Tag Archives: Ixo

Diecast cars

Die-cast: Ixo’s Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC #19

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Ixo creates a racy 2019 WRC Hyundai rally car …

Throughout the rest of the world rally racing is a big deal and car manufacturers put serious money into winning the World Rally Championship, which started in 1973. So, it has been around a while.

Not so much Hyundai, which first entered WRC racing at the Monte Carlo Rally in 2014. But the Hyundai team was a quick learner and after tweaking its European subcompact, the i20, it started racking up podiums and points. For the record, the i20 is similar to the Hyundai Kona and Kia Rio models sold in the US market. Continue reading Die-cast: Ixo’s Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC #19 →

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Die-cast: IXO’s Citroen Dyane, 1976 Monte Carlo Rallye

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High-value 1/43 Citroen reflects early rally racers …

Ah, the dear old Citroen 2CV is an icon, at least on the other side of the pond, being what the average French car buyer drove during the middle years of last century. But as it aged, even staid Citroen had to start developing cars to meet the expanding needs of mid-1960s buyers. Remember, there was a baby boom going on overseas as well.

So, the roomier Citroen Dyane with a rear hatchback debuted in 1967, and met with good success, enough so that the car remained in the French car maker’s lineup until 1983. Continue reading Die-cast: IXO’s Citroen Dyane, 1976 Monte Carlo Rallye →

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Die-cast: Ixo’s Ford GT No. 66, Daytona 2017

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Ixo’s Ford GT a beautiful bargain … Ixo Ford GT

I still don’t know how Ford did it, come up with a new GT that’s as beautiful as the old one, but with a modern twist. I also don’t know how Ixo continues to offer such beautiful 1/43 die-cast models at such reasonable prices.

The reviewed Ford GT No. 66, the 2017 24 Hours of Daytona winner, is spectacular, but lists at just $44.99. Compare that with a lot of other brands that are pushing the $80 to $100 price range. Continue reading Die-cast: Ixo’s Ford GT No. 66, Daytona 2017 →

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Die-cast: Ixo’s Ferrari 275LM 1965 Le Mans winner

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Ferrari’s final Le Mans winner, the 275LM  …Ixo Ferrari 265LM

Ferrari established itself as an endurance racing powerhouse in the 1950s and early 1960s. It won the 24 Hours of Le Mans outright eight times between 1954 and 1965, six in a row from 1960 to ‘65. It hasn’t won Le Mans since.

For many, that last win in 1965 embodied the Italian car maker at its peak, entering a variety of red racers to ensure better odds of winning. And then there’s a bit of a mystery as to who actually drove that car to Ferrari’s last win. The tale is interesting. Continue reading Die-cast: Ixo’s Ferrari 275LM 1965 Le Mans winner →

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Die-cast: Ixo’s 1970 Saviem JM 21/240 Michelin truck

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Michelin tire truck a big win for Bib … Ixo Michelin truck

Who doesn’t recognize, and like, the Michelin Man? He’s probably even more famous than the Pillsbury Dough Boy, although I’ve never heard Bibendum (Bib for short) giggle.

Well, IXO loves him too and has come up with an unusual Michelin tire truck, especially for the North American market. This is a French Saviem truck from 1970, something you’d see delivering tires to the local Michelin tire store, or maybe backed up to the garage area at a European racetrack.

In 1/43 scale it’s a showcase stopper in its yellow and blue trim and runs roughly 7.5 inches long. Our review copy was provided by American-Excellence, which handles IXO, BOS Models and NEO, among other brands.

The History

Saviem’s history is interesting, and to be honest, it’s a truck maker I had never heard of until the sample arrived. Turns out that Saviem  existed from 1955 to 1978 in France and the name is a mash-up of its original truck firms that were all merged at that point, by Renault after it has abandoned the commercial truck and bus business following World War II.Ixo Michelin truck

Continue reading Die-cast: Ixo’s 1970 Saviem JM 21/240 Michelin truck →

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Die-cast: Ixo’s 1937 Bugatti Type 57G Le Mans winner

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Bugatti was racy from the get-go at Le Mans … 1937 Bugatti Le Mans winner

In the early years, a lot of competitors, and winners, in the 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race were from France. Many of those makes are legendary, but many also are gone.

One that remains is Bugatti, now known as a super car maker of impeccable quality, speed and styling. Its pedigree is long and distinguished. That pedigree includes two Le Mans wins, one of only 11 car makers to score more than one win and one of just 24 brands to win at Le Mans. Porsche and Audi have each won more than a dozen times, but who’s counting?

Ixo now delivers a sharp 1/43 scale die-cast model of Bugatti’s 1937 Le Mans-winning Type 57G. Bugatti won with a similar car in 1939.

The History

This car, and its drivers, make for a unique tale. Only three Type 57G Tanks were built and this one won Le Mans in 1937. It was driven by Jean-Pierre Wimille and Robert Benoist (more on them in a moment) and completed 243 laps, 7 more than the second place Delahaye 135CS. The Bugatti ran a 3.3-liter straight 8 while the Delahaye was powered by a 3.6-liter straight 6.1937 Bugatti Le Mans winner

 

The team was owned by Roger Labric, making this an all French team. In fact, the top four finishers were all French, with a British Aston Martin coming home fifth to be the top finisher among non-French entries. Only 17 of the 48 entries were running at the end of 24 hours. Continue reading Die-cast: Ixo’s 1937 Bugatti Type 57G Le Mans winner →

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Die-cast: Ford Country Squire, AMC Pacer

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PremiumX models offer good detail at modest price

 In 1964 I was nine and car crazy, like a lot of other kids my age then, and now.

IXO's PremiumX line includes a variety of U.S. models.
IXO’s PremiumX line includes a variety of U.S. models.

But in the ‘60s cars changed virtually every year, with some sort of styling update, from headlights, to taillights to trim and accessories to make them look slightly updated. Ah, the good ol’ days!I was part of the Baby Boom that made station wagons one of the hottest selling car styles, and one of the more popular ones was Ford’s Country Squire, with its fake wood trim down the full length of the car. Up top, usually a chrome roof rack, set to hold the family suitcases for that trip to Wally World, er Disneyland, or maybe a national park for camping.

Now IXO, long known for its excellent racing models from F1 to LeMans racers, plunges into the American car market with its PremiumX lineup that includes a 1964 Country Squire, along with a variety of other someone obscure models. For instance, I also received a yellow 1975 AMC Pacer X for review, and there are few cars as odd as the Pacer. Continue reading Die-cast: Ford Country Squire, AMC Pacer →

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Die-cast: LeMans-winning Ford GT40s

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Ixo’s Ford GT40 models offer good detail, value in 1:43 scale

Ford’s GT40 is the most beautiful enclosed race car ever made, and one of the most successful too. That’s my design bias, but the GT40’s success can’t be argued.

Ixo's version of the 1967, '68, and '69 LeMans-winning Ford GT40s.
Ixo’s version of the 1967, ’68, and ’69 LeMans-winning Ford GT40s.

Funny thing, it was created to settle a score at the highest levels of the automotive world. In the early 1960s Henry Ford II was rebuked in efforts to buy Ferrari and declared war on the Italian sports car maker and race team. The GT40, originally with a Lola chassis and various Ford V8 engines, was his weapon. By 1964 the first GT40 was raced at the Nurburgring 1000km endurance race and then the 24 Hours of LeMans, where three were entered and one led. All failed to finish. Yet ultimately the GT40 would win four straight LeMans 24-hour endurance races from 1966 through 1969, a remarkable run that ended Ferrari’s reign as the LeMans champ. Ferarri has not won LeMans since.With the annual endurance race being run in late June, this is a good time to look at what the diecast world offers regarding the only successful U.S. manufacturer’s race efforts. Continue reading Die-cast: LeMans-winning Ford GT40s →