CastHeads Magazine Volume 5 Issue 12

inside this popping issue

PARTNERS

Contributors: Scott Nadeau | Alberto Jorge Rodriguez | Patrick Pchalek | Nuning Suma | David Houston

• Creative Direction / Design Nigel J De Zilwa & Lance K Müller

TARMAC WORKS 1:64 GARAGE TORQUE

ONE64 CASTING REMARKS A LITTLE SOMETHING SPECIAL

SPECIAL FEATURE MALAYSIA DIECAST EXPO 2022

SPECIAL FEATURE SINGAPORE DIECAST EXPO 2022

ONE64 CASTING REMARKS UNDERSTATED UNDERRATED UNDERAPPRECIATED

ONE64 CASTING REMARKS TARMAC WORKS FLEXS SUPERCAR BEEF

SPECIAL FEATURE INDONESIA DIECAST EXPO 2022

ONE18 CASTING REMARKS YES SOLID0, WE ACCEPT YOUR CHALLENGERS

ONE18 CASTING REMARKS ECODRIVING

SPECIAL FEATURE MISSING DNA

ONE18

CASTING REMARKS HONDA'S MOST BEAUTIFUL CIVIC TYPE-R

SPECIAL FEATURE HONG KONG TOYCAR SALON 2022

LATEST RELEASES

NEW MODELS COMING UP AND AVAILABLE VERY SOON THROUGH OUR GLOBAL RESELLERS

1:12 NISSAN GT-R R34 Z-TUNE White with Engine PR12-R34Z-WH01

1:64 GR YARIS PANDEM | FENSPORT PR64-GRYA-FNSP

1:64 ASTON MARTIN VANTAGE GT3 PRESENTATION MODEL PR64-AMGT-PRES

1:64 GR YARIS PANDEM | CUSCO PR64-GRYA-FNSP

1:64 SINGER Grey | Roof Rack + Luggage PR64-SRG-GRY2

1:18 Mitsubishi Lancer EVO IV Red PR18-EVO4-RD01

1:18 PANDEM GR86 White PR18-GR86-PNWH

Pop Race Singer DLS with Roof Rack + Suitcase

Singer models from Pop Race tend to make a splash wherever they are shown, and the latest model with the roof accessories is no exception. Featuring a rack with a removable suitcase, it feels like a model made for a trip. It will hit dealers with for pre order in the first few weeks of February. So keep an eye out for it.

Of course there will be some refining of the model before release. Details may change at that time.

Scale 1:64 | Coming Soon

AutoWorld Premium 2022 Release4 1986 Dodge Conquest TSi

Brand new from Auto World, the connoisseurs of true-scale models, the Dodge Conquest TSi hits with two delectable colors. This model is the twin to the Mitsubishi Starion, which again is another popular model. Assembled in the US, the Conquest was one of the model in the brands plan to address rising oil prices and the need for a small but powerful car. We really need this versions in the CastHeads garage ASAP.

Status: Coming Soon

Johnny Lightning WWII Warriors Turning Points - European Theater M4A3 Sherman Tank

There were many turning points for the Allied Forces after the D-Day landings than the battles of December 1944. The Axis powers launched its brutal offensive to halt the invasion. The American forces bore the brunt of the attack, but managed to hold their lines, and with a break in the weather allowed them an opportunity to attack with air support and the arrival of additional divisions. The Sherman tank played a pivotal role in that campaign which led the Axis powers to retreat.

Racing Champions Mint 2022 Release 2 1950 Ford Club Coupe

The model credited with saving Ford. The Club Coupe was a completely new design from the marques previous offering. The first postwar model made buyers interested as many automakers just release pre-war designs in 1948 and 1949. Referred to as the Shoebox Ford, this ponton-esque model gained much favor with the buyers of the postwar economic boom.

Scale 1:64 | Status: Coming Soon

Scale 1:64 | Status: Coming Soon

Scale 1:64

GT Spirit

Ford GT - Heritage Editions

Ford Motor Company paid tribute to two important milestones their quest in the early 1960s to beat Ferrari at Le Mans.

The first is the #16 Ford GT40 lightweight Mk1 developed by Alan Mann Racing. The second is the GT40 MkII that finished 3rd at the historic race driven by Ronnie Bucknum of the Holman Moody Team which enabled Ford a 1-2-3 victory in 1966.

GT Spirit presents the Ford GT Alan Mann Heritage Edition in Red with gold stripes and exposed glossy carbon fiber. The Ford GT Holman Moody is presented in Gold with red accents to honor the original car.

Scale 1:18

Status: Coming Soon

Solido Porsche 911 RSR - Purple Hippie Tribute

In 1970, the boss at Martini Racing offered the newly minted Porsche 917 longtail to the Porsche's new designer Anatole Lapine to decorate for the race. Using almost 1500 spray cans, Lapine created the swirling pattern to create a truly memorable racing car. Solido pays homage to it by covering its 911 RSR in that remarkable purple, green and white pattern. This is indeed a must have for any Porsche enthusiast.

S1801117 | Scale 1:18 | Coming Soon

Nissan Skyine GT-R (BNR32)

The Original Godzilla (The real OG) that led to Skylines achieving cult status among car culture fans, this model was the 3rd Gen to carry the GT-R name and the 8th since the Skyline was birthed. Otto Mobile presents the model in gunmetal or gunmetallic grey. Lets the mind blowing commence!

OT411 | Scale 1:18 | Status: Coming soon

Otto Mobile

Majorette Toyota GT86

This isn't the first GT86 we have featured, and it sure won't be the last, but this one has a special Bilstein livery, a blue, yellow and white color scheme and some nice red-pinstriped wheels to set of that right kinda tone.

Scale: 1:56 | Status: Coming Soon

Jada Toys Fast & Furious Dodge Charger

The Fast and Furious 5: Rio Heist was one of the first movies in the franchise to not focus too much on the street racing scene and reach a wider audience. Fast Five was a more action oriented 'heist' movie involving cars.

While purists decry F&F driving away from it's core theme, it gave us more and more fanstastical sequences involving rolling stock.

One of them was the souped up Dodge Charger SRT-8. Two of them were used to two the bank vault in some thrilling action sequences. The scene featured the 2010 model while this is a re-engineered 2006 as stated on the packaging.

Scale: 1:24 | Available

Ferrari F40 GT

Brand new casting from Tarmac Works features the more track-oriented version of the legendary Ferrari F40, the last car ever approved by Enzo.

The models will don various liveries during it's racing career. We are ecstatic.

DECORATIVE SAMPLE SUBJECT TO LICENSOR APPROVAL

TARMAC WORKS RELEASES

Catch up on the hottest, fully licensed models to come out of Tarmac Works. Check out these and other upcoming releases for 2023 on their web-store www.tarmacworks.com and through the global network of authorized dealers.

The much-loved Toyota Chaser arrives in the iconic FALKEN livery to join others in this stand-out color set.

The track destroying Pagani gets covered in viola (Italian for "purple") and black detail for an exciting model

Another collaboration with The Lamely Group, famous in the diecast world, and it matches the rest of the collection in the collab. LAMLEY SPECIAL EDITION

A four-wheeled giant of the hypercar realm, this V12 powered speed machine is covered in a green that is highlighted by the red, white and green stripes of the Italian flag.

The February drop included another dazzling collection of models from one 64 all the way up to one 18. There is something for all collectors with the drop including some shining hypercars and even a passion projects from a very famous actors. Enjoy the latest from Tarmac Works!

#T64-046-OG

Melding the old of classic Porsche styling with the newest in technology, creating a totally unique masterpiece that is undoubtly

#T64-059-20CFS36

12h Race in Sicily

COLLABORATION WITH IXO MODELS

#T64-064-90JTC36

Daniel Ng Neh-Tsu is a famous and award-winning actor who loves cars and this 510 is known as his dream build. Shown at the 2017 SEMA show, where it was a highlight. It's named after the shorter blade carried by Samurai in Feudal Japan. It's a clean and fresh take on the Datsun 510.

LIMITED TO 3,552 PCS

#T64S-004-WH

The 993 was built in order to meet the homologation requirements for GT2 racing in the mid 1990s COLLABORATION WITH SCHUCO

Mr. Men Little Miss Little Miss Sunshine

#T64S-005-MMLM

Who can resist Little Miss Sunshine on a VW T1. Bright colors and happy smiles COLLABORATION WITH SCHUCO & LICENSED BY MR. MEN AND LITTLE MISS

Whilst not having a spectacular start to the races, with Race 1 being dramatic, Darryl O'Young piloted this AMG to a win in Race 2 at the Macau GT Cup in 2021. It was a remarkable turnaround for the driver and the team. The exciting journey is in the booklet included in this special set.

WITH SPECIAL PACKAGING BOX AND STORY BOOKLET

The

This outstandingly detailed model mixes together two legends, a Datsun 510 wagon with the livery of Brock Racing Enterprices (BRE). Who can resist such awesomeness.

COLLABORATION WITH IGNITION MODELS

Fielded by Toyota Team TOM's in the 1990 Japan Touring Car Championships, it saw action in all but two of the races.

Mercedes-AMG GT3 DTM 2021 GruppeM Racing Daniel Juncadella #T43-023-21DTM08

model that kicked off the DTM racing journey of GruppeM Racing, this AMG GT3 took part in many DTM races covered in the BWT livery.

#T64W-008-CHOR #T64D-001-HKS

HKS

Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Coupé Black Series White Metallic Pagani Huayra R Verde Trifoglio

Pagani Zonda R Viola PSO

Toyota Chaser JZX100 FALKEN #T64G-027-WH #T64G-TL035-GR #T64G-TL015-PU #T64G-007-FA

RWB Backdate Olive Green

Toyota Supra Turbo (MA70) JTC 1990 M. Sekiya / H. Ogawa

Porsche 911 GT3 R COPPA FLORIO 12H Sicily 2020 Winner F. Fatien / J. Grogor / M. Jaminet / R. Renauer

RWB.

GPX Porsche raced this to a win at the inaugural 2020 Coppa Florio

Mercedes-AMG GT3 Macau GT Cup 2021 Race 2 Winner Craft-Bamboo Racing | D. O'Young

Datsun 510 Tanto by Daniel Wu

#T64-062-21MGP95B #T64R-052-TANTO

PART OF PROCEEDSTHEWILL BE DONATED TO THE HONG KONG CANCER FUND

Rotiform OZT Chrome / Orange Garage Diorama HKS

Datsun Bluebird (510) Wagon Red / White #IG3063

Porsche 911 GT2 White

VW Type II (T1) Panel Van

A TALE targas OF TWO

As one of the most beautiful cars ever designed the Targa is destined to enter the history books of car design as an example of innovation and design ingenuity. The glass rear canopy is framed by the beautiful, designed anti-roll bar that also acts as an anchor point for the removable roof and a place for the famous Targa badge to be mounted.

A design that stands the test of time, providing Porsche with that image of freedom that has always been associated with the poor man’s sports car. Unfortunately, it can no longer own that moniker and Porsche is as expensive as the next sports car. Still, we have our 1/64s and our fantasies filled in this case by POP Race and MINIGT.

POP Race has been dishing out SINGER-tuned Porsches for the last one and a half years with a lot of success. Fans of the car cannot get enough of the details and colour variations that have been released so far and we can tell you with certainty that it won’t abate this year.

Not at all, for example, this duo-coloured TARGA is the prototype of a soon-to-be-released version for 2023. You can expect to preorder this very soon. A gobsmacking combination of dark blue and neon orange Fuchs wheels think of how many combinations POP race can pull off.

Rubber wheels wrapped around deep metal rims give the car a smooth roll and of course lovely stance, weight, and look. Realistic headlamps with a focus lens make you wonder for a few seconds about the amount of work that goes into getting those details at that level.

And, what makes POP Race so desirable is the price you pay for those sorts of details.

A Tale of Two Targas

A Tale of Two Targas

We do know for a fact that the beginning of 2023 is going to be seeing a new range of Porsche SINGERs in different colors different body styles and different accessories. The most encouraging thing is looking at this TARGA prototype and thinking if this is how it looks on the first run can you imagine how it’s going to look on the final run? Excited? We most certainly are.

The SINGER connection to POP Race is an exciting team-up because SINGER themselves are constantly coming out with new designs and colour schemes for their customers (the lucky B@#@#@^#) so there is plenty of inspiration for the new release on Pop Race’s side.

We DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH MINI GT! THEY ARE KILLING IT WITH THEIR MODELS. FREE ROLLING, STUNNING PAINT JOBS THEIR PAINT IS THE SAME PAINT USED ON THE ACTUAL CARS FROM THE SAME COLOR PALETTE. NO WONDER MINI GT IS ONE OF THE TOP 3 DETAILED 1/64 MODELERS OUT THERE.

MINI GT has been enjoying a lot of love from collectors over their Porsche and Lamborghini releases and to be honest the licenses they have under their belt are pretty formidable. And of course, Glen Chou is not the sort of visionary to sit around, trading the desk for meet and greet at car shows, race events and toy shows around the world collecting licenses and ideas for new models.

This 911 TARGA 4S release is a great example of how MINI GT play tribute to the brand they scale with great care and consideration for details. Completed in ‘Gentian Blue’ of the manufacturer’s paint palette.

A Tale of Two Targas

I will be the first to admit that I get chills up and down my spine when I see a new model or tooling coming in from MINI GT for PREORDER along with automatic financial permutations running through my brain.

A Tale of Two Targas

The detail on the TARGA 4S is never short of MINI GT’s quality and we are sure most of you are already familiar with MINI GT products (especially the R34 & R35). For the newer collectors who are wondering about taking the plunge and worried about the cost, the bad news is the cost isn’t going to go down and most of it has nothing to do with the manufacturer, shipping costs have gone up and that’s that. Until some digital disrupting entrepreneur can figure out, an Uber-like solution to shipping.

Bottom Line: Get the car.

THE

NEWGROOVE FROM POP RACE

After releasing a street version of the model, along with a sweet AF ADVAN hued version, POP RACE is racing towards releasing another hard to resist version of the GR Yaris. This time in the livery of the famous after market parts supplier, CUSCO JAPAN.

Tone in white, red and black, kitted out in the Pandem bodykit, this model just makes a splash.

We are very lucky to get our hands on the very early pre-production model. That means this is like the first ever paint/print sample out of the factory.

Yes, this is the first to be seen outside of the factory and the decision makers at Pop Race... and we are happy as that car that ate the cream to share it with you.

We welcome your productive feedback on the model. Tell us what you think of it. We are just excited to get the final model into our hands one day soon.

LEFT FORD FIESTA WRC

BOTTOM: HYUNDAI i20 COUPE WRC

MAJORETTE EXPANDS

THE RALLY LINE

THIERRY NUEVILLE

HYUNDAI i20 COUPE WRC

This young man has been instrumental in uplifting Hyundai’s standing in the WRC, bringing them two back-to-back Manufacturer titles in 2019 and 2020. To date, he has won 17 world rally titles for Hyundai Motorsports and continues to be a force for Hyundai in WRC.

Probably the only brand doing great rally cars as part of their mainstream releases and the themselvescasting is pretty good

This specific model is the 2021 WRC Livery that was run on the i20 and as you can see for yourself it is a pretty good cast in terms of detail. Coupled with Majorette’s usual plastic headlights and springy wheels you’ve got a pretty good WRC casting for the rally fan in you.

GUS GREENSMITH FORD FIESTA WRC

Coming from a family business connected to the car world it’s easy to establish racing dreams early in life which is what Gus Greensmith has been able to do. In 2014 he made his debut in WRC with a FORD FIESTA R2. Now he drives for M-Sport FORD Factory piloting the new FORD FIESTA WRC.

A long-standing name in the RALLY game especially in this category and with a long legacy comes a history of great motors. This is not the first round of rally cars Majorette has done which means you can start your collection of Rally Fiestas without breaking the bank.

If you love hot hatches, then rally hatches are straight up your alley. Hatches don’t come hotter than these and Majorette has a great handle on their production.

TARMAC WORKS REVS THE STOP! CAN YOU HEAR THE LOW RUMBLING GROWL?

YELLOW PAGES

It could be that your stomach is signaling some sort of edible intervention, or your brain is marveling at Tarmac Works’ second AMG BLACK SERIES release in bright yellow and is signaling for you to click on any one of their dealers close to you and buy one now.

If you have their previous release as well then you are in fantastic luck because have been released on the Global64 line which means rolling wheels and you can race them on your desk in your spare time. We of course like our garage pictures and paired these well with our American Diorama figures which you can also get from Tarmac Works as well.

IT’S NICE TO SEE BRANDS MAINTAINING CONSISTENT COLLECTIONS ESPECIALLY FOR NEWER COLLECTORS WHO ARE JUST ENTERING THE HOBBY AND CAN FIND IT QUITE CONFUSING. SO AN EASY PLACE TO START IS A BRAND THAT HAS NICE COLLECTIONS OF RWBS, AMG SERIES, GT3 SERIES AND NOW EVEN FORMULA 1.

Unfortunately, the Global64 line doesn’t feature any opening parts (you get that only with TW’s Hobby64 + line) but the details are no less good that any of their other product lines. If you think wait…if the detail is the same what’s with the price difference? Cleverly the Global64 cars they choose have fewer details than the Hobby64 cars in terms of paint, livery and aftermarket modifications. See? You get value for money!

TARMAC WORKS + VERTEX + CHASER 2JZ

THE RESULT: A MODEL TO DIE FOR.

VERTEX Toyota Chaser JZX100 Black/White

Who killed Roger? Is it a knives out special?

Not at all. Much simpler. A Toyota Chaser Japanese Police Car with a siren horn on the top and VERTEX BODY KIT rolled up to the local district’s Starbucks and Roger who was leaning over a signboard admiring the car suddenly heard the sickening crack of plastic breaking and fell to his demise. But as his body was cleared away you can see the reason why he was unable to resist a prolonged look that ultimately ended his life.

Much like Roger, we have not been able to tear our focus away from this model. Which has resulted in minor mishaps around the office. Finally, after being photographed many stubbed toes and spilt coffees were saved when this was locked away in our special collectible section underground. For those who collect Japanese Police liveried cars on the regular don’t you dare miss this? This is nice for the VERTEX collection, Chaser Collection and Police Car Section.

SINGAPORE DIECAST 2022 EXPO

It was so much fun we got depressed for several weeks when we returned home, crying looking at pictures and remembering the good times.

One of the things I love the most about these Diecast Expo’s is the chance to see some fantastic pieces up close and personal. Like the two Porsches from POP Race. Once is a 1/12 scale Gulf Branded RWB and the is a Williams commissioned SINGER Porsche in 1/18 Scale on a gray leather base. Who wouldn’t want to take these two homes? There was a lot of interest in these two and yes one of them did find a home in the end. With me.

Another great feature of these diecast expos is the inclusion of car culture in other forms. Attached to the SGDE there was a classic car show in the car park that features cars like a Lamborghini Espada and 911 Turbo. Inside, Singapore’s famous Legion of Racers had set up a race simulator where visitors could do time attack challenges and win some cool gifts and gear.

Visitors come of all ages and get shown some cool models and brands also

from people of all ages and many walks of life. For a lot of people this is a passionate hobby and for the few of those who have been able to cater to the demand have found new friends and partners in this growing community. They have also found various new revenue streams that have enabled them to give up the 9-5 and do something they are more passionate about.

If there is one thing there is no short supply of at the SGDE Event is the number

of vendors and models available for sale. The majority are Hot Wheels but also hard to find Hot Wheels, RLC Cars, Convention Cars, the complete gamut of everything you can think of and more. Additionally, other brands have been growing in presence over the recent years and this time there was a healthy supply of POP Race, MINI GT, Tarmac Works, Auto world and Johnny Lightning that helped in filling up our bags.

BRENDON VETUSKEY

The chief guest for the event was a Hot Wheels A-Lister Brendan Vetusky whose credits at Hot Wheels roll longer than the Avengers end credits. But a wonderfully gracious man who took a lot of time to fly out to Singapore and be a part of the community. Always smiling and ready to do some signing he regaled fans with stories from Hot Wheels, judged custom competitions and signed a lot of autographs. He also got a first-hand view of what collectors in this part of the world like collecting (R-34s) and what sort of Asian brands are slowly creeping into their domain. Interesting times for collectors globally.

RLC cars are usually top dollar in the collecting world, but then when you get them carded cars signed by the designer himself we are talking about an immediate jump in price and street knowledge.

Lance from CastHeads Magazine presents our special edition glow-in-thedark pin to Brendan. Should he ever lose his way in life that pin will guide him back to the force and he will be whole again?

World-famous Gasser ‘customizer’ Mizu gets a moment with the creator of the Gasser lineup for Hot Wheels for a photo op and signing session.

Nigel from CastHeads was also so ecstatic about meeting Brendan that his eyes were closed through the experience. He also won a factory fresh 2022 Super Treasure Hunt in one of the games held at the dinner.

MEET THE AMAZINGLY TALENTED Camila EDZ

While wandering around the displays we found this massive and intricate diorama build-up that took a lot of time and amazing talent. This is when we met Camila Edz. An amazingly talented young woman whom does own customs as well as models tiny worlds.

And we say tiny worlds because her dioramas are no simple feat. Her ability to imagine and then turn that imagination into something real and visual takes an insane amount of skill and dedication.

MILD, YET TOTALLY WILD!

The Singapore Diecast Expo 2022 was a great place to witness some extraordinary talent. The custom competition brought out some amazing work from across the region. One such person was Bernard Cheok from Singapore

The 1st place winner of the Mild Category presented a 1970 Pontiac Firebird with a popping candy red paint, full reworked stance and cutaway hood that showed the detailed engine block through.

Meticulous detail over the course of five days enabled Bernard to create this award-winning piece.

The models had to be chosen among Brendon Vetuskey's creations for Hot Wheels.

New releases are part of the whole scene at these diecast expos and when available brands flex with new prototypes and 3D Models. This time round Tarmac Works unleashed a fury of fast machines that are intended for release this year 2023. If you want to see the complete selection of cars that were sent then have a look at our Instagram where we managed to put everything up. But for this issue, we picked a few of the exciting ones we think will make a scene when they drop.

NEW

RELE ASES 2023

A DODGE Challenger is on the way and this is not their first American Muscle but a step away from the usual Mustang. More Pagani’s to fill our stables, Renault 5 Turbos are certainly going to be a big treat and there are sure to be many variations based on a lot of rally and race liveries. Another Lancia Hallelujah! A Supra with JTCC body kit. The other BRE Datsun is coming very soon. A DODGE RAM van and Koenigsegg-tuned Mercedes in purple.

SWEET HARDCORE CUSTOMS

The pictures here speak for themselves. The amount of amazing customizers out there in the world is mind-boggling and even more mind-boggling is the work they're are doing. The pictures we have captured here are just a drop in the ocean compared to the extent of both amount and ability. Most of these cars were entrants into the SGDE Custom Competition with Brendan Vetusky judging. His biggest and only lament was, he had to choose.

LC 500 UNDERSTATED UNDERRATED

Moving around the vendors at the Singapore diecast expo this brightly coloured blue thing caught my eye amongst a whole lot of other ERA Car models laid out on the table The colour combination and the strange name ‘LEXUS LC-500 Goes Semi Gulf’ had me semi-intrigued as well but, I also I have a soft spot for Lexus models and I thought this would look good next to my Lexus LFA.

To be honest I was quite surprised that this had not come up on anyone’s radar and this was the first time I was seeing this on the market. For some reason, LEXUS doesn’t get heavy airplay like the NISSAN SKYLINE R 34 or even the R 35 and most of the time many brand releases will include a heavy NISSAN or PORSCHE presence. So for me, it was refreshing to see something like a bright blue Lexus.

The surprises kept coming. I didn’t realize that the car has opening parts like opening doors and after discovering this I found out that the bonnet opened as well revealing a painted engine right down to the LEXUS logo on the turbo intercooler cover. WHAT!?!?!?! Where has this been hiding? The blue paint is cool but even cooler is the tribute to the gulf with the line of orange highlighting the body shape of the car and grille.

There are quite a few cons on which it might be good for ERA to improve in terms of quality. The bodywork and paint workhouse a few knicks and imperfections. A few areas where the paint isn’t neat. The gaps in the opening parts can be reduced and some of the fitment could be better. One annoying thing was the headlight housing or attachment looked like it’s not sitting properly but after examining the 1/1 car it turns out to be normal and not a mistake. I like it, it’s not perfect in terms of finish but I wouldn’t rule ERA car out of the game.

FELIX ALEJANDRO HERNANDEZ mizu diecast

ALBERTO JORGE RODRIGUEZ

Frank zinkewitz GERMANY SINGAPORE SPAIN INDONESIA MEXICO

camila

TARMAC WORKS FLEXES MORE SUPERCAR BEEF

Supercar Beef

THE RESULT: THEY ARE ROASTING OUR WALLETS BUT WE DONT CARE.

Pagani Huayra R Nero Oro

What can I say? Do you like PAGANIs in 1/64? Then you will love this yet another PAGANI release from Tarmac Works. Is it nice you ask? Hell yes, it is and it’s been faithfully re-created into the GLOBAL64 line. This is the sweet spot, well-priced yet detailed 1/64 cars that collectors want to own. Tarmac Works isn’t playing around, they are playing for keeps.

YOU CAN STARE AT THE MIRROR FOR DECADES BUT YOU’LL NEVER GET A BETTER REFLECTION THAN THIS

A LITTLE SOMETHING SPECIAL

The Road64 series keeps a low profile in the TW catalogue but when they launch something it’s always pretty cool. Probably one of the rarest cars in the world can now sit on your shelf without having to go through all the obstacles you have to go through to own one.

Lancia Delta HF Integrale Club Italia

Something Special

For starters you have to be a GOLD member of a certain club to be able to even try to own and then the auction will have you bidding furiously for a car that has had only 15 models made and is already built off the back of a true engineering legend. The sign on the hood aero spoiler denotes the very niche access people have to this car which was built for Italian VIPs. One famous owner everyone knows of is Rowan Atkinson and incidentally, his model is up for sale.

Easier to get your hands on one would be the brilliant 1/64 from Tarmac Works who seemed to have drawn first blood with the LANCIA license compared to other license holders. This is a bold and brilliant stroke not forgetting to mention how right the design team have gotten it spot down to the red RECARO interior. And the unmistakable colour of Lord Blue. This is truly something special.

MALAYSIA 2022

DIECAST

EXPO

Kicking off our tour of diecast expos in 2022 was Malaysia and it’s always great to be there. So much to see and of course so much to eat. As always, the attached Comic-con was a blast and it was good to be back and feel the vibe.

Loaded with loads of cars, deals, accessories, and giveaways the Malaysia Diecast Expo got underway after a bit of a Covid-19 hiatus leaving fans of the hobby feeling like they have been released into the wild world of diecast. We were taken aback by the scale of sales that were happening and the tables and pegs were getting emptier and emptier pretty fast. There was a hunger and appetite to buy cars and that was pretty much it.

So unlike the past events 2022 was all about getting out the remaining stock and showing off a lot of the new samples that will be coming out in 2023. As for us CastHeads, we rocked up there with plenty of majorette and MSZ giveaways as well as an entire box of PUMA Motorsport gear for CastHeads fans at the event. We did feel like better dressed Santa Clauses getting into the spirit of giving and of coursing meeting fans of the magazine.

We also got a chance to talk one on one with some of the vendors and dealers at the event as well as talk to collectors about the magazine and the BUMPR app which is something we have created to serve collectors of all scales and brands to help keep their collection cataloged.

POP Race was heavy on hand with some of the latest models that they will be producing for 2023 including new tooling for the Bozosuku as well as a plethora of new SINGER models and colors that will be up for orders soon. MINI GT was also there with a lot of new releases which you can check out in further detail on our Instagram.

As always, we had a great time, and we were happy that we could put quite a few smiles on the faces of people of all ages. Also, it was great working with some cool brands who were nice enough to send us some stuff to give away to our fans. We hope 2023 will be bigger and return to the same crazy fun as the years before. See all you guys and girls soon!

STYLES OF THE BOHEMIAN 50’S

The fantastic thing about ESVAL Models is their wide range of classic American models that you usually only see in really old movies with actors like Humphrey Bogart and Elvis Presley. Cars that sported long fins and plenty of chrome, the size of small boats crisscrossing across America drinking petrol by the gallons. Under many layers of FORD, there was an attempt to introduce a 4th brand of car named after Edsel Ford. Unfortunately, EDSEL became an example of what car companies should not do and slowly faded away into the car history books.

While EDSEL built cars and was making somewhat sales the Corsair was known as EDSEL’s flagship car which boasted a V8 that could do a whopping 345Bhp without batting an eyelid. Sadly, it was attached to EDSEL’s disastrous automatic gearbox called the Teletouch Automatic which used buttons on the center of the steering wheel. All of these design flaws and poor marketing spelt the end of the EDSEL brand and its most famous trick the Corsair.

1958 Edsel Corsair Ambulance by Memphian Coachwork Co.

Memphian Coachbuilders from Memphis on the other hand were more successful than the Corsair brand building themselves a reputation for being really fine coach builders specifically concerning ambulances. They were able to refine some big cars into ambulances and the EDSEL Corsair was one of the cars used for their modifications. However, only two Corsair conversions were ever done.

This 1/43 scale version from Esval is a great tribute to that tiny piece of history in the world of car history and their attention to little details makes them a good brand to invest your money in. If you look close enough, you can see the oxygen tanks inside at the back. I love those big fenders with sharp fins and strangely designed rear lights or the front grille which would give the new BMW a run for its money. I especially like the Bohemian color scheme chosen I just hope the paramedics all wore blue suede shoes.

INDONESIA 2022

DIECAST EXPO

EXPO 2022

One of Asia's biggest stand alone diecast events, in a country where they are obsessed with scale models kicked off to a rousing start. IDE9 as it was known attracted many people from across Asia.

The Indonesia Diecast Expo, now it's 9th iteration is one of Asia's must visit event. It a perpetually diecast obsessed country, full of crazy collectors, customizers of extraordinary talent and everything inbetween, IDE is the place to be.

Held on the 29-30 October 2022 at the International Convention and Exhibition (ICE) Centre in Tangerang. Hall 10 accommodated international diecast and scale model brands as well as actual automotive brands like Volkswagen and Honda. With support from collector groups, media partners and a host of others, the event was a resounding success.

The special guest of the event was Peter Brock, the legend behind Brock Racing Enterprises and BRE Datsun

CastHeads Magazine fully supported the event as a Media Partner, by sharing the event, covering it's activities and interviewing those who took part in IDE9.

YES SOLIDO, WE ACCEPT YOUR CHALLENGER’S THIS PURPLE GOLIATH IS GOING TO REDEFINE YOUR SHELF SPACE...

Challenger Accepted

This is a huge model and pretty heavy. When we called it Goliath we were not messing around. And because it is huge it doesn’t play nicely with other models on the shelf which means you will have to be prepared to house this behemoth on its own, give it its own space like a petulant teenager. Other than its chunky weight and size it’s yet another stunner from SOLIDO in terms of detail and paint finish.

The deep purple paint job, gloss black aero addons and that thin yellow line in the front on the splitter is just the right amount of highlighting this car needs. In terms of bodywork, the molding has been done perfectly and both the paint and clear coat are done well. The interior is just stunning and we really can’t get enough of SOLIDO’s new approach to detailed interiors. They just keep getting better and better with every new batch of cars.

DODGE CHALLENGER R/T SCAT WIDEBODYPACK – PLUM CRAZY ONE 18

FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO WOULD LIKE A LESS LOUD LOOKING PANDEM WHICH IS RARE BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE GOING TO DROP DOLLARS TO GET BOTH THESE GR YARIS’S BUT LOOKING GOOD

43

ECODRIVING STARTING

OFF ON THE RIGHT NOTE

There were fears that sustainable energy was going to leave us with horrible-looking wedge cars like those solar disasters of the 80s and 90s. We didn’t expect it to look like the E-Tron and now we are just happy campers.

GT Spirit has got us going insane over their AUDI releases in the recent past but this one is really like the icing on the cake that kicks off 2023. The purple paint job, the attention to the carbon fiber sections on the car, and even the sparkle flecks in the paint have been scaled down pretty well. As always we enjoy the details that resin models bring in terms of body shape even though they are sealed.

But what happens when you have cars that don’t have engines? Does the choice of buying either resin or diecast metal change? After all with electric cars, the power is in the motors which are attached directly to the wheels. Most modern day electric cars are using the front as more boot storage since there is no engine.

Overall we would say that GT Spirit has a great handle on things when it comes to bringing these beautiful modern-day saloons to life on a 1/18 scale and the E-Tron is a great example of how they can make a luxury car look as exciting as a hyper sports car.

MISSING DNA

As we head into 2023 we leave behind a fallen brand that has had everyone very confused by its sudden demise.

Up until a few months ago, we were chatting with the guys at DNA and everything seemed fine. We were talking about reviewing some of their upcoming Subaru and then suddenly they were gone.

What’s worse is that they have seemed to have left behind a lot of orders for which they have already taken payment. They had a perfectly good run, they seemed to be getting quite a lot of support from the VOLVO Model Group bought their cars religiously and they were getting some nice models out.

Honestly, the whole incident has left everyone with unanswered questions a lot directed at whether the business model was sustainable in the current economic climate. But again we have heard reports of companies in this industry doing pretty well and maintaining a safe running environment. The other theory is that because they were concentrating on obscure cars and models they didn’t achieve significant sales. Yet their website kept showing older models as sold out.

This has also resulted in a soured reaction to terms such as pre-order. And this is where we pull out the knives and ask ourselves the hard question “Is it worth paying for the pre-order”? And what’s my guarantee this sort of thing won’t happen to me? Sadly, sometimes it’s just a leap of faith. Pre-order has certain advantages when it comes to figuring out how many models to produce but there needs to be a contingency plan for the customer as well.

There were many customers left in the lurch specially VOLVO model collectors with quite a few orders unfilled. Now that the company has declared bankruptcy many affected collectors and buyers are turning to PayPal for help in recovering their payments. If you have had such horrible luck, we sincerely hope you can get your money back.

HONDA’S MOST BEAUTIFUL CVIC TYPE-R

The second TYPE-R FD2 to emerge from the OTTO Mobile stable this time with the presence of Mugen tuning which means a fresh wing, lighter-weight forged rims and of course a slightly more aggressive aero kit which includes a rear diffuser.

The FD-2 for me is one of the nicer CIVIC shapes I have seen. The newer two models FK8 and FL5 look like alien spaceships that arrive on the scene with the sole purpose of conquering with the gait of a hormonal teenager going through an emo stage.

But the FD-2 is more of a classy ride that will be classified as a sleeper in years to come. A sports sedan that Skyline owners laughed at while their friends had to climb in and out of the car through the front door. Practical, sensible, reliable and executive. Fast…. But not furious. The sort of car you can drive to the supermarket and then time attack on the way home trying to make it before the first drop of condensation forms on the ice cream.

That is the embodiment of the FD2 the soul of the CIVIC, then they go and drop a MUGEN-tuned TYPE-R engine with some body mods that made it look cool and now you can have your own in 1/18 from OTTO Mobile

Resin-based but the wheels roll. A super highly detailed interior locked away in that sealed body but the exterior is flawless and that usually is the scene for OTTO Mobile. What’s fun is we’ve been getting quite a few CIVICS and it’s nice to have such a fine selection of Hondas on display.

HONG KONG

TOYCAR SALON

2022

EXPO 2022

One of the first events to kick off in 2022 that CastHeads got involved in as a media partner. Many collectors were happy to be back to in-person diecast events and so were we.

The annual Hong Kong Toycar Salon took place in September of 2022 after a hiatus due to the pandemic. The event saw the participation of some of the most well known brands in Asia and beyond with the media support of both CastHeads Magazine and Bumpr (the diecast model cataloging app from CastHeads).

Held at The Space, it attracted many collectors and their families who spent the time going through an amazing assortment of brands and models.

2017 Camaro ZL01 | 1:18 AUTOart

Photo by Alberto Jorge Rodríguez IG @impressive:cars

COME JOIN OUR GROWING COMMUNITY AND TAKE PART IN SPECIAL OFFERS, COMPETITIONS AND A CHANCE TO WIN SOME COOL MODELS. LOOK FOR SHUTTERCASTERS ON FACEBOOK OR SCAN THE QR CODE BELOW