and then is repeated in a wide racing stripe over the roof and tail, including the spoiler.

               The GT has dark mesh grille work atop the nose beside the frunk and the headlights are highly detailed HD models with a clear lens covering the elements beneath. There’s more dark mesh grille work under the nose, which naturally features a Ford blue oval logo.

               Carbon-fiber finished side rocker panel skirting run along the lower door edges and car’s body with a black multi-finned diffuser tucked under the tail. There’s a Ford license plate back there too. The twin center exhausts are matte silver to reflect the titanium pipes on the original, and the big round red taillights are hollowed at the center.

               Under the windowed rear hatch it’s easy to see the top of the twin-turbo V6 with labeling that says Powered by Ford. There’s not a lot else to see as mock carbon fiber trims the engine and acts as a shroud around it. Note there is a tiny pentagonal trunk with flocked flooring in back too.

               Flip up those doors for a decent view of the Lightspeed Blue interior with black dash and wheel, but it all looks very dark, although in proper light you can see the two bucket seats are dark blue. There’s a GT logo atop each floor panel beside the seats and atop where a rocker panel would be if those doors didn’t include the car’s bottom edge as part of the door. This is all as in the original car, naturally.

               The Ford GT’s racing steering wheel features a flat top and bottom and the dash detail is good, including a hood over the gauges with more fake carbon fiber trim atop that and the dash’s leading edge. Again it’s dark inside, so you’ll need a flashlight to see much detail. Yet you are really not buying a 1/18 scale Ford GT to look at the interior, it’s the exterior that screams speed and generates excitement.

               That extends all the way down to the wheels, which are black to reflect the original’s carbon fiber wheels. Plus there are drilled disc brake rotors behind those wheels with silver Brembo calipers. The black wheels also feature black and silver GT center caps.

               Other details to note are large white mirrors on black stalks that extend quite a ways to allow a driver to see around the flying buttresses and the car’s muscular hips. More black mesh in the air ducts in front of the rear wheels too, and Ford is emblazoned just in front of those wheels and above the carbon fiber ground effects skirting.

               Autoart also plans two other Heritage Editions, a red No. 16 with gold and white stripes to represent cars raced by the Alan Mann team, and a gold and red version representing Holman Moody, the famous Ford-backed race team. Both will be the same price as this first release, $240, and are available for pre-order at the Autoart website.

Vital Stats: Ford GT Heritage Edition Prototype

Maker: Autoart
Scale: 1/18
Stock No.: 72926
MSRP: $240

Link: Autoartmodels.com

Diecast cars

1969 Pontiac Royal Bobcat Grand Prix Model J

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Auto World creates a rare souped up Ponty with a V8 …

Back in 1969 GM was in the midst of its popularity and market share dominance with Chevrolet, Oldsmobile, Buick, Cadillac and Pontiac cars all selling like Mary Jane at a Stones concert.

But the tide was turning and the many stellar designs of the 1960s were about to come crashing into the flat, blah styling and gas crisis of the early 1970s, plus the influx of Japanese makes with much better reliability.

The Grand Prix, a popular Pontiac nameplate, still exuded style with a long lean look and a nose that still resonates as car makers keep going back to a big proboscis up front to differentiate their brands from competitors. Thus we have the 1969 Pontiac Grand Prix, here gussied up in the rare Royal Bobcat Model J version that was a super limited edition thanks to the work of Royal Pontiac of Royal Oak, Mich.

Only 12 of these babies were produced and now Auto World has gone and made its own Limited Edition 1/18 scale die-cast model for collectors.

It’s sharp.

The History

First a little history. Grand Prix was redesigned for 1969 with a look that John DeLorean, Pontiac’s GM and later founder of DeLorean Motor Co., wanted to remind buyers of old luxury. Think Duesenberg, Cadillac, or Packard. Opera windows were soon to follow.

But for now the Pontys hoods were long with a raised pointed section that led to a giant arrow-like nose that was all chrome. Apparently, then and now, the bigger the nose and grille, the more luxurious and prestigious the vehicle. The profile was sleek, but seemed stretched to extreme, and DeLorean loved using SJ and J as special models, just as in the classic car days of the 1930s.

Well, Royal Pontiac had been souping up Pontiacs for much of the post-WWII era and so it was natural that it would want to perk up the new Grand Prix, even if it looked more luxurious that muscular.

First, it added a tachometer to the hood so a driver, maybe at the drag strip, could easily see its readout while tromping the gas pedal. Think of it as an early Head-Up Display. All Royal models were then ordered with GM’s optional 428 High-Output four-barrel carbed V8 that is said to have made 390 horsepower. That’s a lot of oomph now, and was then too.

Sharp engine details under the Ponty’s big metal hood.

The compression also was raised and the engine used the same camshaft as Ponty’s Ram Air III system for added power. Tim (the Toolman) Taylor would be proud.

Royal also ordered its 12 special models in Matador (did AMC know?) Red with painted white three-quarter roofs that were popular at the time. That left a red hoop over the roof’s rear, sort of like a visual roll bar.

The Model

               This model faithfully delivers on the Royal Bobcat (why a Bobcat I don’t know) look with a thick red finish and white roof, along with plenty of chrome. Front and rear bumpers and the nose are chrome, naturally, plus door handles, mirror and side rocker panel trim. Silver paint traces the wheel wells and windows, plus five little hash marks as a decorative design on the C-pillars.

Everything opens here, just like other Auto World die-cast models.

               That hood tach is represented by a domed reverse scoop, but really stands out as something unusual on this model. Cool!

               Headlights are etched to look realistic and surrounded by squared silver trim plates while there’s also a Royal GP ’69 Michigan license front and rear.

Under the massive hood is a finely detailed V8 with blue engine block, chrome air cleaner, plus copious plumbing and wiring. Auto World includes all the fluid containers too and a big fan shroud.

In back the trunk opens to reveal a spare tire and you’ll also find Grand Prix spelled out in lettering below the trunk’s keyhole.

               Inside, the dark red interior has well molded seats with horizontal ribbing and chrome trim while the dash is full of round gauges that are recessed to add depth. The steering wheel is a matching dark red with three spokes. But it looks a bit too plastic, although experience tells me the late 1960s and early 1970s GM steering wheels were often a slick plastic that turned sweaty in summer. We had a ’69 Olds Cutlass with a sweaty wheel.

               Again Auto World creates a fine undercarriage with suspension and exhausts visible for collectors who like to put their cars in cases with mirrored bases. However, like other Auto World cars, this Pontiac comes in a box with windows all around that make it easy to display this Ponty just as it is.

               This is a rare Pontiac, but one that still delivered both power and style.      

Vital Stats: 1969 Pontiac Royal Bobcat Grand Prix Model J

Maker: Auto World
Scale: 1/18
Stock No.: AW1273
MSRP: $119.99

Link: Autoworldstore.com

Sharp box for display too!
Diecast cars

1973 Toyota Celica Liftback GT2000

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Autoart nails the sexy Japanese ‘Mustang’ look …

I came of driving age in the early 1970s and while I drove a snazzy copper-colored Plymouth Duster, which I thought beautiful, the Japanese makes were just getting their footing in the U.S. market. Most models were boring, but to me, the “hot” car was Toyota’s Celica Liftback GT.

It was a mini Mustang, and I say that with all due respect for both.

But by the mid-1970s Ford’s Mustang had grown bulky and ugly and then came the Mustang II. Ugh!

Yet Toyota had nailed the long-hood, fastback design, was reliable, and fairly affordable. In short, a winner!

Now Autoart turns its considerable modeling talents to a right-hand drive 1973 model of the Celica Liftback 2000GT in 1:18 scale and it’s a beauty.

Believe me, this IS Moss Green, but is so dark it looks black unless in direct sun.

The History

Celica launched as a coupe and notchback version of the Toyota Corina at the 1970 Tokyo Auto Show. Its name was derived from the Latin word coeliac, meaning heavenly or celestial. Perfect!

Sales were good in Japan and by 1973 it had relabeled its hatchback as a Liftback GT that would ultimately be exported to the US for the 1976 model year. Its lines were Mustang-like and indeed the designers were intending Celica for a similar market in Japan, folks wanting a sporty fun coupe, which the fastback look and lightweight execution along with a performance-oriented engine assured.

The rear-drive Celica boasted a 1600cc I4 with twin Mikuni-Solex carbs that delivered about 96 horsepower via a four-speed manual or automatic. But the Liftback GT had 143 horsepower coming from a 2.0-liter I4, and weighed just 2,295 pounds. That 2.0-liter led to the Celica Liftback 2000GT nameplate and was known as the RA25 version within Toyota.

By the time it hit US shores, the GT developed 95 horses from a 2.2-liter I4, but with a top speed of 109 mph. It rode on a 98-inch wheelbase and was just 174 inches long and weighing 2,615 lbs. All Liftbacks here had flat noses vs. a slanting nose on earlier Japanese models and there was no B-pillar. Additionally the rear quarter windows were fixed, so would not roll down. C-pillar louvers and vertical bar taillights were featured, again looking much like a 1968 Mustang.

 The Model

               This 1973 model is as the car appeared in Japan as the RA25 version, but looks much like the US model, aside from being right-hand drive. This sample model is a dark Moss Green, so deep that it looks black in less than bright sunlight.

               Autoart’s detailing is superb with chrome trim around all the windows, those C-pillar louvers, the door handles, an antenna stub, racy mirrors mounted far forward on the front fenders as was common in Japan, and naturally the front and rear bumpers. Even the leading edge of the hood includes a slim delicate chrome trim and there’s more along the rocker panel, just below the GT 2000 racing stripe on each side.

               Celica’s hood opens from the rear and reveals an absolutely stunning engine bay, one of the best I can recall on a 1:18 scale model not costing $300+. This looks like an engine compartment at the dealer’s showroom, clean and tidy with the I4’s header proudly labeled Toyota in silver and a detailed oil filler cap there too. All the wiring and plumbing is in place and there’s a battery, shock tower caps, all fluid bottles including a clear plastic windshield cleaner container on the firewall. Also visible are the radiator, air cleaner, which lays off to the driver’s side by at the car’s nose, plus throttle body hookups, etc. Wow!

               There are black vents (three stacks per side) atop the hood, tasteful but racy, while the black grille appears to be photo-etched with a snazzy GT logo. Headlights are clear, but displaying proper depth for a realistic look, and a front license plate proclaims Celica LB 2000GT, as does one on the tail.

               Celica’s 5 vertical bar taillights are excellent too with the outer bar being amber with the others red. A fine GT 2000 logo sits mid-tail and a silver Liftback label appears just below that sleek slanting rear window. A chrome Toyota badge is on the hatch’s lower right edge and below the chrome bumper is a lone long tailpipe extending from the left side.

               There’s a Celica label and emblem on each rear quarter panel, just beyond the door’s rear edge, and up front on the fenders are amber marker lights.

               Tires are black sidewalls with black Dunlap GP Sport labeling that requires a magnifying glass to read.  Wheels are chrome rimmed with black centers and a red and chrome cap.

               Inside the Celica features black bucket seats and snazzy detailing all around, from the silver inset buttons on the seats to a control lever on the seatback’s side. Door panels are well shaped and accessorized too with chrome window cranks and door trim.

               Celica’s dash is highly detailed with seven round gauges of various sizes, all trimmed in silver and with faces that are nearly readable but would require a magnifier to properly view. A fine looking console includes a clock, rectangular air vents, a black handled shifter, and there’s a parking brake handle between the seats too. Steering wheel is black with a fan-shaped four-spoke center, and Autoart completes the interior’s sporty look with a chrome kick plate on each side of the door frame.

               Flip up that huge hatch and there are hydraulic tube struts to hold it aloft, a couple of belts to hold luggage in place and a flocked cargo floor and rear seatback.

               Autoart delivers as near a perfect model of the Celica GT as one can imagine, and if you loved this Toyota hallmark of a car, or even still prefer the original Mustang, this is a keeper. The two would look great displayed side-by-side!        

Vital Stats: 1973 Toyota Celica 2000 GT (Moss Green)

Maker: Autoart
Scale: 1/18
Stock No.: 78768
MSRP: $200

Link: Autoartmodels.com

Diecast cars

1962 Pontiac Grand Prix (Fireball Roberts edition)

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Auto World’s Ponty celebrates NASCAR’s legendary Fireball ….

There are perfect names and nicknames for race drivers, no doubt adding to their mystique and popularity.

As a kid I had two early favorites, Jim “Herk” (as in Hercules) Hurtubise and Edward Glenn “Fireball” Roberts. Herk was famous at the Indy 500 and Fireball was a legend in stock cars. Sadly, both were badly burned in racing accidents in 1964. Herk survived, Fireball did not.

I was in the stands at the 1963 Yankee 300 at Indianapolis Raceway Park cheering on Fireball, No. 22 in a Holman-Moody Ford, but unfortunately he didn’t finish. A.J. Foyt won in a Plymouth.

So I was stunned the following May when Fireball died a few days after an accident in Charlotte’s World 600 where he spun to miss two other wrecking cars, hit an inside wall and the car erupted into flames. Fire did a lot of damage, but Roberts also was asthmatic and that apparently had weakened his lungs. Still, he seemed such a tough character, it was hard to understand the loss.

The History

Here though Auto World celebrates 1962 when Fireball won the Daytona 500 in a black and gold Pontiac prepared by Smokey Yunick. This is a 1/18 scale version of a ’62 Grand Prix reflecting the same color scheme as Roberts’ car and was one of only about 30 created by Jim Stephens Pontiac of Daytona Beach, one of Fireball’s sponsors.

1962 was Fireball’s year, although he had started racing stock cars in the late 1940s. He always was a winner. How great was he? In a 15-year career he raced in 206 stock car races, and won 33. He finished top 5 in more than half and top 10 in roughly 60%. He won the Daytona pole three times, 1961-63 and was NASCAR’s most popular driver in 1957. Later he was inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 1990.

 If you read my DC reviews you may recall Auto World released a snazzy 1961 Pontiac Catalina not long ago, and this 1962 Grand Prix is a looker too, just a bit less sleek than the Catalina. The Grand Prix has a thick, solid C pillar vs. the thin sloping one for the Catalina. Also, the chrome fender trim protrudes out to the edges of the fender over the lights here, whereas on the Catalina they are smaller and less pointed.

There are other differences too.

The Model

               For instance, the side trim on the Grand Prix consists of a gold streak indented in the body’s side, whereas on the Catalina this was a raised chrome strip.

               The nose is more interesting here with the dual chrome-trimmed headlights extending out into the body side panels that feature a more rounded, some might say sexier, look up. Plus the center of the hood’s nose is more pointed with chrome trim and the extended portions below the hood feature the gold trim used on the rest of the car, reflecting the look of the Roberts Daytona winner.

               Taillights are totally different on the ’62, being sort of crescent moon shaped and tucked inside wide chrome trim with extensions that frame the horizontal tail trim, again accented with gold lines.

               Engine detail is sharp as one expects on any Auto World car, with twin chrome carbs and headers, plus proper plumbing and hoses and a big battery too. Nifty too that the underside of the car is well detailed so you can see the bottom of the engine and all suspension and exhaust systems, consisting of twin matte silver pipes and mufflers here. Naturally the wheels are steerable.

          Inside the interior is less flashy than the Catalina, with black seats and chrome trim and side hinges, and yes, the front seats will fold forward and the steering wheel turns the front wheels. That wheel has a matte silver hub and horn ring with black grips on the sides, but gold trim top and bottom.

               While the dash is black with matte chrome trim everywhere, including all buttons, there also is Grand Prix spelled out in gold trim on the passenger’s side dash glove box. There’s a white cue ball shifter on the center console with chrome button on top and a giant gauge (looks like a spotlight) at the console’s front, which could be a tach or race speedometer.

               Windows are chrome trimmed, including the vent windows, as are the wiper arms and blade holders. Headlights are clear but etched and taillights are red, naturally. Door handles, bumpers, rocker panel trim and a large driver’s side fender mirror also are chrome.

     Hubcaps are the same design as on the Catalina, but with gold trim around the chrome hubs that have Pontiac Motor Division printed in a ring around the hubs.

               There’s a fun orange and blue license up front that says GR-RRR!, with Royal printed below, while in back the green on white Michigan plate says simply, Fireball.

               One note of warning if you handle your models much before displaying them. Wear a glove here because this black paint scheme is prone to showing finger smudges.

               Pontiac enthusiasts should note too that AW has made both a 1961 and 1962 Pontiac Catalina and they are available through the AW online store, autoworldstore.com. Note too that this was an early release model for review and it’s not available on the AW site just yet, but will be shortly.

               One final note on Fireball. His nickname didn’t come from his racing feats, but from his days as a minor league baseball pitcher. You guessed it, he had a mighty fastball, so was dubbed Fireball.

Vital Stats: 1962 Pontiac Grand Prix (Fireball Roberts edition)

Maker: Auto World
Scale: 1/18
Stock No.: AM1291/06


MSRP: $119.99

Link: Autoworldstore.com

Diecast cars

James Bond’s Lotus Esprit S1

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Nobody does it better than Auto World for a submarine/car …

Rare, or should I say never, that I have seen a die-cast car that was also a submarine. But now I have.

If you’re hearing a James Bond soundtrack playing in your head right now then you’re ahead of me. The car/sub in question is the Lotus Esprit S1 as seen in the 1977 Bond thriller, The Spy Who Loved Me, with Roger Moore as Bond and Barbara Bach portraying Soviet agent Anya Amasova as they attempted to stop a megalomaniac trying to destroy the world and start a new civilization under the sea. Naturally!

If you saw it, you’ll remember both Bach (Ringo Starr’s wife) and the Lotus, the later shooting into the ocean while being chased by a helicopter (which the car’s rockets shot down). Then the Lotus’s wheels fold up and four props on the back are deployed to instantly turn the Esprit into a sub, not an easy task.

Nor was creating the Bond car in 1/18 scale, but credit Auto World for doing just that and cradling it in a beautifully crafted and designed display box complete with blue plastic packaging to make the Lotus look like it’s diving into the sea.

The History

Let’s start with the movie. This was the tenth Bond thriller and third with Roger Moore portraying secret agent 007. It was a winner at the box office ($185 million in sales) and later Moore called it his favorite. Some consider The Spy Who Loved Me among the best Bond films after Sean Connery departed, and before the current batch.

In any case, the car played a small role, but was memorable because of its high-tech transformation. Beyond Bond’s classic Aston Martin DB5 of earlier movies, this is the car most Bond aficionados recall most often. Its nickname on set was Wet Willie and the car used in the movie’s underwater scenes ultimately was purchased by Elon Musk in 2014.

Lotus is known for creating cars of speed, style, and athletic performance and this one reminds of a Lamborghini Countach, which debuted a year earlier in 1974. And indeed, its designer was Italian, Giorgetto Giugiaro who penned the design after meeting Lotus chief Colin Chapman at a European car show.

The fiberglass-bodied Esprit debuted at the fall 1975 Paris Auto Show and featured a new 160-horsepower I4, which sounds pretty mild now. But the car was famously Lotus light, just about 2,000 pounds, so would do 0-60 mph in 6.8 seconds, no rocket, but lithe and lively. Plus it looks undeniably fast. Top speed was 138 mph.

Just 718 Lotus Esprit S1 models were made from 1976 to 1978, but other versions were produced up until 2004. Esprit replaced the Lotus Europa model.

The Model

               This is a fun one, but is best displayed in its original box in submarine form, as that’s what makes this one special. Besides, it requires patience and nimble fingers to fully convert it into the car, although Auto World provides all the parts. Here’s how that’s accomplished.

Here the fins and engine cover are off.
Here the wheels have been folded down.

               First, you must take off the fins, rear prop structure, and roof hardware, a relatively easy task. However, to dislodge and fold down the four wheels and tires is awkward. It’s ingenious how they are installed, but they are quite stiff to unfold, especially the front wheels. I could only get two to deploy and appear straight upright. The other two folded down, but canted slightly inward making it hard to install the two white plastic pieces meant to complete the car’s bottom for display.

These are parts to finish either sub or car.
The rear wheels are easiest to fold down.

               Three round white stickers are included to cover the holes in the roof that accommodate the chrome roof accessories to replicate the sub’s features. More stickers are available to use for either the sub, or car’s dash gauges and others for front and rear windshield louvers to replicate the sub’s appearance.

The Lotus engine is nicely detailed and easy to see.

               A gray cap snaps on over the matte silver-gray engine under the rear hatch, again to mimic the submarine’s look. Like the real Lotus engine this one is canted to the left, maybe not exactly 45 degrees as in the original car, but there’s a visible lean to it. Detailing is sharp too and I’m leaving off the cover to display the sub as it’s more interesting that way.

               I particularly like the black plastic tail fins and prop covers that hide the chrome props and their black rudders. All props spin too.

               Those side fins look great and are easy to pop out from underneath, if you want to go the car display route. The front and rear twin fins each pop out as a unit with just a little pressure.

Machine guns pop from the nose. There was a slight defect on the left corner.
Stickers for the windows and dash.

               While the headlights don’t rotate up in front the hood can be lifted from the rear to expose a spare tire and the steering housing. Also, a tiny switch under the car/sub can be pressed to release the row of gun barrels on the nose. However, they tend to close quickly once the car/sub is on level ground.

               Everything else looks realistic outside, from amber lower nose lights to red taillights along with proper licensing front and rear. The nose and tail include Lotus badging and Esprit logos are on each of the rear roof pillars beneath the gas caps.

               Doors open to reveal gray bucket seats with red plaid butt pockets and red flocking for carpet. The dash is gray too with black steering wheel and shifter on the console. Naturally this is right-hand drive.

               I like that the chrome door releases are replicated at the bottom of each door and the side windows are open so it’s easy to see inside. Under water you’d want these closed though, right? Windows are all trimmed in black.

               It was fun taking the car/sub apart and configuring it both ways, but I’m sticking with the sub look, as that’s what sets this apart.

So, with apologies to Marvin Hamlisch the theme song’s composer, Carole Bayer Sager its lyricist, and wonderful Carly Simon, its singer, Nobody Does it Better, not in 1/18 scale.

Vital Stats: Lotus Esprit S1, James Bond 007, The Spy Who Loved Me

Maker: Auto World
Scale: 1/18
Stock No.: AWSS132
MSRP: $149.99

Link: Autoworldstore.com

Diecast cars, Fun Stuff

1967 Alpine A210 Le Mans #46

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Spark’s latest Le Mans racer a long-tailed French blend …

Separating Alpine from Renault is difficult as their histories are so entwined, as is that of Gordini, although fewer may recognize that name.

But in the 1960s all three came together as Gordini-tuned Renault engines powered Alpine racers designed for the 24 Hours of Le Mans, with Renault’s racing arm footing the bill.

The result, several years in, was the dramatic and swoopy looking Alpine A210 racer that Spark Models beautifully recreates now in 1:43 scale.

The History

Alpine was formed in 1955 by Jean Rédélé to make sports cars and racers and did well enough that Shell Oil came to the firm in 1962 wanting 1.0-liter Gordini-tuned engines for a Le Mans effort. By 1963 the M63 racer had won its class at the Nurburgring 1000km race, although none of its three cars finished the 1963 Le Mans marathon.

However, by the 1966 Le Mans, which was won for the first time by Ford’s GT40, Alpine had the A210 with a stout 1.3-liter Gordini-tuned Renault and took first through third place in the energy-efficiency index while clocking speeds of nearly 170 mph.

The next year Alpine was back with a multi-car team and its No. 46 car driven by French racers Henri Grandsire and Jose Rosinski finished ninth overall and first in class for 1.3-liter cars. The duo completed 321 laps compared with the winning Ford GT40 driven by Americans Dan Gurney and A.J. Foyt’s 388 laps. Since the team was aiming for an overall win there was no winning the efficiency index.

Grandsire and Rosinski were gentleman racers, but successful. Grandsire, who later became an actor, had won the same Le Mans class the previous year, while Rosinski, later to become a journalist and race team manager, also had previously won his class at Le Mans in 1962.

By 1973 Renault would buy Alpine and Gordini soon after, although the Alpine name disappeared into the Renault lineup by 1995. Yet it was re-introduced in 2017 with the Alpine A110 model. Meanwhile the Renault Formula 1 racing team was also rebranded in 2021 as Alpine, which it remains today.

The Model

               First, there’s the cool aero body with its long and finned tail, plus that stellar medium bright metallic blue paint scheme that quickly delivers the notion this is a French racer. The No. 46 car also features an orange stripe across the roof’s leading edge to help identify the car at speed from its sister cars.

               Racers were so much simpler in the mid-1960s and this streamlined beauty reflects that with just a small black oval grille up front framed between two round running lights to help with night vision during the 24-hour race. Regular headlights are under clear lenses and the hood is one that was hinged in front, so there are two silver hinges that appear both functional and decorative. A small brown leather-look strap is at the passenger’s side of the hood’s rear to no doubt further secure the racer’s hood when the car was speeding about.

               On the nose is the Alpine name in silver lettering.

               There also are small air scoops on the front fenders just before the doors and then rear fender bulges that appear to be bolted on over the wheel well tops, giving the racer muscular hips. Outside door hinges are molded into the front quarter panel and doors too.

               Both the windshield and rear window are huge, the back one blending smoothly into that sassy tail. The Alpine’s windshield is trimmed in silver and a delicate silver photo-etched metal twin-armed wiper that’s true to the original sweeps the window. Side windows represent the sliding glass that the real racer featured, an aid to cooling the cockpit. The driver’s side window is posed slightly opened, while the far side’s windows are closed.

               In back are amber taillights and a large single tailpipe exiting just to the right of center.

               Tires are treaded and the front wheel cover is a smooth silver disk while the larger rears are gold featuring an 8-pointed star pattern with visible lug nuts in the center ring.

               Markings are minimal beyond the large numbers, all black atop white circles, one on the hood, tail, and both doors. There is a red dot on each door in front of the number, and Alpine Renault is spelled out on the rear quarter panel, just aft of the door with “1300” printed just below, signifying the racer’s 1300cc engine.

               Three other logo decals are spread along the top of each front fender, a cat head with checkered flag, a Shell logo, and a black and white one I simply can’t make out, even with a magnifier.

               The black interior is difficult to make out, but close study reveals a three-spoke race steering wheel, the spokes in silver, a shift lever on the floor, and a silver shoulder harness on the race seat. Looks like a red fire extinguisher above and behind a passenger’s seat too. Funny that Alpine included the second seat in a racer, but maybe there was a rule requiring it in 1967. Whatever!

               Most Spark 1:43 die-cast models run in the $80 range, but often you can find them on sale online at sites such as Replicarz.com, one of the most reliable online retailers. I’ve used them for years to bolster my collection. Spark also makes several other versions of the Alpine A210, so look around and find which one most pleases your eye.

Plus, let me say that I love 1:43 scale models as they are such a great size for detail while remaining small enough to easily stack their cases. Spark and most other brands, come in stackable acrylic cases that are perfect for viewing, so no further display case is required. Save that cash to spend on more models!

               This Alpine is a sexy addition to any Le Mans collection, even if it wasn’t an overall winner!

Vital Stats: 1967 Alpine A210 Le Mans #46

Maker: Spark
Scale: 1/43
Stock No.: S5687
MSRP: $79.99

Link: Replicarz.com

#Le Mans

#Alpine

#Spark

#Diecast

Diecast cars

1979 Dodge Warlock II D100 Utiline

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Auto World’s latest Warlock not as spooky as its name …

Today it is hard to imagine any vehicle being named Warlock without an entire marketing department being fired and the automaker’s PR staff committed to a mental institution in the aftermath.

But Dodge played loosey-goosey with names and color descriptions throughout the 1970s. Remember Dodge’s purple being labeled Plum Crazy? So when Dodge decided to make factory-custom pickups beginning in late 1976 the Warlock name was chosen.

Auto World bravely jumped into the die-cast pickup market itself a couple years back and the 1977 Warlock was a hit, so now comes a 1:18 scale Warlock II, a 1979 model of the fancified D100 Utiline.

The History

Styling was tweaked for ’79 with a new nose and hood. And inside it was loaded with goodies not standard at the time, like air conditioning, cruise control, a radio and a clock. The Utiline bed with real oak sideboards was an option, as were the wide tires and custom wheels. This model has all of the above.

Originally Warlock was a limited release, sort of a test by Dodge to see if the factory-custom truck idea would fly. That original had gold wheels, gold pin-striping, bucket seats, wide Goodyear tires and oak sideboards and bed flooring.

By 1977 Dodge had moved the Warlock into full production and began offering it in more than just black. As in the earlier AW model, there was dark green now. Other colors were blue, red, and of course, black. All Warlock interiors were black, to keep costs down and builds as simple as possible.

For 1979 the standard engine was a 145-horsepower, two-barrel 318 cu.in. V8. Also available was a four-barrel 360 cu.in. V8 that that made 160 horsepower and 280 lb.-ft. of torque. Warlock II was available in 2- or 4-wheel drive and sold through the end of the 1979 model year.

One could argue Dodge started fueling America’s love with fancy pickups, which the Ram continues today.

The Model

               What’s new and different on the 1979 model vs. the earlier 1977? All the changes are up front.

Here’s that new grille and single headlight look for 1979, plus a detailed V8.

By 1979 Dodge had moved to large single headlights and a more streamlined hood with its two panels slightly raised, and of course outlined on the Warlock II with gold pin striping and filigree, which also decorates the front fenders and cab, plus the cab’s roof and the big bulging rear fenders. Even the tailgate features the gold trim along with a gold and black Warlock II nameplate in the tailgate’s center.

Face it, Dodge had figured out how to customize its pickups at the factory and this model reflects that with the sparkling Canyon Red paint scheme that looks deep with a touch of cinnamon tossed it for a bronze tint to this metallic finish.

Yes, the tailgate lowers on the snazzy Auto World Warlock II.

               Warlock’s grille is a massive chrome number, beautifully recreated, plus chrome front and rear bumpers, large side mirrors, wipers, door handles and side steps on this Stepside model. The racy custom Mag wheels also are chromed and there’s a silver gas cap by the step on the driver’s side. A short chrome antenna protrudes from the top of the passenger’s side front fender.

               Just like the earlier 1977 model, this ’79 touts a blue block Mopar V8 under the huge hood that is supported by solid hinges so is easily posed open. There’s a black air filter cover along with big black hose running to the radiator. A white coolant container also is visible along with a white top just over the radiator and a power steering unit protrudes from the firewall.

As with the previous model the bed features textured wood-look plastic panels with red metal seams in the floor and the same wood-look railing on each side of the bed to mimic that of the original truck. This is a little lighter shade (a tinge of yellow) than I’d like, but still features a wood-grained texture. In back that tailgate also can be lowered.

Sharp looking cab here with reflective face gauges for added realism.

Inside, the cab is mostly black, but the door panels include more of that gold pin striping at the top to add some glam while also boxing out the lower portions of the doors to add color in what otherwise would be a dark interior. Just a bench seat as there was no Crew Cab at the time, and the dash looks great with a detailed instrument panel that includes reflective gauge faces to add realism. In addition, the steering wheel features three silver spokes while there are no seatbelts on those black seats.

Rubber tires are treaded and branded as Goodyears and freely roll, plus the front wheels are steerable for posing purposes. As with other AW models, the undercarriage is nicely detailed too, including a spare tire under the bed, a full exhaust system, differential, and detailed front suspension.

I really liked the 1977 Warlock, but this color is so striking and the single headlight grille seems a bit more handsome too. Hey, plus it’s a Warlock!

Vital Stats: 1979 Dodge Warlock II

Maker: Auto World
Scale: 1/18
Stock No.: AW298
MSRP: $119.99

Link: Autoworldstore.com

#Dodge

#Dodge Warlock

#Auto World

Diecast cars

1932 Cadillac V16 Sport Phaeton

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Auto World’s 1932 Cadillac V16 Sport Phaeton

I’m no authority on pre-war classic cars, but most car crazies like me recognize the Cadillac V16 or Sixteen as it was often called.

This was Cadillac’s most powerful and expensive car to date when introduced at the New York Auto Show in January of 1930. Talk about bad timing, the Depression had just begun.

Yet the wealthy and famous still had cash and more than 2,000 V-16 models were ordered in the first six months of production with 2,500 selling that first year. That was an amazing number and even more so in that just 4,076 of the cars were ever made during an 11-year run from 1930 to 1940 when GM stopped production as it ramped up for World War II military production.

Auto World expands its 1:18 scale classic car lineup with a new dark green 1932 Cadillac V16 Sport Phaeton and it’s an eye-pleaser.

The History

Just 300 of the 1932 models were made as sales began to rapidly fade. Cadillac made only 50 V-16 models a couple of years in the late 1930s.

Originally the bodies were made mostly by Fleetwood Metal Body, but by 1932 Fischer Body had taken over that function for the Harley J. Earl-designed Cadillacs. Earl would later become GM’s design chief and was known for his use of concept cars to introduce radical designs including tail fins. He also was involved in design of the original Corvette.

All orders were custom for the V16 and research says 70 styling codes were used during the car’s production life. The Sport Phaeton was one of those and its styling was sportier as it employed a longer hood and lower roofline, here with a tan top over the green body. Fenders also were more curved and the headlamp shells were streamlined too.

The Phaeton also used a second windshield just in front of the rear seats to distinguish it, this version being the fold-down style known as a dual-cowl design.

For the record, V16s were made in 2- and 4-door convertibles, 2-door coupes and 4-door sedans, town cars and even limousines. Power came from a narrow 45-degree V16 creating what now seems a paltry 165 horsepower, but reportedly the cars could hit at least 116 mph, incredibly fast at the time. Power was smooth from the V16 and said to run so quietly they were hard to hear.

These were massive cars, unsurprisingly, riding on 149 to 154-inch wheelbases, so a couple feet longer than today’s giant pickups and SUVs. Lead sleds too. They weighed between 5,300 and 6,600 pounds.

One 1930 Town Brougham model was listed at $9,200 new. That would be about $149,000 in today’s dollars, probably a bit much for the Depression era and before any silicon chip boom.

The Model

               A beautiful car beautifully reproduced with real rubber tires and a sharp-looking tan plastic roof that looks like canvas and easily snaps off to pose as a convertible.

Big folding hood, long V16 engine under the cowl.

               The body shape and functionality are excellent as always, with both front doors opening and the dual sided hood folding up independently. Under the hood the massive V16 fills the engine bay and features silver headers and exhaust pipes, plus V-shaped chrome bracing to stiffen the car’s front end. There’s also a fan behind the radiator, the front of which is chromed with a handsome V16 logo on its face.

Sharp heron hood ornament on the ’32 Caddy.

Atop the radiator is a chrome Cadillac heron hood ornament to class up the Caddy. That heron was swapped for a goddess style ornament the following year.

               Up front is a banded chrome bumper with two running lights atop that, then the streamlined sealed beam chrome headlights and horns atop the gently rounded front fenders. Turn signal lamps, also chromed rest atop each fender.

A large trunk rests on the luggage rack in back, while two silver exhausts exit below.

               Out back are dual slim but wide chrome exhausts, the chrome banded bumper and chrome trunk holder along with chrome taillights and a chrome trunk handle. A green trunk rests atop the chrome stand.

               A silver trim line runs from the nose around the top of the tail and then around to the other side’s nose and there are chrome door handles and windshield trim, on both shields. I like that the side vent windows move so you can pose them in or out and these too are trimmed in silver paint.

A long engine block and headers are visible beneath the hood.

               Need more flash? Well, there are tall white sidewall tires tucked into the fenders on each side, plus a chrome ring holding them each in place while chrome mirrors are molded into their tops.

               Along each side are black running boards trimmed in silver paint.

               Tires are wide white-sidewalls, treated but not branded and they wrap around spiffy chrome wire wheels with a red V16 logo at the center of each hub. Likewise, the spares showcase the same wire wheels.

Like the V16 logo on the steering wheel hub, while the dash is simply presented.

               AW creates black textured seats to reflect a leathery look in both passenger compartments while the front door trim features the same look, plus chrome door releases.

               The dash is simple with seven round gauges printed on its black face, plus a series of buttons arranged vertically mid-dash. Pedals are far beneath the dash and a tall chrome shift lever rises to next of the gloss black steering wheel, which also features that red Caddy V16 logo.

Adjustable wing windows add a nice touch of detail.

               The undercarriage is complete too with black chassis, suspension parts and differential, plus dual silver exhaust systems.

               Cars were both simpler mechanically, yet more ornate in the 1930s, Depression or not. This 1:18 model is a sterling representation of that chrome-laden era and the elegance of its luxury cars.        

Vital Stats: 1932 Cadillac V16 Sport Phaeton

Maker: Auto World
Scale: 1/18
Stock No.: AW314
MSRP: $119.99

Link: Autoworldstore.com

#Cadillac

#Auto World

Diecast cars, Fun Stuff

1957 Chevrolet Bel Air convertible

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Say Yes to Auto World’s latest, a ’57 Chevy from “Dr. No” …

Evil usually is depicted in black, and Dr. No was no exception. The James Bond villain’s car which was intended to carry Bond to his certain death was a black 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air convertible, although with a spiffy red and silver interior.

Spoiler alert: It didn’t happen, Bond prevailed!

Hard as it is to imagine, 60 years have passed since “Dr. No”, the first Bond thriller, hit the movie theaters and Sean Connery would forever be James Bond. Now Auto World marks the anniversary with a handsome 1:18 scale model replicating the first cool car that Bond wheeled in the lengthy cinematic series.

This swanky black ’57 Chevy with its entertainingly decorated box featuring a “Dr. No” movie poster comes just a few months after AW turned out a much perkier Barbie version of the Bel Air convertible. That one was baby blue with pink interior and a twin that was just the opposite, pink with blue interior.

This one may fit less shockingly into your 1950s car collection of which more than a few are likely AW releases from the past as the firm specializes in 1950s-1970s muscle cars along with other vintage automotive icons. The same quality and attention to detail is here and this version, like the Barbie edition, is being marketed under AW’s Silver Screen Machines category.

Here’s what you get.

The Model

               There is plenty of functionality with opening doors, hood and steerable front wheels, while the trunk is sealed. Like other AW models, the undercarriage is nicely detailed (including dual exhausts), so posing it on a mirrored base would make sense.

               As you’d expect with a 1957 car there’s enough chrome to make a medieval knight envious. That starts with the massive front and rear bumpers, plus the head and taillight surrounds, rocker panel trim, the side accent line trim and fins, plus door handles, wiper arms and windshield frame. Even the two hood sights are chromed, as are the vent window frames.

               Hub caps are chrome with chrome center wheel nuts featuring red centers and tiny Chevy bowtie logos. Then there are those giant protruding bumper guards on the front that look like, well, you know. These are black-tipped (that’s tip my friends), as they were on the original ’57 Chevys.

               Both the hood and trunk feature copper-colored chevrons (a long-time Chevy emblem) and the Bel-Air script on the fins’ side trim also is copper. While the top of the fins are chromed, naturally.

The front fenders display three copper bars as trim and just in front of the doors are the patented Chevy crossed-flags logos with the term, Fuel Injection, printed beneath.

               Pop open the hood and there’s the red Chevy engine block with silver air filter and fuel injection system, a black battery and radiator with black horn on the front left. Big hood hinges allow the car’s hood to be easily posed in the raised position.

               The red and silver seats in the interior look nice too, not glossy, but more like a matte vinyl, which matches some 1950s Chevy seating. These include two red buttons on the silver background of each seat back. Likewise the tonneau cover is a matching matte red with silver snap heads neatly arranged around the edges.

               Chevy’s dash top is red with red-ringed instrument panel gauges and a chromed trim across its face and surrounding the radio and its dials. The dash and red steering wheel definitely look like plastic. Too bad they aren’t the same matte finish as the seats. Naturally the wheel’s center horn ring is chrome.          

               The model’s door handles and window cranks are chrome and Bel Air appears in script on the passenger’s side dash facing. Sun visors are a matte silver to match the color of the seat centers.

               Tires are wide white sidewalls and treaded, but not branded. A generic black license plate rides on the trunk face. It reads CC over J 7715. Not sure what that means, but it may be what the movie’s car featured back in 1962. Hard to remember that much detail that far back, even for us Boomers.

               This model is a double win for Bond fans and ’57 Chevy aficionados!

Vital Stats: 1957 Chevy Bel Air Convertible, “Dr. No” version

Maker: Auto World
Scale: 1/18
Stock No.: AWSS134
MSRP: $149.99

Link: Autoworldstore.com

#57 Chevy

#James Bond

#Dr. No

#Auto World