19th
August
2008
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!
posted in Diecast, Other Cars, Moto GP, Formula 1 |
18th
August
2008
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).
posted in Diecast, Other Cars, Moto GP |
12th
August
2008
Today’s entry is a quickie as I’m out of the office this afternoon at a meeting with one of our suppliers.
We received Trofeu’s 1:43 two car Ford Capri set from the 1971 Nurburgring Six Hours (TR2391). The cars featured are the #12 pole position car of Stomellen and Soler-Roig, and the winning #14 car of Glemser and Marko. It is a limited edition of just 404 pieces worldwide.
We also received this week’s Minichamps delivery. The headliner was the next 1:8 Valentino Rossi helmet (they’re coming thick and fast now!), his 2007 pre-season testing version, in black with the sword down the front (PO79046).
posted in Diecast, Other Cars, Moto GP |
8th
August
2008
Today there was a bit of excitement as we received the Minichamps 2008 ‘Edition 2’ catalogue, which is a small 24 page ’update’ to the mammoth tome published at the beginning of the year.
We were very surprised to see two brand new 1:12 Valentino Rossi figure that haven’t even been officially announced yet, as well as sample images of some of the other figures.
The first new figure replicates one of the most famous moments in Rossi’s career. It is called ‘The Kiss’, and is from the South Africa Moto GP in 2004, when Vale won his very first race with Yamaha (PO40246). On the slowing down lap he got down on his knees and kissed the front of his new YZR-M1. It is that pose that the figure replicates, so it is bound to be immensely popular.
The second new figure is of Rossi riding his 2002 Honda RC211V sidesaddle with both arms in the air (PO20146), as he did when he crossed the line to win the British Grand Prix at Donington Park that year..
The most exciting sample image was of the 1999 Aprilia riding figure (P990146). It’s of Rossi with his knee down, so he actually looks like he’s taking a corner on his 250cc bike!
The 1997 riding figure (P970146), which we will see in a couple of weeks, is similarly imaginative, as it comes complete with the blue ‘Superfumi’ cape that Valentino wore on the slowing down lap after one of his victories that year.
There were also two ‘live’ photos in the catalogue, so giving us a hint as to what two more forthcoming Rossi figures will look like. It looks like the 2003 Valencia riding figure (PO30186) will be in a burnout pose and the 2007 Assen riding figure (PO70166) will be of Valentino stood up on the footpegs as he was on the slowing down lap following his victory in the race.
I never fail to be impressed with Minichamps’ imagination when it comes to their Rossi figures. They could have just gone for one mould and then decorated each one differently so that it would be correct for each bike. Instead, they have chosen to really capture the personality of Rossi by replicating some of the most famous moments from his career. Credit where it’s due!
posted in Diecast, Moto GP |
5th
August
2008
The Minichamps delivery had arrived while I was away at the dramatic Hungarian Grand Prix, headlined by two new Valentino Rossi releases; his 1:12 2000 Honda NSR 500 testbike (PO06186), and the delayed 1:8 helmet from Mugello 2007 (PO70876).
There were also several 1:43 Formula One subjects; Nigel Mansell’s 1991 Williams FW14 (P910005), the 2007 Super Aguri SA07s of Takuma Sato (DC27422) and Anthony Davidson (DC27423), and the 2008 BMW showcars of Nick Heidfeld (DC28403P) and Robert Kubica (DC28404P). The Kubica version was already sold out to pre-orders before it arrived however.
There’s also some Mattel news today. We received Bruno Senna’s 1:18 car from his guest appearance in the Silverstone round of the Ferrari F430 Challenge in 2007 (HW2068), and were also given some sample images of some forthcoming 1:18 subjects.
These were the Ferrari F2008s of Kimi Raikkonen (DC2801) and Felipe Massa (DC2802), and the new Ferrari road car, the California (HW2042). Hopefully this means that we will see them in the next couple of months.
posted in Diecast, Other Cars, Moto GP, Formula 1 |
29th
July
2008
Today we received the new Minichamps release schedule, which actually encompasses a full six weeks, so it takes us up to the middle of September. If memory serves me right, Minichamps then closes for about two weeks at the end of September for its annual stock take, so there will be no new releases then.
Next week the biggie (literally) will be the 1:6 Kawasaki 900 Z1 (PG164100). Another very significant release will be Valentino Rossi’s 1:12 2000 Honda NSR 500 testbike (PO06186), and his 1:8 helmet from pre-season testing in 2007 (PO79046).
From Formula One, there will be Nigel Mansell’s 1:43 1991 Williams FW14 (P910005), and Anthony Davidson’s 1:43 2007 Super Aguri SA07 (DC27423).
The following week we will see the 1:18 Bentley Continental GT in red (PG139620), and the re-release of Rossi’s 1:12 2005 Yamaha YZR-M1 (PO53046).
The week after that (beginning 18th August) we will see the 1:18 Mercedes 300SL Roadster in silver (PG039030), and Takuma Sato’s 1:43 2002 Jordan EJ11 testcar (P024399).
Seven days later will see the release of Roberto Moreno’s 1:18 1991 Benetton B191 (PG910019), and, much more importantly, Lewis Hamilton’s 1:43 ‘First Podium’ special of his McLaren MP4/22 from the 2007 Australian Grand Prix (DC27402A).
The big release on the penultimate week of the schedule is Kenny Roberts’ 1979 Yamaha YZR 500 (P793001), as well as Mika Hakkinen’s 1993 Porsche 911 Carrera Cup guest car (P936033).
Finally, the last week of the schedule sees the next 1:12 Rossi figure, and the first for an Aprilia, the 1997 riding version (P970146), and Martin Brundle’s 1:18 1992 Benetton B191B (PG920120).
It’s going to be a busy end to the summer!
The other big news today was that we at last received a final production sample of Universal Hobbies’ 1:12 Honda RC30 (UH88030), complete in its ‘proper’ packaging! We’ve been waiting four years now to see its release, and expect to receive the shipment in September, so the hundreds of you who have pre-ordered it don’t have much longer to wait now!
posted in Due Dates, Diecast, Other Cars, Moto GP, Formula 1 |
