Leigh’s Diecast Diary

Today we received ‘the big one’, Minichamps’ 1:12 replica of Valentino Rossi’s 2007 Yamaha YZR-M1 from the Assen Moto GP (PO73096)!

This has broken all records for pre-orders for a new Rossi release, so we do not expect it to hang around for long. Just to recap, Minichamps has confirmed that this is a limited edition of 9,295 pieces, although on this occasion the limited edition number has not been written on the side of the box.

Now let’s see if Valentino can celebrate this new release with a 99th Grand Prix win at Mugello this weekend!

Today IXO announced some new 1:43 replicas. To see them all you can click here.

The highlight is definitely Valentino Rossi’s Ford Focus WRC from the 2008 Monza Rally (RAM370), where he finished second behind the similar car of Rinaldo Capello.

Other interesting subjects are the 2008 Courage LC07E as tested by Petter Solberg and Yvan Muller (GTM082), the McLaren F1 GTR of O’Rourke, Sugden and Auberlen that finished fourth at Le Mans in 1998 (LMM110), and the Jaguar E-Type in blue (CLC214).

IXO can definitely take on Minichamps and Spark when it comes to a wide range of 1:43 subjects!

Today we had the double whammy of a new Minichamps delivery and the new monthly release schedule for June!

On the new delivery was Shinya Nakano’s 1:12 2007 Honda RC212V, in the beautiful Konica Minolta livery (PO71056), long-awaited restocks of Ayrton Senna’s 1:18 1993 McLaren MP4/8 (AS190), and one of our most popular 1:43 road cars in quite a long time, the Ford Fiesta XR2 in black (P085161).

Unlike May, June’s Minichamps schedule does not have anything ‘huge’ on it, more a large number of ‘fairly big’ replicas!

The first week of the schedule (beginning 1st June) sees Colin Edwards’ 1:12 2007 Assen Yamaha YZR-M1 (PO73095) released and the 1:43 2008 Le Mans LMP2 winning Porsche RS Spyder of van Merksteijn, Verstappen and Bleekemolen (P086834).

The following week we are scheduled to receive Carlos Checa’s 1:12 2007 Honda RC212V (PO71007), and Carlos Reutemann’s 1:43 1974 Brabham BT44 (P740007).

The week after that we will take delivery of two long awaited 1988 Ayrton Senna replicas; his half scale helmet (P883212) and his 1:43 McLaren MP4/4 from the World Champions Collection (P880012WC).

The fourth week of the schedule (week beginning 22nd June) we are down to get another 1:12 2007 Honda RC212V, that of Dani Pedrosa (PO71026), and another 1:43 World Champions Collection car, Alain Prost’s 1989 McLaren MP4/5 (P890002WC). On top of that, we will also receive the runner-up Peugeot 908 from last year’s Le Mans in 1:18, of Villeneuve, Minassian and Gene (PG081207).

The last week sees yet another 1:12 2007 Honda RC212V and yet another 1:43 World Champions Collection car! The Honda (PO71069) will be Nicky Hayden’s (I can’t believe we will be seeing that before his 2006 Honda RC211V), and the F1 Champion will be Nelson Piquet’s 1987 Williams FW11B (P870006WC). There will also be another long awaited 1:18 Ayrton Senna restock, his 1989 McLaren MP4/5 (AS191).

There should be something for everyone there!

I was pretty chuffed coming back into the office today, having seen Raikkonen score a podium in Monaco on Sunday, and then was even more chuffed just before lunch when we received one of our biggest sellers of the year, Minichamps’ 1:12 James Toseland 2007 Honda Fireblade (PO71252)!

We hope to meet up with James shortly after the Mugello Moto GP to get his signature on our exclusive signed versions (PO71252S).

And, as for a Button 1:43 Monaco GP winning special, nothing has been confirmed yet! Maybe it should have a ‘jogging to the podium’ figure included?!

As you loyal viewers are aware Leigh has jetted (or coached) off to the 2009 Monaco Grand Prix this weekend, and ever since he told us he was going, we’ve received numerous e-mails and messages from viewers begging to see Charlie have her own show. So, to please fans and viewers the world over, here’s an outtake reel instead!

Keep the comments rolling in. You’ll need quicktime installed to view the video on this post.

 

 Leighs Diary Vidcast - 22nd May 2009 [2:13m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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It’s a shame that Leigh wasn’t in the office to see the images that SMTS sent to us today, considering that one of the replicas featured is the one that he’s itching for the most. Of course we’re talking about Jack Brabham’s 1966 World Championship-winning Brabham BT19 (SMTS038). Leigh is eager to get this one in his 1:43 F1 World Champions collection as it’s the only one he’s missing. We were also sent an advanced shot of James Hunt’s March 731 from the British Grand Prix in 1973 (SMTS248), his debut year in Formula One.

Never mind Leigh. I suppose the view from a trendy bar overlooking Sainte Devote will just have to do instead!

As you faithful readers are aware, Leigh is currently heading to the first stop of his 2009 Formula One tour in Monaco this weekend. With Barrichello and Rosberg topping both of the practice timesheets, hopefully that’s a good sign for an exciting race!

Back in the equally-glamourous location of Guildford, we heard that Norev has confirmed a 1:18 replica of Fernando Alonso’s Renault R29 (DC2907NV). We’re looking forward to seeing how it compares next to the Minichamps version (DC2907) when they both come through.

 Another hot announcement today was a half scale replica of Jenson Button’s 2009 helmet (BRW918). That should make up quite an outstanding display with the other Brawn replicas!

Today Mattel sent us a final production sample of their fifth and final 1:18 Michael Schumacher Elite Ferrari, his F2004 from the 2004 Belgian Grand Prix (HW2078), where he finished second behind Kimi Raikkonen (yay!) to secure his seventh World Championship. 

Someone will be taking over for me for the next two days, as I’m off to my first Grand Prix of the season, Monaco! Now let’s see, the last four races I’ve been to Raikkonen has failed to score a point. And the last time I went to Monaco (2006), he also failed to finish. And Schumacher normally goes to Monaco, and his attendance at races seems to jinx Raikkonen just as much as mine does! Kimi doesn’t stand a chance, does he…

For those of you who can’t get enough of Jenson Button, today’s entry is for you!

Minichamps have announced three more 1:43 Grand Prix winning specials of the Brit, from this year’s Malaysian, Bahrain, and Spanish Grands Prix.

The Malaysian version (DC29422M) will be distinguished by its wet weather tyres, the Bahrain version (DC29422C) by the ‘Virgin Galactic’ logos on the sides of the car, and the Spanish version (DC29422D) by the ‘Terminator Salvation’ logos on the rear wing endplates.

If Ferrari fail to win a race this year (which, let’s face it, looks quite likely at the moment!), and given that a Vettel Chinese Grand Prix special (DC29415C) has already been announced, might we see a special for every separate Grand Prix winner this year?

We also received the new Minichamps delivery today. The two highlights were the 1:18 1998 McLaren MP4-98T of Mr. & Mrs. Hakkinen (PG981878), and Marco Melandri’s 1:12 2007 Honda RC212V (PO71033).

Today we received the new AUTOart delivery. The most hotly anticipated item on it was the 1:12 Jaguar D-Type that won Le Mans in 1955 in the hands of Mike Hawthorn and Ivor Bueb (AA12062).

In 1:18, there was a new colourway of the Lamborghini Espada, blue (AA74502), and restocks of silver (AA74501). There was also a completely new subject in the Alfa Romeo Alfetta GTV, in red (AA70146) and silver (AA70147).

There were also the fourth and fifth colourways of the Nissan GTR, red (AA77396) and black (AA77397), and another new tooling in the Porsche 911 in red (AA77912).

The other two new items were the Land Rover Discovery in silver (AA74801), and the Porsche 997 GT3 ‘promotional’ car (AA80881).

So, there are a lot of AUTOart parcels being sent out from Guildford today!