CastHeads Magazine Volume 5 Issue 1

LOVE IS A LONGTAIL McLaren 765LT

YOU

MEET THE CARS

EURO STARS

THE FIGHT FOR (SHELF) SPACE STARTS TODAY

BREAKING BREAKING

Photo by Alberto Jorge Rodriguez

PARTNERS

Contributors: Scott Nadeau | Alberto Jorge Rodriguez | Patrick Pchalek | Frank Zinkewitz | Nick Müller| Dakota Pete | Lloyd Gaston | Mason Bloom

• Creative Direction / Design Lance K Müller & Nigel J De Zilwa • Social Media Nicole Clarke All images are owned by Castheads (Pvt) Limited or by their authors Used with permission. © 2021

Hot Wheels Volkswagen Golf Mk1 (Tooned)

The Tooned series from Hot Wheels features models that tend to be either hits or misses. But this is a hit out of the stadium. This model is c....u....t...e as a button and features some awesome flames, and was designed by the legendary Ryu Asada. It’s featured in Ryu’s Rides, a collection of Hot Wheels designed by him and is dedicated in his memory.

This model (which is already hitting shelves) has become the darling of customizers, just like the tooned Manga Tuner (also designed by Ryu) and released in 2020 to massive success. Can’t wait to see what the customizers do to this sweet AF little model.

Scale 1:64

Status: Available

Matchbox Power Grabs 2018 Dodge Durango

Big SUVs are always welcome in any collection. And with true Matchbox style, we get the biggest Dodge SUV of them all. Finished in black pearl metallic, and those sweet 5-spoke wheels that makes this model looks like it belongs in hip hop videos.

The model is part of the 2022 Power Grabs collection and is a new addition to the basic line of vehicles.

Scale 1:64

Status: Available

Metal Body

Light & Sound

Rubber Tires

Opening & Movable Parts

Detailed Decoration

Incl. Accessories

SOMETHING BIG IS COMING!

GRAND SERIES

SMALL

MEDIUM

LARGE

OFFICIALLY LICENSED BY

Majorette

Aston Martin Vantage GT3

Majorette’s Volvo Construction sets are quite extensive. Like this 4-piece collection featuring a FMX Tipper, A60H Hauler, L350H Wheel Loader and a EC950F Excavator.

These models consist of moving parts, proper detailing and are officially licensed. Great for both young and old to get their world building jam on.

Scale: Multiple | Status: Available

Schuco Porsche 550a Spyder

This model is a race-bred version from the mid-1950s. This low, spartan, mid-engined dominated motorsports when it was introduced. Schuco presents the more street-legal version in a fire-engine red with intricate details. Rest assured the quantity will be limited.

Scale 1:18

Status: Coming soon

Jada Toys

Hello Kitty 2009 Nissan GT-R with Hello Kitty Figure

We are ecstatic that another Hello Kitty themed GT-R from Jada Toys is joining the line up. Perfect upgrade to the previously released R34 GT-R. This model has lighter tones and is accompanied by our favorite feline in race gear. We cannot wait to get our hands on this sweet as sin model when it stores later this year.

Scale: 1:24

Status: Pending

GT Spirit 2022 Ford F150 Raptor

It’s great to see another truck coming out from GT Spirit this year. The latest Raptor to hit the market, this Code Orange/matte black Ford F150 monster is the darling of the off-road (but mostly on-road) crowd. The details are quite spot on, except for the wheels as its non-branded while the real vehicle comes with 37” BF Goodrich T/A K02s. It looks really good and should be in an truck enthusiasts collection.

Solido Ford Sierra RS Cosworth 1988 Tour de Corse #8

We have come to expect some amazing rally and race models from Solido, and they do not disappoint with this Ford RS Cosworth. Driven by the allFrench team Didier Auriol and Bernard Occelli to victory in the 32nd Corsican Rally. Ford’s first rally victory in almost 12 years.

Solido’s model combines opening doors and the front wheels can be turned slightly (the steering is connected) for more action oriented display.

Scale 1:18 | Status: Coming Soon

Honda Civic Type R (EP3)

The EP3 was based on the 7th Gen version and was manufactured as a marketspecific model in the United Kingdom.

But this model from Otto Mobile is the final run 2005 JDM (Japanese Domestic Market) that was also made in the UK and shipped to Japan, featuring the red Recaro seats, better specs and different bits.

The all Championship White model sits on the white 7-spoke rims, has blacked out rear windows and is limited to just 2000 units.

Scale 1:18 | Status: Coming Soon

Otto Mobile

Scale 1:18 | Status: Coming Soon

PRESENTING THE BRAND NEW, FULLY LICENSED JADA NEXT LEVEL BATMOBILE™ AND BATMAN™ IN 1:18 SCALE WITH OPENING PARTS, WORKING LIGHTS & 3” FIGURE

Collect all The Batman die-cast vehicles including the 1:24 scale, 1:32 scale, and Nano Hollywood Rides 3-Pack.

@ JADATOYS

Johnny Lightning 1969 Dodge Charger

The iconic Dodge Charger returns to the JL lineup in two more shades this year. The two models are presented in Light Blue Poly and Copper Poly with a white roof and rolls on redline tires.

Scale 1:64

Status: Coming Soon

Racing Champions 1985 Buick Grand National

So stoked that the GN is being presented by RC. But are we looking at the Buick Regal T Type Turbo version of the GN? If so then it’s even awesome-er!

The two-tone paint job with the red line is quite cool. The opening hood gives us a look at the slightly detailed engine.

Scale 1:64

Status: Available

AutoWorld 1947 Studebaker Pickup “Coors Pilsner”

Who doesn’t love a vintage truck, especially a workhorse from Studebaker. These beer themed model is lovely in it’s two-toned paint job and opening parts.

Scale 1:24

Status: Available

Tomica Limited Vintage Neo Nissan GT-R Premium Edition T-spec (Millennium Jade)

The GT-R keeps growing and becoming an event bigger threat to other more expensive sports cars. The latest T-Spec is the last to have the shape of the Track Edition and the 565hp twin-t from the Premium Edition. The color is from a popular color R34 with the other one being Midnight Purpose, which we hope to see in a TLVN. The copper RAYS wheels adds a really nice touch to this Godzilla

Scale 1:64

Status: Coming Soon

Tomica Nissan FairladyZ

The divisive new gen FairladyZ is presented in two versions by Tomica. The fist release is the sliver metallic followed by the special edition lime yellow. The model retains the suspension of previous models but alas the basic Tomica play wheels. At

The No 59 model is new for 2022 with an estimated February release date.

Scale 1:57

Status: Available

Kyosho Yatabe RS The Circuit Wolf)

This is a model from the wildly popular 70s Manga, The Circuit Wolf (or Circuit no Ōkami) that spawned two manga series and a life action movie. The manga featured some exotic cars during it’s lifetime.

The model showcased is the fictional Yatabe RS that was based on the Ferrari Dino 205S. The Kyosho models comes in a case with an accompanying book. Oh yes, and somebody made it into a real car sometime ago.

Scale 1:64

Status: Available

GREEN WITH ENVY

MINIGT 1:64 #286

BENTLEY CONTINENTAL FLYING SPUR

VERDANT GREEN

The Bentley get added to the MINIGT lineup in one of the most distinctive colors. A Color associated with British motoring since forever. It has adorned may marques since 1903.

SILVER GHOST

Porsche 911 Carrera 4S

GT Silver Metallic

It’s not secret that we love Porsches, and we always say “YES PLEASE” to a 4WD sportier 911 in whatever guise it’s presented in. MINIGT delivers a ghostly silver metallic model that is sure to melt quickly into the mist... or your collection.

MINIGT 1:64 #303

PORSCHE REMIX’S

From the RWB hailstorm of 2019 that ran all the way down to 2021 Tarmac Works has slowly started to move into other brands of Porsche tuning and modifying like Backdated and now the ultra-cool outfitters ‘Old&New’ which so far has not been on anyone else’s radar in the 1/64 world. Once again Tarmac Works has salivating at the pre-order desk!

From the pre-production shots looks like we will be treated to three different but super famous liveries. Here we have one of Porsche’s famous liveries from Martini although we are not to sure yet whether there will be two version with two different colored rims or one version with different colored rims on either side. Time will tell.

Another famous motorsport livery comes from the now banned from advertising (Rothmans). A combination of Royal Navy Blue given a metallic treatment outlined by gold and red highlighting. We’ve seen this done on the only 1/18 Old&New release with same the livery and its quite the stylish looking car. Combining Porsches traditional flat nose and the more modern body work is a winning formula for the brand.

Finally, who can resist the color combination of John Players Gold and Black. And if these rims are any indication of what TARMAC WORKS has planned for us then I’m sure we are going to see a mad scramble to the pre-order desk as soon as it’s released for pre-order. This livery along with the other two but this especially resonates with my childhood love for Motorsports and classic liveries.

We love the way Tarmac Works thinks in terms of model choice and releases.

A Vortex of VERTEX

Slowly growing popularity is TW’s GLOBAL64 line that drops a very slightly different line of 1/64 cars altogether. First of all, you get rolling wheels which create a clear definition between the HOBBY64 Cars which are more display models and do not feature rolling anything. Secondly the packaging is cheaper in the sense that you get either a clamshell pack or cardboard Box with a window display as opposed to the acrylic case you get with HOBBY64.

This recent release has come out with the collaboration of tuning and body kit makers VERTEX originating from JAPAN and born from the burning rubber smoke of street racing. Which means as TARMAC Works continues this partnership, we are going to see a lot of Japan’s famous sedans and coupe’s coming out in Vertex body kits like the superhot green Silvia S14.

The SILVIA S Chassis series started life steeped in racing tradition when it was introduced to Silhouette Racing in the late 70’s in the shape of the S10 which was cheaper smaller car than the Z series that Nissan had at the time the S110 being the most extreme of the two.

Sooner or late during the times of the S12 the car with its insane torque, low stance, rear wheel drive and short wheelbase turned this car in to the ultimate drift package. This became the new life for the SILVIA’s being the drift race queens. The S14 came out in two versions the first called ZENKI models produced from 94-96 and the KOUKI models that were produced from 96 to the launch of S15

This VERTEX model is built on the KOUKI platform which is more power and highly modifiable with the ability to tune the engines up to 350+ horsepower. And since VERTEX began life in 1996 it seemed the perfect thing to start of with was the worlds most well priced drift queen car the Silvia S14.

So, TW has taken the amalgamation of two fantastic Drift brands VERTEX and the S14 and dropped the Global64 model which will tickle the fancy of drift lovers and drift car collectors. And, honestly from what we received this has been a great 1/64 model.

53 MACK B-61

If you are late to the party, then you should know this is nothing new and since last year the chaps over at Maisto have been regularly feeding us brilliance. Especially the transporters! What a great deal car + flatbed truck to transport it! And of course, you can use the single-car models on the truck as well giving you more combinations

Good news people! If you are as big a fan of Muscle Machines as we are then you’ll be glad to know that the slew of oversized superchargers and funky designs will continue deep into 2022. In fact, so often we will be blessed with these, that they will be a regular feature in the magazine. And gladly, no one is complaining.

SCALE 1/64 MAISTO

CHEVROLET CAMARO

twin exhausts on either side of the cab. The trailer, like the others, slides back and lowers to the ground. And of course, there is the unmissable gigantic ‘V-Block’ sticking out the front completely blocking the driver’s view. Does the dark gloss grey paint look good? Yes. Does the ‘COMP CAMS’ livery look good because it’s not over the top? Yes. When you have an engine that big there is no reason to try and top it with anything else.

crawfish tamale! And the reason why we’ve made the pictures so large is so that you can appreciate the loud overblown features that make this series super fun and exciting. The casting of the Z28 is really good painted lights front and back air scoops molded to the body and the twotone grey paint simple and stylish, this livery really suits.

The awesome part about 1/64 collecting nowadays is the insane number of accessories available. Everyone from Tarmac Works to homegrown outfits like JMG are dropping accessories like Madonna in 1985.

MIX MATCH

So, along with our look at a new fav set from Majorette, we decided to pair them up with one of MIJO Exclusives Metal 1/64 Figure sets.

The figures are from the American Diorama series and are quite popular because they are diecast metal made which makes them easier to place as opposed to the printed resin / plastic versions.

On the flip side, because of the weight if you dropped one you do stand the chance of chipping the paint as opposed to the other materials.

But less chance of falling over or being blown over by wind during a shoot can easily trump the risk because trust us, lightweight figures are much harder to place and shoot sometimes requiring a bit of blue tack for mounting.

for 2021. The gift packs usually mean they are all special editions which you won’t find as singles on the pegs or there will be one or two very special edition cars that come only in the gift pack. In this case, the entire set is exclusive, and we are looking at a lot of camo art on some pretty famous castings. And the colors roll really well with the MIJO figures.

well-matched figure. Majorette has come in good graces with collectors because they do the front lights in plastic and paint the rear lights. This is something that collectors consider when it comes to realism and Majorette is eating into the regular TOMICA market with similar prices and similar quality 1/64 cars. You’ve also got the suspension and

MATCH

the standard opening part on all hatchbacks built by Majorette is the backdoor.

Up next is the G Wagon and not the first matte Black version from Majorette. If you like the G WAGON and most people do, you will be glad to know that it is one of the more popular castings in their line-up and comes in dozens of different color variations including different police livery and trailer pulling versions.

One of our favourite was the Matt black version from Majorette’s Black Series Gift Pack and the new version looks striking with a little color upgrade in camo style.

If you haven’t got a Majorette G Wagon then you should know it has an opening part that comes standard with all the G Wagons, which is a bonnet you can open if you don’t have a young lady in a yellow ski cap sitting on your SUV.

If you like the G WAGON and most people do, you will be glad to know that it is one of the more popular castings in their line up and comes in dozens of different color variations including different police livery and trailer pulling versions

Let’s get ready to rumble with the thunder of the FORD MUSTANG. Matt purple body paint and yellow abstract patches isn’t the sort of scheme one would expect to see on a Mustang especially since Majorette has some gorgeous looking Stang’s in the stable. But oddly enough this doesn’t look bad and the dark yellow ring that highlights the rims works

New to the family of 1/64 castings is the new TOYOTA GR Supra that has already seen a few variations already. Matt red, opening doors, dark tinted headlights, actual plastic rear lights at the back, tinted rear windscreen, the plastic front grille is moulded like a grille though it may be a little hard to see. Also, upon closer inspection at the back Majorette has managed to print a really tiny Gazoo Racing logo at the back, one of the few tiny little details that team at Majorette have thrown in. The paint work and design looks a little like a reverse version of the test car graphics that Toyota had on the actual car.

Finally, dipped in COMMANDO matt green and covered in serious warfare camo, this smoking gun is the Camaro. Wide wheel arches with rivet marks give the car a real battle tank vibe, narrow headlights smoked grey look at you menacingly, taunting you to play chicken, and lose. Unfortunately, it didn’t pass our ‘get back onto the dream customs pad’ challenge because of its low stance and front splitter moulded to the base like the rear wind diffuser at the bottom. But those wide wheel arches on an already wide car makes this Camaro look super beefy.

Working with the MIJO figures was actually a lot of fun, They do lack a lot of facial details which would really take these to the next level. But being easy to use and place is a huge thing specially when you have fat fingers and clumsy hands. If you are a diorama builder and like to set up your own situational shots, we think you will find peace of mind with these nice heavy figures.

OILMINIATURECRISIS

Motorsport, or for that matter, any type of motoring, and fossil fuels have been bedfellows since, well, since motoring began way down in the 19th century.

With the advent of the internal combustion engine, fuels and motors oils have powered these machines forward in varying speeds, overhead, on land and underwater. They have played an integral part

that there is no separating one from the other. We all know names like Shell, Gulf Oil, BP, and Mobil to name just a few.

So for the last car culture set of 2020, Hot Wheels decided to pay homage to them by releasing five models featuring fuel/oil liveries. I collected them from different sources as buying the full set was expensive

(shipping was and is a killer) but managed to complete it, much to my extreme satisfaction.

The cards are some of the most minimalistic I have seen from Hot Wheels. they all feature vintage logos or the type of signage you would find on the walls of ancient garages or workshops. It was immediate love and I knew I’d have to get them, eventually.

1/5 LION HEAD 1937 Haulin Gas

This model is a Hot Wheels original model, loosely based on the 1933 Diamond T Doodlebug built by another oil company, Texaco, as a futuristic tanker truck. The red/white livery intense graphics and proclaims that LION HEAD is the Monarch of Oil on the side. The Lion Oil Company, with its inception in 1922, is still functioning from it’s original home in Brentwood, Tennessee.

2/5

One of the most recognized brands, and liveries the world over. Founded in 1901 in Texas, the company is a globally active manufacturer since. The light blue/orange color scheme has been an integral part of some

of the most iconic instances of motorsport throughout history. The colors have adorned everything from the 1960s Le Mans winning Ford GT40s and Porsche 917s, to the 2021 McLaren F1 Monaco GP.

The Hot Wheels model features minimalistic branding which I love. It’s a lowered Chevy with a tank for the air ride suspension and wheels showing through the truck bed.

3/5

lifetime. The brand is carried by the Little Red Express truck, one of Dodge’s masterstrokes in the 70s. This small block powered was at one time one of the fastest production trucks in the US. The red logos sits neatly on the bright yellow paint.

gulf 1983 Chevy Silverado SHELL 1978LittleDodge Red Express

The famous (or infamous depending on your world view) Royal Dutch Shell company has been around since 1907. The global conglomerate has been one of the largest suppliers of all things petroleum since then and almost everybody has seen or experienced a Shell product in their

4/5

One of the oldest brands still functioning today, Valvoline has a history going back to 1866. One of the dominant brands in motorsports, its relationships span decades and continents. It’s partnership with NASCAR is legendary, and has it’s brand across a few speedways and

valvoline 1963 Studebaker Champ AGIP 1938 Dodge Airflow

stadiums to boot. Its been seen on everything from Funny Cars, Dragsters, to rally and beyond. Here the vintage logo adorns a Studebaker Champ, one of the few trucks from the brand. It was one of the first models to introduce the sliding rear window, which became popular

with other trucks since. It was also one of the first truly ‘light’ American built trucks, and since it was a car/ truck hybrid, it offered comfort not experienced before. The Hot Wheels version comes in white with the brand marks and stripes in red and blue. Again, it isn’t overdone.

AGIP, or Azienda Generale Italiana Petroli, was a joint venture to explore and produce oil in northern and southern Italy between the Italian government and the US-based Sinclair Oil company. Started in 1926, it continues to this day under ENI, one of the seven ‘Supermajor” oil companies in the world. This brand is emblazoned on a 1938 Dodge Airflow, speciality tanker trucks that again were commissioned by Texaco, just like the aforementioned Doodlebugs. The striking black and yellow color scheme works great with the logos.

MAJORETTE’S

Raging Bulls

Out of the blue came the iconic Countach which was timed really well considering that Lamborghini themselves said goodbye to combustion engines with the last V12 with the release of the new Countach. So Lamborghini was on everyone’s lips and Majorette also decided that dropping a few colour variations of the SIAN would make a lot of people happy. Of course. Because the SIAN has been gaining coverage in the large scale groups and so far no one has taken it to the 1/64 scale until now.

But these are not Majorettes only Lambo’s that will get your pulse racing you devilish 1/64 collector you. Nope, Majorette has a whole host of different Lamborghini models done in different colours and designs that have already been released and more on the way (we have seen the future) and the future is very friendly to our very neighbourly Italian super car licensor. So before the new 2022 range of lambo’s come out lets have a quick stroll down memory lane and see what our designer friends at Majorette got out before the end of last year.

Before the year ended Majorette gave us two surprises in the shape of Lambo’s.

MAJORETTE LAMBORGHINI

COUNTACH

Straight up solid casting and really aceing it with the body shape and angles. We really have to give the team an award for this, simply because a lot of thought has gone into the details and even though it’s in the deluxe range it still is more of a mainliner. The big definition comes from the opening doors which in this case are an absolute must because this was one of the things the car was famous for ‘scissor doors’. The shape of the car is also much better than the one Hot Wheels did, which ended up being a little squat and short on the wheel base.

Love Majorette’s plastic headlights, as well as the attention to the rear of the cars as well. Detailed lights? Check. Countach Badge? Check. The ride height feels like it’s a little higher maybe because the wheels don’t fill out the wheel bays but those are tiny details that don’t bother us at all because the car has more pro’s than con’s. It would be great if Majorette could get themselves a license to produce Hollywood cars. Imagine this with an aero wing across the front on the hood and painted in black…

AVENTADOR

The least fancy casting out of the lot and the most basic. You ‘ll find this as a filler in some of the multi car gift packs but even though this Aventador is not in the big leagues as the others its not a bad casting by any means. When we say big leagues, we mean no opening parts or fancy suspension like the Deluxe and special version cars, but we still have plastic headlights, rear painted lights and badging both in front and at the back. Even the lowest rung of cars gets a fair amount of treatment and let’s not ignore the fact that the actual casting itself is pretty good.

CENTERNARIO

If Bruce Wayne drove an Aventador, then this is Darth Vaders Lamborghini. Certainly, comes in a SITH Lord scheme of black with red highlights. The Centenario is such a sharp car, if you brushed against one in real life you could cut yourself. However, the Centenario is also a very low car in real life from ground up to the hood it would be around 4 ft maximum. This one looks like a rally version with lifted suspension. For some this may be the end of the world but we like it because it rolls well and does nice jumps getting back onto our Dream Customs Park Pad.

The gloss black paint brings out the angles of the body shape with light reflections and of course the red, highlights aerodynamic sections as well as the thin red strip at the back meant to be the rear lights. I think the reason why the car is so high is because the body may have been shortened in scale to fit the packaging. The shorter wheelbase means the body sits higher instead of swooping low.

HURACAN

Big seller in the real world and a regular in the Majorette portfolio. This comes in several color variants, and they are all nice. No complaints on the casting and since this makes it into the higher categories the rear engine lid is the opening part. This color version comes from a 2021 special edition series where the all the cars in the series were painted with a smooth satin finish.

And one of the nicer colors was this lime green. Majorette likes to throw some variation into their paint finishes which is something a lot of other mainstream 1/64’s don’t do and sadly it gets missed. Majorette can go from gloss to metallic, satin to chrome and as recent as a few pages earlier we are looking at some new models with matte paint body work and camo designs. If you are a variations collector you could have the same car in different colors AND paint finishes.

AVENTADOR SV ROADSTER

This is a car I’m hoping we get to see the customization crews get working on. Lots of interesting angles and bodywork to work with and I’m sure with all the new 1/64 accessory makers coming to life there are enough tire sets to work with on this model. The guys over at Majorette even found a way to install that almost flat windscreen without a body frame.

Because the car is for the most part open it doesn’t come with opening parts even though it’s a Deluxe based model but it does have that suspension that raises it to be able to roll over most things (tried and tested on our dream. customs parking lot XL mouse pad). This is definitely one for the Lamborghini Collection and if you can get it customized it could look super sick!

SIAN

Brand spanking new people! This is going to be hitting the shelves right about now and we’ve got it in three color variations so let’s start with that. Olive green metallic version comes with bronze-colored wheels, followed by a blue version with black multi-spoke wheels as well as an orange version. All three look good but the most striking has to be the Olive Green version because it’s a color combination we are familiar with and the wheels are a step away from the usual style.

Opening parts exceed the usual number, this means something very special. Usually, it’s either the doors or the engine bay, but in this case, things have gotten absolutely crazy, and we are treated to both! Opening doors AND the rear engine lid. The excitement is quite extreme. Between Porsche and Lamborghini is clear to see that Majorette Is going to bring their ‘A’ game this year and you better start making some space on the shelf.

E46

YUPPIE LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT

For almost 3 decades when young successful executives wanted a car that said ‘yes I’m successful and I drive a nice fast car’ they usually went out and bought a BMW M3. And thus began the rise of stardom for the M3 badge.

SOLIDO has been churning out BMW’s for a while now and if you are a hardcore M3 fan, then you will not be disappointed with what these guys have to offer. We’ve reviewed many of the E30’s. A few months ago we sat down with the E36 Lightweight model and now we sit down to look at the next generation of M3’s from where we left off, the E46.

Cutting to the chase as you can see here, we have two E46 coupe’s in factory colors that were quite famous when released. Immediately these cars were snapped up by those young executives who wanted a red line experience with their morning macchiato.

And, because the M3 badge gained so much notoriety we expect to see these 1/18 scale versions snapped up with the same relish.

Don’t forget we are also talking about paying a very good price for a 1/18 scale model with detail that is absolutely brilliant, which means, you can afford to buy them both!

SOLIDO MODELS

SCALE 1/18

IThe paint on both cars are really really nice and to be honest one of the biggest reasons why we suggest buying both is because when you have two really nice colors and with nice finishes such as these it’s hard to make a choice.

You might as well give in and find that extra space. No designer has been spared sleepless nights to get the features right on the car. The signature kidney grille encased in chrome, those famous circular headlights, the fog lights at the bottom, the dual exhaust pipes at the back those famous rear lights that extend on to the boot lid. This model should be a solid 8 out of 10.

And, we certainly cannot ignore the perfect replication of one of the most remembered wheel designs from the 90’s. You could take that BMW badge off and any car enthusiast who grew up in the 90’s in the blink of an eye would tell you those rims belong on a beemer.

SOLIDO has done a great job once again by drumming up the past for some iconic models and then making them look wonderful, so good you want to just have a direct link from your income source straight into their bank account. If you are a hardcore BMW fan (and chances are you may own or have owned one these is real life) you might be well advised into looking to get yourself one if not both of these E46 M3’s

we certainly cannot ignore the perfect replication of one of the most remembered wheel designs from the 90’s.

THE MOLD BREAKING

MOLD BREAKING

This is the result of engineering genius and madness colliding together in a massive ‘big bang’ type event resulting in loss of comfort, extreme power and the redefining birth of the hyper car. The fastest production car title holder for a long time. F1 styled driving position. According to Wikipedia owned by Rowan Atkinson, Jay leno, George Harrison and the blasphemy of allowing Elon Musk anywhere near a V12 engine. A LeMans thoroughbred, dressed in McLarens Papaya Orange. The F1 Roadcar.

First let’s start of with the fact that this car is so hot, there are chances you will never get to see one in real life. A secondhand car that goes for over a million pounds. Secondly look deep into the headlights and whisper to yourself “It’s a SOLIDO” Yes that second one is a bit of a doozy. Already I can just imagine all the Autoart boxes coming out for a comparison. One thing is its 100% guaranteed and definitely far better priced than Autoart.

So, we’ve got an in demand model car that ticks all the boxes in the details department and is the star of the ‘Price is Right’. This is not the first F1 SOLIDO has produced. This model follows two previous versions which are the famous Launch Livery version and the 1996 LeMans entrant, and they are being snapped up as the next BEST thing to selling your kidney. The price difference, about USD700. And honestly we put up big pictures to show you that you do get a really good steal for the price you pay.

This model follows two previous versions which are the famous Launch Livery version and the 1996 LeMans entrant, and they are being snapped up as the next BEST thing to selling your kidney. The price difference, about USD700.

SOLIDO MODELS

SCALE 1/18

DIECAST METAL

Now that we have done everything, we can to sell you on the price, lets have a look at the bang you get for your buck. Front headlights look very realistic, front tow loop present, nicely detailed tires, center wing nit and brake system. The rear lights look realistic as well and the rear grille is an actual see-through grille where you can take a gander at those V12 pipes followed by the win dual exhaust tips. Did we mention carbon fiber looking rear downforce wing?

One thing that will please collectors on a budget no end in the hinge on the doors. Usually, to save cost on well-priced models there are some compromises on detail and one big bug for collectors are dog leg hinges. Not something I realized as a collector until someone pointed it out but not the most refined looking part. This McLaren has the hinges of an angel. Tiny and effective but never push the door too far back, there is a two far.

Interior is probably one of the best I have seen in a long time because they have gone the extra mile to turn a pretty detailed interior for a model that comes in at around USD80. Detailed steering wheel, seatbelts set into the SPARCO looking seats, aluminum gear stick, McLaren foot plate, and lots of control buttons. AC vents set into a grey dashboard, they look so real that they almost look adjustable.

It’s a great build and honestly a lot of people love the McLaren F1 so I hardly doubt someti8ng like this is going to sit on the shelves for too. This is really too big of an opportunity to pass up especially when this is the best under USD100 McLaren you can find on the market and the best part is there are 3 variations to choose from, or even better you can buy all three with the money you’ve been saving to buy the AutoArt one.

I do hope SOLIDO continues to make class acts like this continuing the legends way beyond their lifespan as a real car and giving us simple folk a mere chance at owning a car we would never own in real life Come on lets bring the rest of 2022 on.

GT SPIRIT MODELS

SCALE 1/18

RESIN

In our last issue we had the pleasure of checking out the Spyder version of the model. Now, making it a great accompanying piece GT SPIRIT has released the hard top version which will have McLaren fans swooning all over the place. If you’ve been on the fence about whether you want to get your self an opening parts models in diecast metal or whether resin is worth exploring, you are not alone in fact that would be a very crowded fence.

It really boils down to what you want to with the car in the long term. If you are solely a display model person who parks it and never touches it afterwards then maybe you need to go the resin way. Resin delivers a far more accurate car in terms of realism and most of it has to do with the fact that there are no opening parts negating the need for unsightly gaps and compromises that need to be made with opening parts.

Why does resin make a great option for a car like the 765 LT? The ability to extract tiny details on a car that has been highly engineered for aerodynamic performance of the highest levels. The entire upper portion of the cars body has been shaped like a teardrop to facilitate the smoothest airflow around the car. To aid this and increase downforce the body of the car has a subtle drain like shape that allows air to flow around the cabin and out the back. Cutting that shape into the body of resin make is so much easier to do and make it look and feel seamless.

All that exquisite detail is amplified all the way up to the wheels or should we say down. Highly detailed wheel hub that skimpily covers the McLaren branded brake caliper and large disk brakes. Right round the car is attention to detail carefully and meticulously created in resin or plastic staying true and faithful to its outlandish design. Achieved in high quality with one of the toughest resins we have worked with.

DER TANZ DES KÄFERS

STORY: LANCE MÜLLER × PHOTOS: FRANK ZINKEWITZ

There is much light I can shed on the Volkswagen Beetle that haven’t been extensively covered by others. Being one of the world’s most popular cars, the Beetle has enjoyed a certain longevity that other brands can only dream of. The Beetle will always remain in the hearts and minds of people across the world, from every continent, well except the two poles.

But what I can do, together with Frank (of @franks_showcars) is show off these great pictures of the Schuco Edition 1:18 Volkswagen Käfer and talk about detail that has gone into the making of this model. First of all, the exterior is finished in what we assume is Ruby Red, a popular color that was available for quite a few decades.

The extensive details abound. And we remain awestruck that this model is still affordable to most discerning collectors. After all, it’s Schuco, limited to 1000 pieces worldwide and will remain a model that will be timeless. Plus this is the Faltdach, or sun roof top, which had a bigger opening on the roof with a folded canvas covering. Wish it has been fabric instead of molded plastic

The Panther Princess

in highly accurate miniature detail

WORDS & PHOTOS BY DAVID HOUSTON

1991-94 Lincoln Town Car Signature Series

by Xiaoguang Models

Out of the blue and in less than one year, Xiaoguang Models set the high-end miniature car game on alert.

In the Spring of 2021 Xiaoguang Models shocked collectors by turning out an initial 1993-96 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham, which was mind-blowingly amazing to begin with. Evidently that wasn’t good enough, so Xiaoguang went back and then added many more improvements/working features and re-released that model in two trim levels (one wearing even nicer wheels). However, this article isn’t

about Xiaoguang’s Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham which impressed me so much that I had to buy two versions (first release and revised upgraded trim). In the Fall of 2021, Xiaoguang Models released their 1991-94 Lincoln Town Car in full detail, even bettering what they had achieved with their revised second run of Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham releases.

Xiaoguang Models improved their Town Car to a more accurate appearance than the Fleetwood while adding even better details.

Like Xiaoguang’s improved second released Fleetwood, their Lincoln Town Car features intricate details and functions, for example like functioning rear antenna (Which you could be pull out or push back in on the left rear fender). Xiaoguang Models didn’t stop there, they also gave us a choice with two specific variations of the Town Car model.

This Lincoln felt like CMC, Older Biante & Classic Carlectables got together collaboratedand to create a masterpiece.

You can decide between either upgraded white-walled or solid black sporty tires, just as the 1/1s came depending on if you had bought a handling package for your real-world Town Car. Perhaps buying both would be interesting for desktop/display shelf discussions. I went with the classier, white-walled sets. Ultimately, you can clearly see and feel a much more improved miniature Lincoln over Xiaoguang Model’s previous Cadillac releases.

When Chinese websites showed early prototypes of a mid-90s Lincoln Town Car, some of us nearly lost our minds with excitement! Then, when it was confirmed and announced (by my friend/miniature dealer in China), it really was a pleasant surprise. Again, for Xiaoguang Models to produce another full-sized RWD American luxury sedan from the 90s was mind blowing. Heck, even western companies specifically American’s ones are M.I.A. on this front. This classically styled early to mid-90s Lincoln Town Car is so iconic. For Xiaoguang Models to turn it into an absolute gem of a firstclass miniature, hats must come off for respect. Xiaoguang Models really hit nearly all the high notes on this one.

This newer release Xiaoguang Lincoln is far more accurate shape wise than their Cadillacs. The Lincoln really is also more spot on with its detailing delicacies and proportioning. That gentle touch really sets the mood, especially the intricately crafted perforated Parthenon like grille, rear lights and chrome trim applications. It’s hyper realistic.

era neo-vintage American luxury miniature in my hands.

It’s truly rare to boot, certificate and all. The fact that Xiaoguang has done a fully opening 360 degrees accessed piece with such high details and functions is amazing. Other than KENGFai Models, it’s been a while since I’ve held a detailed diecast miniature with a fully wired/ plumbed/labeled complete motor and transmission. This model doesn’t miss a beat detail wise. Be careful to not knock off the Lincoln “Star” symbol perched above the grille while opening the fully hinged and supported hood.

Once opened you’ll see a highly detailed 4.6 L (281 cu in) Modular SOHC V8 motor which is fully wired and plumbed (introduced to Town Car in 1991). The interior has realistic metal seatbelt buckles and typical Lincoln styled electrical window and lock switches as well as front/rear ash-trays on the wood-grained door armrest/ card trims that matches the 1/1’s in images. Ultimately, this model takes you back into a 90s-time capsule (if you lived through the 90s or at least a history lesson for those who haven’t).

This model is heavy, it has a fully detailed “Panther Platform” chassis (shared across three Ford Corporate brands of Lincoln/Mercury & Ford’s largest RWD sedan in North America & was originally developed in the 1980s). Thus, I dubbed this Town Car with its long running platform the “Panther Princess”, as it’s a darling for Lincoln and star of all the Panther based vehicles.

This Town Car miniature features actual working high-gloss black metal

Every time that I pick this model up, it gives me a wonderful feeling just to be holding a 1/18th scale diecast 90s

suspension, which was a surprise/treat to sample. The body is bathed in photo etched Lincoln badging with corporate Lincoln “star” to match the one-to-one Lincoln Town Car. Nothing was missed here, even the Lincoln “Star” is present on the side indicators.

Again, you must make sure to not accidentally break off the 1/18th Lincoln “Star” symbol on the end of the hood. metal seatbelt buckles and typical Lincoln styled electrical window and lock switches as well as front/rear ash-trays on the wood-grained door armrest/card trims that matches the 1/1’s in images. Ultimately, this model takes you back into a 90s-time capsule (if you lived through the 90s or at least a history lesson for those who haven’t).

I was nervous and very aware while polishing that area of the model, yet almost knocked mine off (After shooting the model). Also, I really like the intricacy plus finish on the Signature Series exclusive mesh styled wheels and how well the set of white walled tires were executed. The expanse of chrome running along through the center of the car’s body is mesmerizing! Just keep your gloves on to handle it there and in general. Overall, it’s a very wellexecuted model. Enthusiastically, a feel-good all-rounder detail wise, you keep finding little gems all over the place. It’s delightful for that reason alone.

The only downfall that I could spot is, the use of real leather for seating

surfaces. With some premium branded model companies, it is a must to include real leather to justify higher selling prices. My complaint is, that you cannot scale leather down to 1/18th scale, the grain is always too large.

Second you can’t manage to heatform it as intricately to replicate every groove reflecting the seating design accurately at scale. Lastly on the leather usage front, we don’t really need for animals to be used for model cars, especially if the results aren’t outstandingly realistic with the product. Don’t get me wrong, these seats look good. Perhaps, some other material looks more accurate than leather at scale? I want to see something more useful/realistic for that area of my models.

Speaking of details, Xiaoguang Models have done a really good job with their chrome plated trim, it replicates the real car in reference images. I had to be careful when polishing my model due to the many photoetched badges around the entire exterior.

My last pet-peeve with this model is, that there was no need to frame a black border around the front headlights (as was done on the second revised Fleetwood Brougham models, but not really needed on this Town Car). It makes the lights look too squashed/ smaller (Similar to the later facelifted car from 95-97). I need to figure out how to remove mine (As seen done on a Chinese miniature car chat site).

One of the best things about Xiaoguang Models is their use of a full motor/transmission replication for detailing. No cheapo faux engine baseplates here. In this application, this is a full V8 motor hitting on all cylinders inserted into these fully supported & highly detailed engine bay & chassis. Everything about this Town Car model is SENSATIONAL!

If you do add one, you will be very pleased. Score for Xiaoguang Models! Excellent paint finishes, intricate detailing with working suspensions. Excellent quality control! Right now, it’s hard to beat Xiaoguang Models for high-quality to price ratio. However, with great competition from LCDModels/KENGFai/GainCorp/Well/ Kilo Works and Almost Real (Sum’s Models), it’s getting hot in the detail kitchens…keep on serving up the passion, I like it hot! It’s a great time to be a collector.

Rumor has it, that a 1st gen Lexus LS400 is in the works by Xiaoguang Models! I’m certainly looking forward to adding one of those. I’m enthusiastic because every new Xiaoguang Model release is better than the last, so please bring on a highly detail Lexus LS400, it’s about time.

LA FERRARI FINESSÈ

Clean, perfect, beautiful. One of the most stunningly designed Ferrari’s that captures past, present and future in one body. And when someone says all Ferrari’s should be red you have to direct them to a White La Ferrari as quick as possible. This is a Bburago model and their commitment to improving realism just keeps getting better and better.

FRANK ZINKEWITZ BEHIND THE LENS

To be honest in the hands of Frank words really fail. His pictures just draw you into the details and help you experience the feeling of being in the presence of something spiritual and pure, For some of us being in the presence of any Ferrari is enough to make us believers.

So, over the next few pages I will hand the story over to Frank’s brilliant photography and let you indulge in peace the true stunning qualities of this beautiful White La Ferrari made by Bburago.

BMW M3 done solid by...

.starfobar.

MINTED

Those who know, know who or what starfobar is. And for those of you that don’t, well it’s your lucky day as I am going to tell you.

They are a tuner company based in France, famous for maxxing out German cars, most famously BMWs. This particular model was built to take part in drift competitions. The build cars that go sideways... really fast and really loudly. Their cars inhabit the real world as well as the virtual world.

It’s good to know that Solido also focuses on recreating models from it’s home country that are less traditional. And this M3 E36 is anything but traditional

This is the actual car the model is based off of. It’s cool in both versions.

Whist it may not be exact (some licenses have to be sourced individually even if they are on the real car). So it might be missing a few stickers

The model is freshly minted and looks sweet as the candy livery its based on. It’s an homage to another BMW M3. The wildly popular E30 that took part in the DTM races in the 1990s driven by Allen Berg.

Solido presents this in their Competition lineup, which focuses on more sporty cars.

MARCH FERRARI’S

Ferrari 250 GTO by Kyosho 1:18

Photo by Alberto Jorge Rodriguez @18impressivecars

ISSUE

FERRARI’S 75TH

Lambo V12 Vision Gran Turismo Maisto 1:18

Photo by Alberto Jorge Rodriguez @18impressivecars

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Photo by Priyanka Suman @priyanka.reborn