19th
February
2008
Today we received the new Minichamps delivery. It was headlined by two-wheeled motorsport, containing the 2006 Moto GP bikes of Marco Melandri (PO61033), Carlos Checa (PO63007), and James Ellison (PO63077).
There was also the sixth release in the Valentino Rossi 1:8 Helmet Collection, his 2003 Moto GP lid (PO30846).
From F1, we finally now have in stock Christian Albers’ 2005 1:43 Minardi PS05 (DC25420). The last ever F1 Minardi!
posted in Diecast, Moto GP, Formula 1 |
18th
February
2008
Having released their first two 1:43 A1 GP cars, Amalgam have now confirmed that they will also be replicating the rest of the field from the 2007/08 season; that’s all 22 countries. I won’t list them all here, but you can see all the teams now available to pre-order in our Amalgam 1/43 A1GP section
Not content with that, Amalgam have also announced a very exciting new 1:8 classic Formula One car. It is the 1991 McLaren-Honda MP4/6, and will be available for both World Champion Ayrton Senna (AML823), and his team-mate, Gerhard Berger (AML824).
posted in Diecast, Other Cars, Formula 1 |
15th
February
2008
Today we received Amalgam’s first ever 1:43 A1 GP cars, of Team Great Britain (AML802), and Team New Zealand (AML801). They are some of the most nicely presented replicas I have seen, especially on their brushed aluminium bases, and at a very good price to boot.
We have also received a new signed replica into stock, and a quick turnaround it has been too, as it is the 1:18 winning Castrol Jaguar XJR9 from Daytona signed by its lead driver Martin Brundle (GT0105S), which only arrived with us on Wednesday.
posted in Diecast, Other Cars |
14th
February
2008
Today saw the release of Universal Hobbies’ 1:16 50th Anniversary edition of the Fordson Power Major (J2643), in its commemorative shiny metallic finish. It has sold out on release, so once we sell out of this first and only shipment that will be it.
We also now have in stock Mattel’s 1:18 Sixtieth Anniversary Ferrari F430 Scuderia (HW2976), and Minichamps’ 1:18 2006 Scott Speed Toro Rosso (DC2621). I think everyone has been taken aback with how stunning these 1:18 Toro Rossos have looked; Liuzzi sold out straight away and his team-mate will probably follow suit soon too.
We also now have 2007 DTM rookie Paul di Resta’s Mercedes in 1:43 scale (P073519) and finally, Patrick Frieascher’s 2005 Minardi PS05 (DC25421). His team-mate Christian Albers (DC25420) will follow next week, then the 2005 F1 grid will at last be complete!
posted in Diecast, Other Cars, Formula 1 |
13th
February
2008
What with the London and Nuremberg Toy Fairs I only realised today that I’d missed the first anniversary of Leigh’s Diary! That hallowed first entry was made on 6th February 2007, and since then a webcast and forum have followed on too. Thanks to everyone who has logged on over the last 53 weeks.
Today sees a milestone too, with the first entry from my sickbed! I’ll spare you the grisly details, but with the modern miracle that is the internet and e-mail there’s still no slacking off!
Today we finally received into stock a replica that we first photographed a sample of back in the summer of 2006. It is Exoto’s 1:18 recreation of the winning Castrol liveried Jaguar XJR9 from the 1990 Daytona 24 Hours (GT0105). At the end of the week we hope to be able to get it signed by its lead driver, Martin Brundle, too (GT0105S).
We also received Universal Hobbies’ latest 1:16 tractor, the imposing Double TE20 (J2700).
Right, that’s it for me today, I’m going back to bed!
posted in Diecast, Other Cars |
12th
February
2008
As promised, AUTOart’s new subjects are now available to pre-order from our website. My favourites are some of the 1:18 touring car subjects, especially the most outrageous BTCC car of all time, Rickard Rydell’s 1994 Volvo 850 Estate (AA89494)! There will also be the Swede’s 1995 saloon version (AA89594).
From the DTM, there will be three 1:18 Mercedes replicas from 2007. These will be the cars of Brands Hatch winner Bernd Schneider (AA80730), Bruno Spengler (AA80731), and, best of all, Mika Hakkinen (AA80732).
For 1:18 road cars, the highlight is the Ford GTX1, in orange and black (AA73026), and red and white (AA73027). Then there is also the Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera, in yellow (AA74581), and black (AA74582). Click here to see the new offerings in their entirety at the top of our ‘2008 Announcements’ category.
AUTOart will also be releasing at least two 1:18 A1 GP cars in 1:18. A plain mould was on display at Nuremberg, and while two releases have had their codes confirmed, the prices and the identities of the teams are still ‘TBA’, so obviously they will not be on our site until this has been decided.
Minichamps today confirmed the prices of their 1:18 and 1:43 replicas of the Queen’s State Jubilee Bentley. The 1:18 example will cost £159.99 (PG139700), and the 1:43 version £39.99 (P139700).
posted in Diecast, Other Cars |
11th
February
2008
After almost a week away it was back in the good old diecast office of GPL Towers today! The diecast sale has really taken off – this morning alone some fifty items had to be removed from our website that had sold out over the weekend. I’m wondering if anything will be left by the time the sale finishes on 16th March.
Today saw a new delivery from AUTOart, the headliner being the 1:18 Mad Max Road Warrior Interceptor (AA72745). Also now released are the 1:43 Bugatti Veyrons; red/black (AA50906), black/blue (AA50907), and pearl/blue (AA50908).
On Saturday at Nuremberg AUTOart announced their new 2008 subjects. There are some very exciting replicas in the offering, and although it will be some time before we see any of them, that’s not exactly unusual in the world of diecast anymore is it? They’ll be on our website tomorrow.
posted in Diecast, Other Cars |
8th
February
2008
Today was a case of spending a little time on a lot of stands.
Starting with IXO, they had samples of Valentino Rossi’s Subaru Impreza and Ford Focus from the 2006 season. There were also samples of the next six releases in the La Storia Ferrari collection.
Moving on to Norev, the big news was that they will exclusively be making the 2008 F1 Renaults in 1:18 scale. They also had samples of their 1978 Alpine Renault Le Mans winner, and light blue Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder.
Spark had a lot of new samples that we didn’t even know they were making yet, the highlight being a Matra Transporter.
CMC had three new announcements on their stands; a 1964 Porsche 911 (901) in four colourways, a 1958 Ferrari Testarossa, and, most exciting of all, the first ever 1:18 replica of the 1961 Ferrari Dino 156 sharknose that won the Formula One World Championship.
Amalgam had samples of their first two 1:43 A1 GP cars, Great Britain and New Zealand, which will be available soon. There was also a 1:8 replica of Lewis Hamilton’s winning McLaren from last year’s Japanese Grand Prix, complete with wet tyres, and a sample of Ayrton Senna’s 1985 Lotus from the Portuguese Grand Prix.
In closing, Minichamps are yet to confirm prices for the 1:18 and 1:43 replicas of the Queen’s Estate Limousine car. We’ll also see if Jason has any luck doing a signed version for us!
posted in Diecast, Other Cars, Formula 1 |
8th
February
2008
posted in Diecast, Other Cars, Moto GP, Formula 1 |
