Leigh’s Diecast Diary

Today we received the latest subjects in IXO’s 1:43 La Storia and Le Mans Winners collections.

The La Storia car is John Surtees’ 1964 Ferrari 158 (IXSF15). It’s proven very popular already, as those of you who collect the World Champions have had this one on your list as well as those of you who collect the La Storia series.

The Le Mans winner is the 1932 Alfa Romeo 8C of Sommer and Chinetti (LM1932), as IXO continues to fill in the gaps in that collection.

Away from IXO, AUTOart today announced a new colourway of the Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera, grey. This will be available in 1:18 (AA74583) and 1:43 (AA54613).

This will be my last diary entry until Tuesday. Tomorrow is the mammoth GPL 40 mile cycle ride, from Goodwood to Brighton, the bosses’ annual attempt to kill off the weakest of us to ensure that a strong team remains in place at GPL Towers! In anticipation of needing a LONG time to recover from that, I have also booked a day’s holiday for Monday!

Today we received Amalgam’s latest 1:12 nosecone replica. It is of the McLaren MP4/23 (AML837), and good news for Lewis Hamilton supporters is that it has the #22 on it!

We also put the 1:43 Hamilton ‘First Podium’ special (DC27402A) back up on our website today. We only have a tiny number left so we removed it from our website over the Bank Holiday weekend to ensure that we would not oversell.

Talking of Hamilton specials, Minichamps confirmed the release dates of their two replicas commemorating his first Grand Prix win at Montreal last year. We will see the 1:43 version (DC27402C) in the week beginning 8th September and the 1:18 version (DC2702C) in the week beginning 22nd September, so both are quite close.

Finally today, we heard that we will see Red Line’s 1:43 replica of Kimi Raikkonen’s Ferrari F2007 from last year’s Brazilian Grand Prix (RL148) next week.

Last Thursday the Minichamps delivery only arrived very last thing, so I only had time to cover the Hamilton Australia special (DC27402A) before grabbing my sunscreen and flying out to Valencia!

(I have since received several death threats from Raikkonen fans warning me what they will do to me if I ever attend another Grand Prix! Might I also respectfully ask Ferrari to, just for a change, give Raikkonen the lighter fuel load rather than saddling him up with four or five laps more fuel than Massa and then watch him struggle through qualifying and the first stint of the race? That’s before Raikkonen tries to rejoin the race with half of his pit crew still hanging on to the side of his car!)

Anyway, I’m paid to be a Diecast Manager, not an F1 analyst (and currently embittered Raikkonen fan!), and as not much has happened today I thought I’d cover the Minichamps delivery in more detail.

There was one ‘surprise’ on it, which wasn’t on the original release schedule, Fernando Alonso’s 1:43 2008 Renault R27 pre-season testcar (DC28405T). There were also two new releases in the 1:43 White Line collection as Minichamps continues to storm through that at a ferocious pace, the Lamborghini Gallardo (P103500), and the Aston Martin V8 Vantage (P137420).

The other notable release was, finally, the 1:43 ‘Jordan lifetime two car set’, of Bertrand Gachot’s 1991 191 from the American Grand Prix and Tiago Monteiro’s 2005 EJ15 from the Chinese Grand Prix (P109105). It is a limited edition of just 1,008 pieces worldwide so will probably sell out quite quickly.  

Welcome to the forty-third Leigh’s Diary Vidcast, reviewing all the new diecast replicas that were released last week.

As always, I’ve listed the products below that have been featured in this week’s vidcast. Keep the comments rolling in. You’ll need quicktime installed to view the video on this post.

 

 Leighs Diary Vidcast Episode 43 [4:04m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 Leighs Diary Vidcast Episode 43 [4:03m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

These are the products featured on this week’s podcast:

1/24 Bedford Southdown OB Coach - Sun Star
1/18 Ford Escort Mk3 GL Saloon 1981 Blue - Sun Star
1/18 Ford Escort Mk3 GL Saloon 1981 Bronze - Sun Star
1/18 Audi Quattro RAC Rally 1982 #17 M. Wilson - Sun Star
1/18 Audi Quattro Acropolis Rally 1982 #11 F. Witmann - Sun Star
1/18 Opel Manta 400 1985 White - Revell
1/6 Kawasaki Z1 900 1973 Brown/Orange - Minichamps
1/12 Signed Honda NSR500 1985 #4 F. Spencer - Minichamps
1/18 Mercedes 300SL Roadster 1957 Silver - Minichamps
1/43 Porsche 934 DRM 1976 #6 B. Wollek - Minichamps
1/43 Porsche Cayman S 2007 Black Design Edition - Minichamps
1/43 NSU TT 1967 Red - Minichamps
1/43 Porsche Carrera White Line - Minichamps
1/43 Bentley Continental GTC White Line - Minichamps
1/43 Jordan EJ12 Testcar Barcelona 2002 T. Sato - Minichamps
1/18 Hummer HX Concept 2008 - Maisto

Remember you can subscribe to the podcast by clicking the purple podcast icon at the top right or use this link if you wish to subscribe via itunes.I hope you enjoyed watching or listening to the podcast. Please feel free to leave any comments on what you thought of it or anything you would like me to feature in future shows below.

As Leigh is not in today, I thought I would hijack his blog and give you an update from the ecommerce department.

Grand Prix Legends have launched another forum today. Christopher Paul and the M.D. from Spidi, Italy were having dinner recently and the topic of riderwear forums came up in the conversation. He was telling Christopher how he often went on forums to see what people thought of his products and those of his competitors. But, he felt, there wasn’t a good forum on this subject in the UK. Christopher passed this on to me and so today we have launched the new forum at  riderwearforum.com. If biking is your thing swing by and take a look.

Keeping with the biking theme, if you are interested in biking it’s worth knowing we are opening our warehouse doors to the public this Saturday for the 50% off Belstaff sale. Click here for more details - Belstaff Sale

You have probably noticed I have been quiet on the diecast forum as of late (still reading the posts mind)- Lots has been going on in the ecommerce department, here is some of the latest news.

The new website is taking shape and the ecommerce team start beta testing next week to iron out any of the bugs. Once happy I will be tweaking the integration of the new website with our in house systems and then it will be time to throw the switch!

There is a new blog - blog.grandprixlegends.com which allows all the other news going on at Grand Prix Legends to be listed.

In other news, the Oakley mega 33% off sale is coming to an end on the 31st August so if you after a new pair of sunnies make sure you get in quick.

That’s about it for now. Normal service to resume on Tuesday when Leigh gets back.

Have a good bank holiday weekend - which reminds me, don’t forget to use the offer code AUGBHS to get free shipping on in-stock orders ( i.e not pre-orders) over £50 to the UK this weekend when making any purchases.

Cheers

Jon

The big news today was that we received one of the most popular models in the history of Diecast Legends!

It was, of course, the 1:43 Lewis Hamilton ‘First Podium’ special, of his McLaren MP4/22 from the 2007 Australian Grand Prix (DC27402A). It is a limited edition of 9,999 pieces worldwide. And, while that may not seem like the lowest limited edition of all time, it is already an instant sell-out with the UK importer, and we will probably have to remove it from our website by the end of tomorrow.

We also received several pre-production sample images from Mattel. The first two are from the 1:43 ‘Ferrari 200 Wins’ collection. They are Niki Lauda’s 1974 312 B3 (win number 50, HW5601B), and Alain Prost’s 1990 F641 (win number 100, HW5602B).

Then in 1:18, there were the Dino 246 GT (HW2044), the Coca Cola F430 Challenge (HW2069), and the Super Elite Mondial (HW7119) and Batmobile (HW7131).

We weren’t expecting some of these cars in time for Christmas, so the fact that we have already seen pre-production samples now may mean that some will make it in time for this year. We’ll see!

Maisto released a new replica today too, although it’s fair to say that it was overshadowed by the new Hamilton release! Maisto’s 1:18 replica is of the 2008 Hummer HX concept car (R36171).

The last diecast news today is that we are now accepting pre-orders for a 1:12 motorbike from a new diecast manufacturer. That is to say, new to the UK, not new to the diecast industry! It is a Japanese company called WIT’S, who seem keen (and able) to take on Minichamps in the world of high quality bike replicas. Their first subject that we will be importing is the Kawasaki Z1000 Mk.II (WH001), and we expect to see it released towards the end of the year.

Finally today, just to say that there will not be a diary entry tomorrow (unless something exciting happens during my absence, which, let’s face it, is often the case!), as I’m off to Valencia for the European Grand Prix. Normal service will be resumed on Tuesday after the Bank Holiday.  

It’s been one of those quieter days today, but I suppose we were due one after all the diecast that has been released so far this summer!

We did receive one new release though, Revell’s 1:18 Opel Manta 400 presentation car (RV8819), so there was still something going on!

Today we received the new Minichamps delivery. It included two new subjects in the ever more popular 1:43 White Line collection; the Porsche 911 Carrera (P063021), and the Bentley Continental GTC (P139031). There was also the 1:18 Mercedes 300SL Roadster (PG039030), and Takuma Sato’s 1:43 2002 Jordan EJ12 testcar (P024399).

Meanwhile, we finally received the signed Freddie Spencer 1:12 1985 Honda NSR 500 (P850004S). There had been a delay getting the panels through customs, but now the signed bikes are on our shelves!

Today Minichamps officially confirmed the two new Valentino Rossi figures that were in their ‘Edition 2’ catalogue recently.

However, they have come through at £29.99 each, not £26.99 as we had assumed, so those of you who have pre-ordered from us early have saved £3 each on those two figures! Just to clarify, these are the 2004 ‘kissing’ figure (PO40246), and the 2002 Donington figure (PO20146).

Minichamps also confirmed three 1:12 Casey Stoner figures. The first is a 2006 riding figure, from his days on the white LCR Honda RC211V (PO60127).

The second figure has confused us slightly, as it’s from the 2007 Phillip Island race (PO70127), which Casey won in his championship year. But Minichamps have already announced a ‘special’ 1:12 Ducati Desmosedici replica for Stoner from that race that comes complete with a riding figure (PO70097), so we’ll have to wait and see how that one develops.

The final figure is a ‘podium celebration’ (PO70227), so we assume that it will be along the lines of the Rossi Materazzi standing figure, which was the one that had him spraying champagne. 

Other new announcements from Minichamps were the 1:12 Yamaha Vmax (P163700), and a 1:2 replica helmet for Nico Rosberg (P080007).

Away from Minichamps, Dutch brand NEO confirmed a couple of exciting new 1:18 subjects, both classic Jaguars that have never been replicated before. These will be the 1957 Jaguar Mk.VIII in black and pewter (NEO18035), and the 1960 Jaguar Mk.IX in two-tone grey (NEO18036).

Welcome to the forty-second Leigh’s Diary Vidcast, reviewing all the new diecast replicas that were released last week.

As always, I’ve listed the products below that have been featured in this week’s vidcast. Keep the comments rolling in. You’ll need quicktime installed to view the video on this post.

 

 Leighs Diary Vidcast Episode 42 [4:52m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 Leighs Diary Vidcast Episode 42 [4:51m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

These are the products featured on this week’s podcast:

1/18 Ford Focus WRC Rally Of Sweden 2007 #3 M. Gronholm - Sun Star
1/18 Ford Focus WRC Rally Of Norway 2007 #4 M. Hirvonen - Sun Star
1/18 Ford Focus WRC Monte Carlo Rally 2007 #10 H. Solberg - Sun Star
1/18 Ford Focus WRC Monte Carlo Rally 2007 #16 M. Wilson - Sun Star
1/24 Signed Routemaster Bus Winston Briscoe - Sun Star
1/18 Bentley Continental GT 2008 Red - Minichamps
1/8 AGV Rossi Helmet - Pre Season 2007 - Minichamps
1/43 McLaren MP4/5 Honda Raceday 2002 #2 T. Sato - Minichamps (SOLD OUT)
1/43 March 792 Euro F2 1979 #7 D. Daly - Minichamps
1/43 Mercedes CLS White Line - Minichamps
1/43 McLaren Mercedes SLR White Line - Minichamps
1/43 Sauber Mercedes C8 Le Mans 1986 #61 J. Nielsen/M. Thackwell - Spark
1/43 TVR Cerbera Speed 12 2005 Red - Spark
1/43 Lotus 19 1st Karskoga 1960 #1 S. Moss - Spark
1/43 Jaguar XJR14 Le Mans 1991 #4 - Spark
1/43 Porsche 356 Speedster Le Mans 1957 #36 M. Slotine/ R. Bourel - Spark (SOLD OUT)
1/43 Jaguar XJR8 Le Mans 1987 #5 J.Watson/J.Lammers/W.Percy - Spark
1/43 Ferrari 250 GTO 2nd Le Mans 1962 #20 - Red Line
1/43 Ford Capri 2600RS Two Car Set - Nurburgring 6Hr 1971 - Trofeu
1/43 Lotus 18 Dutch Grand Prix 1960 #6 J. Clark - SMTS
1/43 Lotus 18 1st Monaco Grand Prix 1961 #20 S. Moss - SMTS
1/18 Ferrari 125S Piacenza 1947 #56 - Mattel Elite

Remember you can subscribe to the podcast by clicking the purple podcast icon at the top right or use this link if you wish to subscribe via itunes.I hope you enjoyed watching or listening to the podcast. Please feel free to leave any comments on what you thought of it or anything you would like me to feature in future shows below.