5th
November
2008
Today’s diary is very heavily Raikkonen based! We received Mattel’s 1:18 replica of Kimi’s Ferrari F2007 from last year’s Chinese Grand Prix (DC2706C), where he took the team’s 200th Grand Prix win. It was a nice surprise to see that the limited edition number, which was originally scheduled to be 7,200 pieces, has been reduced to 5,000 examples instead.
And if that wasn’t enough, Mattel also confirmed that we will see their 1:18 replica of Raikkonen’s 2008 Ferrari F2008 (DC2801) next week! Great news for all the Raikkonen fans out there!
posted in Diecast, Formula 1 |
3rd
November
2008
Today we received the latest Minichamps delivery. New items included Minichamps’ next three 1:43 2008 F1 cars; Heikki Kovalainen’s McLaren MP4/23 (DC28423), and the Super Aguri SA08s of Takuma Sato (DC28418) and Anthony Davidson (DC28419). Another highlight was one of our most popular 1:43 Minichamps road cars of the year, the Rolls Royce Phantom Drophead coupe in metallic black with silver bonnet (P134730).
We also received the next four 1:43 2008 Le Mans cars from Spark. These were the two Gulf Aston Martin DBR9s, #007 (SPK1213), and the GT1 class winning #009 (SPK1214), and the #8 (SPK1280) and #9 (SPK1281) Peugeot 908s.
Finally today, IXO became the latest manufacturer to issue a set of price increases. All of the La Storia cars have gone up to £39.99 from £29.99, all the Le Mans Winners series to £29.99 from £24.99, and all the Ferrari ‘closed wheel’ collection to £34.99 from £24.99.
The most significant of these price increases is the La Storia collection. There are still 41 cars to be released in that series, so those of you who have pre-ordered the whole collection from us have saved yourselves a whopping £410! If that doesn’t highlight the necessity of pre-ordering, I don’t know what does!
posted in Diecast, Other Cars, Formula 1 |
2nd
November
2008
That was absolutely incredible! There can’t ever have been a more dramatic conclusion to a Formula One World Championship! For Lewis Hamilton to win it at the last corner of the last lap of the last race, when it all seemed to be over, was amazing. I’m glad I’m neither a Hamilton nor a Massa fan, as I was able to just enjoy the sheer drama of it all!
And so, ladies and gentlemen, our exclusive 1:18 2008 Formula One World Champion presentation is now available to pre-order! (DC2008). It is very different this year, with a metal base and backdrop. The front lists Hamilton’s number of points, wins, poles and fastest laps achieved during the season, while the backdrop has a map of every circuit from 2008, with Hamilton’s result from each race underneath. And Minichamps’ 1:18 replica of Lewis’s shiny 2008 McLaren MP4/23 will look right at home on it! Right, I need to lie down!
posted in Diecast, Formula 1 |
31st
October
2008
So, how do you like our new website? After months of preparation it went live today, and we’re pretty chuffed with how it looks!
We received three new signed replicas from Stirling Moss today. The first of these is Minichamps’ 1:18 Maserati Birdcage that he shared with Dan Gurney to win the 1960 Nurburgring 1000km (PG601205S). This model is also signed by Gurney.
The other two signed Moss replicas are both 1:43 SMTS white metal models; the Lotus 18 that he took to victory in the 1960 Monaco Grand Prix (SMTS075S), and the Jaguar Mk.II that he raced at Silverstone the same year (SMTS211S).
Meanwhile, Mattel provided us with sample images of almost all of their 1:43 Ferrari FXX replicas. We were supplied with shots of the red, blue, silver, white, turquoise and yellow variants.
Tonight all of us at GPL are going out to watch the new James Bond film ‘Quantum Of Solace’. As a big Bond fan, I can’t wait to see that! I won’t spoil the plot for anyone though in any of my entries next week!
And if that wasn’t enough, on Sunday we have the climax to the Formula One World Championship as well! Whoever takes the title, shortly after the race we will have our exclusive World Champion presentation available to pre-order off of our website, and there will be a diary entry covering it as well. Let me tell you that it will look a lot different to the Champions’ presentations that we have offered in previous years!
posted in Diecast, Other Cars, Formula 1 |
30th
October
2008
Amalgam released their 1:4 replica of what may be the 2008 Formula One World Champion’s steering wheel today! It is from the McLaren MP4/23 (AML838) of course, as handled by Lewis Hamilton and Heikki Kovalainen.
AUTOart also confirmed some more new 1:18 replicas. They’ve really been going at it with the new announcements recently! The new subjects confirmed today were two Sebastien Loeb 1:18 2008 Citroen C4s; his ‘plain red’ Monte Carlo car (AA80838), and his Red Bull Argentina version (AA80839). From road cars, there was a second colourway of the Lamborghini Espada, metallic blue (AA74502), and of the Mercedes CL63 AMG, black (AA76169).
posted in Diecast, Other Cars, Formula 1 |
29th
October
2008
Today we received confirmation of what we will receive on the next Minichamps delivery, and there is a new item on it which wasn’t on the original release schedule. It is Heikki Kovalainen’s 1:43 2008 McLaren MP4/23 (DC28423).
Minichamps also cleared up the bit of confusion surrounding one of their 1:12 Casey Stoner figures. At the beginning of the year they announced a ‘special’ of the Aussie’s 1:12 2007 Ducati Desmosedici from the Phillip Island race, which he won, which would come complete with a rider figure (PO70097).
Then, a couple of months ago, they announced a standalone 2007 Phillip Island figure (PO70127). However, today Minichamps cancelled that figure, so it will now just be the ‘special’ from Phillip Island that will be available.
Finally today, Mattel have confirmed that we will see the 1:18 Kimi Raikkonen 2007 Chinese Grand Prix special (DC2706C), commemorating Ferrari’s 200th Grand Prix victory, next week.
posted in Due Dates, Diecast, Moto GP, Formula 1 |
27th
October
2008
Today we received a new delivery from SMTS. The standout replica was Villoresi’s 1:43 Maserati 4CLT that won the first ever British Grand Prix in 1948 (SMTS219). There were also a couple of new Jim Clark cars; his Lotus 24 (SMTS220) and Lotus 25 (SMTS221). These and all the other new subjects are currently at the top of our ‘New releases’ section.
Meanwhile, IXO announced the latest subject in their 1:43 Le Mans Winners Collection. It will be this year’s victorious Audi R10 of Tom Kristensen, Allan McNish and Rinaldo Capello (LM2008).
While covering the price increase (from £64.99 to £114.99) of AUTOart’s 1:18 Koenigsegg CCX replicas on Friday, I forgot to mention that anyone who has pre-ordered one with us at the original price will only be charged £99.99 for their example, as a thank you for placing their order with us. Even with the rare exceptions to our ‘No Price Rise’ guarantee (as in this case where the diecast manufacturer has changed the specification of the replica), it still pays to place your pre-order with Grand Prix Legends!
posted in Diecast, Other Cars, Formula 1 |
24th
October
2008
We received the new Minichamps delivery today. Top of the pile were their next two 2008 1:43 Formula One cars, Robert Kubica’s BMW F1.08 (DC28404) and Timo Glock’s Toyota TF108 (DC28412). The detailing on the BMW is particularly impressive, with all the intricate aero pieces such as the horns on the nose and the pieces of bodywork joining the sidepod wings to the bargeboards faithfully replicated.
We also received Martin Brundle’s 1:43 1992 Benetton B191B (P920120), and Andy Priaulx’s 1:43 2006 WTCC winning BMW 320Si (P062601).
From Spark, we received their first 1:43 2008 Le Mans car. It is the second placed Peugeot 908 of Jacques Villeneuve, Marc Gene and Nicolas Minassian (SPK1279).
Finally today, AUTOart at last confirmed the price of their 1:18 Koenigsegg CCX replicas. As expected, they have been upgraded into the more highly detailed Signature Collection. Unsurprisingly, this has also led to a substantial increase in price, and they will now cost £114.99.
posted in Diecast, Other Cars, Formula 1 |
