24th
December
2009
Although it’s Christmas Eve we still had a new diecast delivery today, which was all of our 1:12 WIT’s motorbikes that we have been expecting. Unfortunately, these have arrived with us too late for us to get them out in time for Christmas, so please accept our apologies if any of these were intended as Christmas presents. As they are all very specialist subjects, however, we are hoping that most of our customer orders for them are self-purchases!
The highlight of the delivery is the Eddie Lawson ‘replica’ Kawasaki Z1000 R1 from 1982 (WH015).
That’s all the diecast news for 2009, as this is the first year that I have booked the days off in between Christmas and New Year, so this diecast diary will resume on 4th January. Happy Christmas to all Leigh’s Diary readers and here’s to an exciting 2010. The new Minichamps announcements will go live on 4th February, and we also have the tantalising prospect of ‘Schumacher Comeback’ diecast to look forward to as well. I think it’s going to be a really exciting diecast year!
posted in Diecast |
23rd
December
2009
Today we received the remaining replicas from the last week of the Minichamps release schedule for 2009.
First up were the two 1:18 2009 BMW F1.09s, of Robert Kubica (DC2905) and Nick Heidfeld (DC2906). We also received the 1:43 #14 Porsche 956 from Le Mans 1986 (P866514B), and the 1:43 BMW M3 Evo ‘Street’ in red (P020307).
There was a new delivery from Mattel too, which included two 1:18 movie replicas; the 1989 Batmobile from the original Batman film (HW1794), and the blue Ferrari 250 GTO from Vanilla Sky (HW9909).
In 1:43 there were some new Ferrari Formula One replicas, Juan Manual Fangio’s 1956 D50 (HW9947), and Gilles Villeneuve’s 1981 126 (HW9945). There was also the 1949 Le Mans winning 166 (HW9940) as well.
All this, of course, has paled into significance against the big news of the day, that Michael Schumacher will be returning to Formula One with Mercedes next year!
posted in Diecast, Other Cars, Formula 1 |
22nd
December
2009
Today Amalgam released their 1:4 replica of the 2009 Formula One World Champion’s steering wheel, which is of course Jenson Button’s Brawn BGP001 (AML930). You can also buy it if you are a Rubens Barrichello fan!
The Minichamps UK importer announced that it had got hold of a tiny number of the 1:43 Lewis Hamilton 2008 McLaren special that was produced for the Japanese market as part of the Fuji Speedway Collection (DC28422J). It comes in special packaging but the main difference is the green stripes in the grooved tyres that all the F1 teams ran with that weekend. It is a limited edition of just 1,584 pieces worldwide.
This special had been doing the rounds on Ebay at over £100 after it was originally released, as most of the Japanese market specials tend to do, but now we can offer it for just £39.99! At this moment it is unclear how many will be imported into the UK, so in the event of not enough replicas being available it will be a case of first come, first served. We expect to receive these Hamilton Fuji specials in January.
Finally today, AUTOart provided us with sample images of their second colourway of their 1:18 Porsche 911 2.7 RS, in white and blue (AA87371), so hopefully we will see this early in 2010.
posted in Due Dates, Diecast, Other Cars, Formula 1 |
21st
December
2009
With Christmas just a few days away, we received several new deliveries today!
Minichamps were first up, the obvious highlight being the 1:12 Valentino Rossi 2008 Yamaha YZR-M1 (PO83046), but such has been the demand for this replica, that we have only been able to be supplied with a part-shipment of it before Christmas.
As we always do in the rare situations where this occurs, our pre-orders have been fulfilled in the order that they were placed. We expect to receive the balance of our Rossi 2008 Yamahas in mid to late January.
The other ‘biggie’ on the delivery was the 1:43 Lewis Hamilton McLaren MP4/23 from the 2008 Brazilian Grand Prix (DC28422B), the latest release in Minichamps’ 1:43 World Champions Collection. We also received the 1:12 Kawasaki Mach III (P164700).
Next up, we received CMC’s latest highly detailed 1:18 replica, the #14 Ferrari 250 GT that finished third at Le Mans in 1961 (CMC079).
Last thing today we received Universal Hobbies’ latest 1:16 tractor, the Nuffield Universal 4 (J2715). This is another replica where we have received a part-shipment, but we have at least managed to fulfil all of our pre-orders on this one, as the number that we received today managed to cover them exactly! We have been told to expect restocks in the middle of January, so then we should be able to supply this tractor straight from stock.
posted in Diecast, Other Cars, Moto GP, Formula 1 |
18th
December
2009
The diecast news is dominated by AUTOart once again today, although there’s not quite as much to chat about as yesterday!
They have announced a new 1:18 A1 GP car from the 2006/07 season, and it will be of Team Germany (AA18103), the champions that season thanks to Nico Hulkenberg, so it is bound to be a very popular subject. We hope to see it released early next year.
posted in Diecast, Other Cars |
17th
December
2009
The only storm we encountered at GPL towers today was not one that involved snow, but it was instead caused by the new AUTOart delivery.
On their last shipment of the year was a vast array of road and race cars. Representing the motorsport side of things were the two 1:18 2002 JGTC special editions, which are the Nissan Skylines of Hoshino (AA80284) and Motoyama (AA80285). Each one comes with its own display case, a driver figure in the cockpit and an individually-numbered certificate of authenticity. They are also both limited to 1,000 pieces each. Also from motorsport was the 2006/07 A1 GP promotion car in 1:18 (AA18102).
As far as 1:18 road cars go, the instant highlights were the red Alfa Romeo Montreal (AA70171) and one of our favourites, the Porsche 911 Carrera RS in white and red (AA87370), which is a model we’ve been waiting to see for the last four years or so! The black Porsche 911 GT2 (AA77899), the black (AA74589) and yellow (AA74586) Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4s and finally the Mercedes C63 AMG in black (AA76268) and silver (AA76269) make up the more modern subjects.
posted in Diecast, Other Cars |
16th
December
2009
Today we received a new delivery from Sun Star, which had several new 1:18 rally car replicas on it.
The highlight for me is Jari Matti Latvala’s winning Ford Focus WRC from the 2008 Rally of Sweden (SS3937), as this is where he became the youngest ever winner of a world championship rally.
Other Ford Focus replicas were Gigi Galli from Sweden 2008 (SS3938), Matt Wilson from Ireland 2009 (SS3947), and Henning Solberg from Argentina 2009 (SS3942).
We also received a classic rallying replica as well, in the form of the Lancia Stratos of Sirocco from the 1978 Acropolis (SS4513).
Finally, we launched a new signed replica today. Kyosho have already announced a 1:18 replica of the first ever production Mini Minor (KY8105W), which is due for release early next year, and we have reached an agreement with Peter Tothill, the production manager for that first car, to sign it for us.
posted in Due Dates, Diecast, Other Cars |
15th
December
2009
Today we received a new 1:43 delivery from Spark, headlined by Ari Vatanen’s Peugeot 205 T16 from the 1985 Monte Carlo Rally (SPK1267).
Also released were two more replicas from the 2009 Le Mans 24 Hours, the #64 Corvette C6R (SPK1529) and the #76 Porsche 997 GT3 (SPK1954).
AUTOart also confirmed today that they had cancelled two 1:18 replicas that we had been waiting a good couple of years for restocks for. These are the Red Bull Aston Martin DBR9s from Mugello (AA80606) and Spa (AA80609). You can never really tell with AUTOart; sometimes a replica can take a couple of years for restocks to come through, and sometimes after a couple of years they decide it isn’t worth making anymore and discontinue it.
posted in Diecast, Other Cars |
14th
December
2009
We started this week off with the new Minichamps delivery.
The highlight was the 1:43 Jenson Button 2009 Australian Grand Prix special (DC29422A), which comes with a standing driver of Jenson in the cockpit. It is an instant sell-out with the Minichamps UK importer as well.
The other 1:43 2009 Formula One car is Timo Glock’s Toyota TF109 (DC29410).
We also received one of our most popular Minichamps 1:43 road cars of the year, the Ford Focus RS in green (P088102), and one of our most popular Minichamps 1:18 road cars of the year, the Mercedes SL65 AMG ‘Black’ (PG038120).
Finally, there was the 1:43 two car set of Mark Donohue from 1973, of his winning Porsches from the IROC and the LA Times Grand Prix (P730602). It is limited to just 1,440 pieces.
posted in Diecast, Other Cars, Formula 1 |
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