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The Next Batmobile Revealed p.64 THE CAMARO » THE PASSION, PRODUCTS & PERSONALITIES 50TURNS WE RATE THE BEST OF ROAD AND RACE Elemental Exclusive! Beauty Maisto Mercedes AUTOart Alfa 4C AMG GT HyperDrive TSM McLaren P1 Reviewed FEATHER- MIDYEAR 76INSIDE WEIGHT MUSCLE THE FIRST CHAMP MASTERPIECE FEATURED DAYTONA 500 MODELS WINNNER WhiteBox Auto World Lotus Elite S2 70½ Camaro Z28 Display until December 1, 2015 Sun Star WINTER 2016 $6.99 US $8.99 CAN Lee Petty ’59 Olds DCXMAG.COM







contents photo by François de Dijon via Wikimedia Commons die cast x | Vol. 12 | issue 1 features 14 | Gentleman Racers and Weekend Warriors The Grassroots Tradition of Amateur Motorsports 42 | The Camaro Legacy The Real Beginning of the Pony Car War OUT OF THE BOX 14 22 | Less is More (Fun) for the New Benz Performance Flagship Maisto Exclusive Edition Mercedes AMG GT 26 | Raucous and Ravishing 52 Retro Rocket AUTOart Performance Series Alfa Romeo 4C 30 | Colin Chapman’s 22 Cutting-Edge Coupé WhiteBox 1960 Lotus Elite S2 34 | The Only “1” That Can QUICK LOOKs UP FRONT Make You Forget the F1 62 | Sun Star 1959 Daytona 500 Winning 6 | Editorial TSM Model 2013 McLaren P1 Oldsmobile 88 Seeing Red 63 | Best of Show 1977 Jägermeister 8 | Showroom 38 | Celebrating 25 Years of Volkswagen Scirocco Touring Car New releases & first looks “M”agnificence 64 | Hot Wheels Elite Batman: Arkham Knight Batmobile REGULARS Kyosho BMW M3 GTS 59| Hot Wheels Highway 48 | Embracing the Super Hugger Toys “R” Us—Exclusives “R” Us! 66 | Rear View Auto World 1970 ½ Chevrolet Faint Echo of Past Ghosts Camaro Z28 DCXmag.com —The ultimate diecast community 52 | The Disco Camaro Struts its Stuff What’s on the web this time around? Well, models — lots of them. It’s true: we can’t fit all the cars we’d like into every issue, and several of the releases appear at our doorstep between printings. Thanks to the GreenLight Collectibles 1978-79 DCXmag.com website and the Die Cast X Facebook page, we can keep putting those cars at the top of our Chevrolet Camaro Z28 list, with on-the-spot reviews, photos, and the occasional video up for you to enjoy. Just click over to the site, or “like” our Facebook page to join the coolest community of collectors on the web! 56 | MTV-era Muscle Turned ’80s Icon Sun Star 1982 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 Die Cast X (ISSN 1551-854X) published quarterly by Air Age Inc., 88 Danbury Rd., Wilton, CT 06897 USA. Copyright 2014, all rights reserved. Application to Mail at Periodicals Postage Prices is Pending at Wilton, CT, and additional offices. Canadian Post Publications Mail Agreement No. 40008153. CONTRIBUTIONS: All materials published in Die Cast X magazine become the exclusive property of Air Age Inc., unless prior arrangement is made in writing with the Publisher. Descriptions of products were obtained from manufacturers or their press agencies and do not constitute an endorsement by the Publisher or guarantee their safety. SUBSCRIPTIONS: Call (866) 298-5652. Outside the U.S.: (386) 246-3323, or go to our website: DCXMag.com. Rates one year (4 issues): U.S. $25; Canada, $28, including GST; all others, $32. All international orders must be prepaid in U.S. funds drawn on a U.S. bank. Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express accepted. ADVERTISING: Advertising rates are available on request. Please send advertising materials to Advertising Dept., Air Age Inc., 88 Danbury Rd., Wilton, CT 06897 USA; phone (203) 431-9000; fax (203) 529-3010; email: advertising@ airage.com. EDITORIAL: Send correspondence to Editors, Die Cast X, Air Age Inc., 88 Danbury Rd., Wilton, CT 06897 USA. Email: [email protected]. We welcome all editorial submissions but assume no responsibility for the loss or damage of unsolicited material. To authors, photographers and people featured in this magazine: all materials published in Die Cast X become the exclusive property of Air Age Inc. unless a prior arrangement is made in writing with the Publisher. CHANGE OF ADDRESS: To make sure you don’t miss any issues, send your new address to Die Cast X magazine, P.O. Box 420134, Palm Coast, FL 32142-0235 USA at least six weeks before you move. Please include an address label from a recent issue, or print the information exactly as shown on the label. For faster service, go to DCXmag.com/cs, and click on the customer service link. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Die Cast X magazine, P.O. Box 420134, Palm Coast, FL 32142-0235 USA.

www.diecastdirect.com/dcx Mention Ad Code DCX2015 $9.95 Flat-Rate SHIPPING Short Sunderland Mk III RAAF No.461 Sqn, EJ134, Bay of Biscay, June 2nd ‘43 C27501A - 1:72 Scale - $179.95 - Coming Soon! F-35B Lightning II JSF USMC VX-23, 2012 HM-HA4602 - 1:72 Scale - $82.95 - Coming British MkIV Tank Don’t Forget to request a Free Catalog with Your PurChase! WW10003 - 1:72 Scale - $34.95 - Coming Soon! 1948 Packard Eight Station Sedan (Blue) MX-21601-061 - 1:43 Scale - $99.95 - New! 2014 Ford Police Interceptor Sedan 1937 Duesenberg SJ Town Car 1:43 Scale - $22.95 - Coming! 1:43 Scale - $94.95 ea. - New! FR-FDS-119 - “Massachusetts State Police” EM-US-43004A - (Closed) EM-US-43004B - (Back Closed) EM-US-43004C - (Open) EM-US-43004D - (Open Windows Up) German A7V Sturmpanzerwagen 2014 Dodge Charger 1:43 Scale - $28.95 - Coming! WW10002 - 1:72 Scale - $34.95 - Coming! FR-PR-168 - “Franklin Co. Sheriff” Kenworth T880 Century Rotator Tri-Axle Tow Truck 1:50 Scale - $94.95 - New! FG50-3331 - “Wes’s Service of Chicago” 1975 Neoplan Jumbo Cruiser MKI “Hello Travel” AE161114 - 1:43 Scale - $254.95 - New! Mack R with 28’ Double Pups “North Penn Transfer” 1957 Cadillac Eldorado Brougham 1:18 Scale - $67.95 ea. - New! FG60-0287 - 1:64 Scale - $104.95 - New! SS4009 - (Plantation Green) SS4011 - (Lake Placid Blue) Dept. DCX2015, 3005 Old Lawrenceburg Rd. Frankfort, KY 40601 • Phone Orders: 800-718-1866 M-F 9am-5pm EST • Info (502) 227-8697

EDITORIAL Seeing Red WINTER 2016 | VOLUME 12, NO. 1 Somewhere in the middle of putting this issue together, I had a troubling realization: Most of the EDITORIAL cars we are reviewing in this issue are red. at might seem obvious now, but as we’re looking at Executive Editor the prospective lineup of cars to feature, color isn’t necessarily my first criterion. I obsess over the Matt Boyd ›› [email protected] genre, the era, the scale—what car it is and who it will appeal to so that I give you guys the best Editorial Director/Surface Group possible mix of products. Color comes after that. Sometimes a certain model is made in multiple Peter Vieira ›› [email protected] colors, and in some cases, we might not always know which we’re getting from the manufacturer Copy Editor until later in the process. To make a long story short—due to a variety of circumstances, we ended Suzanne Noel ›› [email protected] up with several red cars. I could have shuffled things around and substituted other models, but that would have meant missing out on key elements of what I feel is a truly fantastic issue. CONTRIBUTORS Bill Bennett, Peter Celona, Wayne Moyer, Maisto offered us an exclusive look at its new Hobby Exclusive Edition Mercedes AMG GT. Maisto Alan Paradise, Dan Townsend, Mike Zarnock is embracing us dedicated diecast enthusiasts with improved features and authenticity while maintaining their strengths of value and arguably the best lineup of subject cars in the industry— ART no way was I going to pass up that opportunity! I’ve been eagerly awaiting AUTOart’s second Creative Director Betty K. Nero composite release: the gorgeous Alfa Romeo 4C. e first United States–bound Alfa in 20 years Art Director Kevin Monahan also happens to be one of the most dynamic sports cars by any manufacturer during that period. Photographer Peter Hall And AUTOart’s mastery of composites has to be seen to be believed—the model is exquisite. And WhiteBox delivers another bang-for-buck winner with the 1960 Lotus Elite. All of these cars DIGITAL MEDIA ended up being red! ankfully, our friends at TSM took mercy on us and chose Volcano Yellow Web Producer Holly Hansen for their stunning McLaren P1. Packed with detail and featuring a liquidlike finish, this model dares you to believe that it is not full-scale. All of the above tie in nicely with our big feature “Gentleman ADVERTISING Racers and Weekend Warriors,” which chronicles the tradition of dual-purpose road/track cars. Advertising Director Mitch Brian ››203.529.4609 But that’s not our only big feature. Our old buddy Alan Paradise put together a retrospective on Senior Account Executive the Camaro—just in time for the 50th anniversary and ahead of the release of the sixth-generation Ben Halladay ››203.529.4628 Camaro in 2016. He also reviewed Auto World’s brawny ’70½ Z28. And Alan is the perfect person to Account Executive do it because he has owned the real thing! Meanwhile, we also look at GreenLight’s disco-era Z28s Diane de Spirlet ››203.529.4664 from 1978–’79 (thankfully only one of those was red!) and Sun Star’s inaugural third-generation Camaro, the ’82 Z28. Our resident 1:43 authority Wayne Moyer breaks down the latest releases CONSUMER MARKETING in Showroom, while Mike Zarnock, the expert in all things Hot Wheels, gives us the scoop on the e Media Source, a division of TEN, latest Toys “R” Us and Walmart exclusives. We even scope out the latest Batmobile. ww e Enthusiast Network With all that great content, I wasn’t about to mess things up over colors! So we went with it, and the issue ended up looking fantastic. I hope you agree. And don’t forget to check us out online at MARKETING & EVENTS Associate Creative Director Leslie Costa DCXmag.com. In the coming weeks, we will be posting great extras and Marketing Assitant Erica Driver bonus content that we couldn’t fit into this issue. So stop by our site early Event Manager Emil DeFrancesco and often! anks for being with us to kick off another great year in 2016. PUBLISHING Group Publishers Louis V. DeFrancesco Jr., Yvonne M. DeFrancesco FOLLOW US On Facebook: diecastxmagazine On Twitter: @DCXmag On Instagram: @diecastx On Google +: DieCast X Magazine Visit us online: DCXmag.com Comments may be sent to: [email protected] HOW TO REACH US EDITORIAL MAIL 88 Danbury Road, Wilton CT 06897 USA Phone (203) 529-4635 Email [email protected] FOR CUSTOMER SERVICE AND SUBSCRIPTION QUESTIONS, such as Renewals, Address Changes, Email Preferences, Billing and Account Status, go to DCXMag.com/cs. You can also call (800) 827-0323 or + (386) 246-3323 (outside the U.S.) Matt Boyd Magazine Publishers RCX.com Executive Editor of America [email protected] PRINTED IN THE USA 6 DCXmag.com



SHOWROOM NEW RELEASES & FIRST LOOKS Nuvolari’s Legend Begins CMC 1930 Alfa 6C 1750 Gran Sport 1:18 | $485 Endurance sports-car racing ascended in Europe during the 1920s and ’30s with events like the Targa Florio, Le Mans, and the Mille Miglia—and with it the legend of Tazio Nuvolari. Considered by most to be the first great Grand Prix driver, Nuvolari is included in the pantheon of the greatest race-car drivers of all time, along with Fangio, Senna, and Schumacher. One of the episodes that helped establish the reputation of the Flying Mantuan was his first of two victories in the famed Mille Miglia, in 1930, which he won driving the beautiful Zagato-bodied Alfa 6C 1750 Gran Sport Spider. Legend has it that to secure victory over his Alfa teammate, Achille Varzi, Nuvolari tailed Varzi through the night with his lights off so that he would not be spotted. Near the finish, Nuvolari turned on his lights, surprising Varzi, and swept past him for the win. CMC has produced a number of gorgeous Alfas recently. e 1750 GS, with its fantastic story augmenting the beauty of the Zagato coachwork, jumps immediately to the front of the queue. CMC produces the standard edition, seen here, plus a 1,000-piece bare-metal limited edition and—most desirable—a Mille Miglia race edition of 2,000 pieces with Nuvolari’s number 84 on the hood. ese will sell out. If you want the car that started it all for the Flying Mantuan, don’t wait. CMCmodelcarsusa.com Metal Motion Royal Beauty Auto World Motion Performance Corvette and Hurst Olds ACME 1968½ Pontiac Firebird Drag Car 1:18 | $90ea 1:18 | $134.95 Motion Performance Motorsports first transcended from a local Long Island, New York, speed While Chevrolet was quietly shipping race-car parts to Jim Hall, shop into muscle-car history when it teamed up with Baldwin Chevrolet to produce the Pontiac’s back door was providing “development” parts to Ace Baldwin-Motion Corvettes, Camaros, and Chevelles. In addition to building fast and atten- Wilson’s Royal Pontiac for street and drag-strip testing. “Royal tion-grabbing street cars, Motion prepped and campaigned race cars for Baldwin and other Bobcat” Pontiacs were already well known when Pontiac engineers customers. 1967 was the last year of the C2 Corvette and the first year of the ultrahot L-88 developed new “round port” heads for the 400ci V8. Royal Pontiac 427—essentially, a race motor available in very low numbers right off the factory floor. Rated at fitted the first set into a 1968½ Ram Air Firebird and proceeded to 430hp, the 12:5 compression, solid-lifter aluminum head beast made, in reality, nearly 100hp dominate Detroit-area drag racing. is will be the second release in more than advertised. Baldwin ordered a ’67 L-88 Vette Convertible and delivered it to Motion ACME’s Firebird series, and we have the first prototype. e heavy for conversion into the Ko-Motion A/SP (A Sports car class) race car for Charlie “Astoria Chas” diecast body matches photos of “Ram Air” Birds very well—yes, the Snyder. He raced it on weekends for just over a year before being killed in Vietnam, after which hood-mounted tach is there—and its authentic “Solar Red” paint is it went into storage for 30 years with its last pass—a 10.74—still written in grease paint on the as good as most production pieces. Like any race car, graphics varied rear window. at’s exactly how Auto World’s model depicts it. almost daily, but the colorful, crisply printed names and sponsor de- cals are as they appear in many photos; it takes a magnifying glass Motion also built non-Chevy cars for dealers other than Baldwin, one of which was Mack to read the tiny “Royal Bobcat” badge incorporated into the beltline Markowitz Oldsmobile. In 1969, the Hurst Olds H/O 455 was one of the hottest muscle cars pinstripe. All major trim is done with separate plated parts, while the around. Circumventing GM’s ban on 400+ cubic-inch engines in midsize cars, Hurst dropped a hood pins and Pontiac badges are printed. e engine is, of course, hopped-up, ram-air-equipped 455, underrated at 390hp, between the fenders and splashed wired and plumbed; the Ram Air package, battery cables, data plates, gold trim all over the white-painted Cutlass body. Markowitz purchased one and had Motion set and the additional chassis brace are there, too. Properly hinged it up for Super Stock; so equipped, it turned 12-second passes with ease. doors open to show a very well-done interior, with legible gauges, fabric and photo-etched belts, soft carpets, and Pontiac-badged Both models feature excellent paint, great decals, and the levels of engine and interior detail floor mats. is Bird rolls on correct racing wheels with skinny fronts that we’ve come to expect from Auto World. And they present well together, although the Vette and big slicks, while the nicely detailed chassis includes drivetrain has the advantage off the line—just like at the strip! detail, “aluminized” exhausts, big traction bars, and separate fuel and Autoworldstore.com hydraulic lines. —Wayne Moyer Acmediecast.com

Classic Cobra Coupe Fashionable Flagship from an Industry Icon TSM Model 1965 Shelby-American Cobra Daytona Automodello 1934 Packard Twelve 1:43 | $75 Convertible Victoria by Dietrich Carroll Shelby was quick to realize that while the Cobra’s aerodynamics were OK for the shorter American racetracks, they would be an insurmountable handicap on longer European courses, 1:43 | $120 to $150ea so he entrusted Pete Brock to design a more aerodynamic body. e resulting “Daytona Coupe” Raymond Dietrich was a renaissance man in the truest sense. In won the 1965 World Championship for Shelby-American. TSM’s new Daytona Coupe is easily another time, he could easily have become one of those multidis- the best of the more than 30 1:43 scale Cobra models that I have. ere’s only one problem: CSX cipline artistic geniuses who mastered anymedium he worked in. 2299, the first of four Italian-built Coupe bodies, had the high point of its roof at the windshield, He, instead, established design language for brands as disparate as not several inches farther back as plans had it. Its roof was two inches taller, which is why Dan Studebaker cars and Gibson Guitars. But the 1934 Packard Twelve Gurney drove it. e “error” was corrected on the last three, making 2299 unique, and this mod- Convertible Victoria is surely among his masterworks. It is prob- el’s roofline is correct for CSX 2300, 2601, and 2602, but not for 2299. Its authentic Guardsman ably the most admired Packard ever built, and it helped Packard Blue paint matches chip samples perfectly. All other details, including the turning vanes on the survive—and even thrive—at the peak of the Great Depression, A-pillars, are dead on, and even the rivets holding the cover plates over the rear-end air exits when other prestigious brands folded. Automodello’s model are visible. Accurate seats have decal harnesses, detailed gauges are visible on the accurate comes with a folded tonneau cover or a full top for top-down or dash, and the fire bottle is where it should be. e wheels and knockoffs are especially well top-up display, and its gorgeous laser-etched parts and microcast done. is is a superb model; it just needs different race numbers to match the roofline. anks pieces show every bit of brightwork delightfully. Particularly im- to Wild About Wheels ([email protected]) for this beautiful Cobra Coupe. —Wayne Moyer pressive are the wheel spokes. e tan-over-red standard edition TSM-models.com is limited to 299 units and retails for $120. e triple-blue Tribute edition was built to celebrate the Packard Automobile Classics Flying B Soars over World Challenge 50th Annual Meet and is limited to 150 pieces. Automodello.com TSM Model Butch Leitzinger Bentley Continental GT3 1:18 | $235 When the Sports Car Club of America expanded the formula for its Pirelli World Challenge series to incorporate FIA GT3-spec cars into its top GT class, it opened up a whole new world of exotic top-tier competition. Cars that fans rooted for at Le Mans were now on display in the United States for a full season of racing at tracks across the country. Among the most interesting is a pair of Bentley Conti- nental GT3s run by Dyson Racing, with drivers Butch Leitzinger and Guy Smith. e jumbo-size Bentley might seem like an unlikely race car, but an extensive weight-savings program pared the weight down to 2,800 pounds, and its 600hp twin-turbo 4.0L V8 (restricted to 515hp in World Challenge) powers the Bentley to the front. ey joined the series in mid-2014, and by season’s end, they scored pole positions in the last three races. Leitzinger finished third at Sonoma, and Smith got the team’s first win the following race at Miller Motorsports Park. TSM’s replica is a sealed-body resin piece with all of the details of Leitzinger’s car as it raced at Sonoma. Delicate attention to the complex aerodynamic devices, wheels, brakes, and a full interior are just some of its features. It is available for preorder now, for delivery later in the year. TSM-models.com WINTER 2016 9

SHOWROOM at’s a What?! 50th Anniversary Imp AUTOart Gumpert Apollo S Imp Club 1963 Hillman Imp 1:18 | $232.95 1:43 | $37 Most Americans have never heard of Gumpert Sportwagenmanufaktur GmbH, but it has been Marque clubs are much more common in Britain than over here; building no-holds-barred supercars since 2006. e Apollo comes in three versions: e base it’s hard to think of a sporty English car that doesn’t have a club. Apollo gets 641hp from its twin-turbo 4.2 liter V-8 and can run 0–60mph in 3.5 seconds; the Sport In 1963, Hillman introduced the Imp, with its rear-mounted engine (“S”) version, still street legal but easily identified by its big wing, makes 690hp; and the all-out and expensive semitrailing arm suspension instead of more Race version makes a whopping 789hp! e engine is located amidships in the space-frame tube common swing axles. Its spritely handling, excellent mileage, and chassis with rear-wheel drive, and everything is wrapped in a carbon-fiber body optimized for room for a family (or 4 very good friends) made it an immedi- downforce rather than looks. AUTOart’s glossy black 2012 Apollo S model has 489 parts with ate sales success as well as a consistent winner in rallies and multiple opening panels, and the wind-cutting shape, multitude of scoops and vents, side aero tun- touring-car races. It’s still popular today with a strong marque club nels, and big carbon-fiber wing are exactly right. e nose lifts off, gullwing doors open properly, (theimpclub.co.uk), which had Corgi (Vanguards) revive their 1:43 and the entire rear deck pivots forward, while the miniscule luggage compartment door opens, too. scale diecast Imp with a serial-numbered, special-gold-paint run Suspension details, hydraulic bottles and lines, and cooling ducts are up front, while interior details for the Imp’s 50th anniversary. As you’d expect of a British car include accurate seats with belts, legible instruments and detailed console, and lots of carbon-fiber modeled by a British company, the overall lines and details of the panels. e aft part of the tube-frame chassis, rear suspension, correct “S” exhausts, and hoses smooth, nicely detailed diecast body are right on the money for with painted fittings are visible when the deck is lifted; much of the engine is hidden, but that’s the the first Imp. e special gold paint is very good, and the bumpers case with the real cars, too. Dimensions, like the looks, are virtually perfect. —Wayne Moyer and nave plates (wheel covers, to us Yanks) are plated, while exte- autoartmodels.com rior hinges and door handles are painted silver. Window surrounds are cast in relief but painted over. Interior details are molded in Abstract Duesey black plastic; upholstery patterns are accurate, but there are no inner handles or instrument details. Dimensions are a perfect Esval 1937/1940 “Bauer” Rollson Duesenberg SJ 1:43 scale. is collectible limited-run 50th Anniversary Imp is only available from the Imp Club. Email them at regalia@theimp 1:43 | $95 club.co.uk. —Wayne Moyer e Nazi government imprisoned highly successful abstract artist Rudolf Bauer shortly after he Wide Track Ragtop ordered a Model SJ Duesenberg chassis in 1937. References disagree as to whether this was Chassis 2405 or 2905 (more likely), but all agree that it was the last Duesenberg assembled. Bought out of Brooklin 1960 Pontiac Catalina Convertible jail by his patron, Solomon R. Guggenheim, the first thing Bauer did on arriving in the United States in 1940 was to send the chassis, along with his sketches for “the longest, lowest Duesenberg ever built,” 1:43 | $129.95 to coachbuilder Rollson, set up by employees of the bankrupt Rollston coachworks. e 2905/J397 Pontiac’s new “Wide Track” look was a sensation in 1959, is also the lowest-mileage and completely unrestored SJ, and there are plenty of photos to show how resulting in a 77% increase in sales that year. Even so, 1960 accurately Esval has modeled it. From the unusual grille and deliberately oversize mascot (specified models got new lower-body panels, and a more conventional by Bauer) to the rear-mounted dual spares and Vee’d bumpers, every detail is reproduced with grille replaced the ’59’s twin “nostrils.” Brooklin has modi- excellent scale fidelity with photo-etched and separate plated parts. e long body fied their ’60 Catalina “Flattop” body to make this accurate without running boards (again, as specified) is exactly right, and yes, the top Catalina Convertible. e overall shape is right on, and the really did stack like that—there was nowhere to put it. Bauer’s lavender- heavy white-metal body’s door-panel lines have been redone colored upholstery has accurate patterns; the soft carpet appears to be for the two-door convertible. e interior tub is basically new, fabric, not flocking; interior hardware is done with separate plated parts; and with correct door-panel lines, while the rear seat has been the accurate dashboard is complete with detailed instruments. ere’s also shortened to make room for new top bow compartments. some very good high-relief chassis detail in the baseplate, although only the exhaust has been painted. Needless to say, the big wire wheels are gorgeous, ere are also separate plated window cranks, front and rear. too. is is an exceptional model of an exceptional car. —Wayne Moyer e dashboard correctly remains the same, with a plated Esvalmodels.com instrument-panel insert (relief details haven’t been picked out, but the brushed aluminum center part of the dash hasn’t been done, either). Of course, a nicely textured top boot has been added. Brooklin’s authentic Coronado Red paint matches chip samples, but this model has just a little orange peel. All the major trim is done with separate chromed parts, but the long side spear is one piece without door-panel lines. Smaller details are cast in relief but painted over, although the Catalina scripts are missing from the front fenders. ere’s lots of good relief chassis detail in the baseplate, and the dimensions scale out well to 1:43. —Wayne Moyer Brooklin; distributed by brasiliapress.com 10 DCXmag.com

Fast Roller Best of Show 1935 Rolls-Royce “Jonckheere” Aero Coupe 1:43 | $41.95 e American lady who purchased this Phantom 1 didn’t take delivery, so Rolls sold it to the Raja of Nanpara, who later had Belgian coachbuilder Jonckheere replace its formal Hooper body with the most radical sheet metal ever hung on a Rolls. Besides the laid-back grille and airfoil fenders, the coupe had oval (almost round) doors and a long fastback adorned with a central fin. Many years later, it was painted with gold dust–impregnated lacquer and displayed as a sideshow attraction! ere have been a couple of expensive models of this car, but Best of Show (BoS) has done a fine job of modeling Anglo/Italian/American it at an affordable price. is is a big car—20 feet long—but the model matches photos from all angles Hybrid that I can find and dimensions are right on scale. Body details, including the rows of louvers that flank that fin, are crisply engraved, and the black paint is excellent. e windshield frame, wipers, and Neo 1954 Nash-Healey Coupe delicate license-plate frame are photo-etched, but BoS has held costs down by printing or painting the radiator shell, delicate “Flying Lady” wheel covers, and side trim in bright silver. Inside, the upholstery 1:43 | $68.95 matches photos, as does the wood-grain dash decal with its big white detailed gauges. Cranks for the fore-and-aft retracting quarter-circle windows are cast in relief but haven’t been picked out. ere’s no chassis detail, but BoS has given us an attractive model for the price. —Wayne Moyer A sports car with an agile British chassis, sleek Italian body, and Best of Show; distributed by american-excellence.com an American engine. Sound familiar? But we’re talking about a Nash, not a Cobra! From 1951 through 1954, you could order a Nash-Healey, with a Healey chassis and Pininfarina body, from your local Nash dealer. And special-bodied Nash-Healeys competed at Le Mans, finishing fourth overall in 1950 and third (behind the winning 300SLs) in 1952, both times winning their class. Neo has released this fine model of the 1954 Le Mans Coupe, so named for its 24-hour successes. e shape is right from any angle, the ’54’s three-piece wraparound rear window is done correctly, its resin body is crisply detailed, and the deep black paint is perfect. And every piece of trim is done with either plated or bright photo-etched pieces; that includes door-lock cylinders and the legible tiny Pininfarina badges. Clear “glass” makes it easy to see the equally complete interior detail: accurate upholstery, silver-painted relief inner handles and cranks, correct white-faced detailed gauges, and plated radio panel on the dashboard and chrome switches. ere’s no engine or chassis detail, but everything else is there, Award-Winning Cord in scale, with flawless workmanship. Dimensions are exact, Esval 1929 Cord L-29 Special by Hayes too; this is easily the best Nash-Healey model available in this scale. —Wayne Moyer 1:43 | $95 Neo; distributed by American-excellence.com Russian-born Count Alexis de Sakhnoffsky was already an award-winning designer when he came to this country in 1929 to work for the Hayes Body Corporation. His first project there was for himself: an all-new, sleeker body for the Cord L-29. Discarding everything from the radiator back, he lengthened the cowl, lowered the body, used flowing fenders to replace the running boards, and reshaped the tail. Shipped to Europe for the 1930 show season, the Count’s Cord took Best in Show at all three major Concours: Paris, Monaco, and Beaulieu. Esval’s new resin model should be every bit as successful. Its lines match perfectly; the Mountain Mist Blue paint is excellent; and every bit of trim, including all the very thin gold pinstripes, is there with great scale fidelity. e pinhead-size Cord badges are 3D with color inserts; the ex- ceptionally thin bars in the see-through grille, the windshield frame, and the vertical stripes on the rear are photo-etched, while everything else is plated. Under the highly realistic faux leather top, the accurate interior upholstery has separate plated handles and cranks with lots of realistic wood-grain decal trim where it should be. Cord’s push-pull shifter projects from the wood-grain dashboard, which also carries a full set Unsurpassed Power and Prestige of detailed gauges. ere’s good relief frame and suspension detail in the baseplate, but except for the green engine sump, Automodello 1932 Duesenberg J Murphy-body Torpedo Convertible it’s all unpainted blue resin. Get this one from Esval before they’re all gone! —Wayne Moyer 1:43 | $120 to $150ea esvalmodels.com In its day, Duesenberg proudly boasted that nothing else on the road could pass one of its cars. But Fred Duesenberg made sure that his company backed up the bravado with the most ambitious engi- neering and the quality standards to yield unsurpassed performance. And the company achieved it; the Model J churned out 265hp from its 420ci, DOHC 4-valve straight-8 engine and could hit 120mph at a time when virtually no other car could do 100mph. But that wasn’t enough; when the car was outfitted with a supercharger, power climbed to 320hp and top speed to 140mph plus. At those speeds, chassis stability was the challenge, and Fred died speed testing the machine you see here: the 1932 Duesenberg J Murphy-bodied Torpedo Convert- ible Coupe. Just six of them were built, making it among the rarest and most desirable Dueseys ever. And the price let you know it: It cost more than $15,000 when new, which equates to more than $260,000 today. But the boat-tail styling and the flashy mirror-finish deck looked like nothing else on the road. Automodello pays tribute with a series of meticulously crafted 1:43 replicas. e standard edition in green replicates the one on display at the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum, and is limited to 499 units at $120 each. Trib- ute editions in red or violet are limited to 85 units and are priced at $150 each. Automodello.com WINTER 2016 11

SHOWROOM New and Wonderful Superb Seville Spark 2014 Chevrolet Corvette C7 Neo 1979 Cadillac Seville 1:43 | $75 1:43 | $68.95 Virtually every American car magazine has—at last—hailed the seventh-generation (C7) Corvette as Cadillac introduced the “international size” Seville as a 1976 a world-class sports car. Smaller, lighter, with a mostly aluminum chassis, carbon-fiber body panels, model in early ’75. Its grille was changed to vertical bars for vastly improved seats and interior, and enough V8 to reach 60mph in 3.8 seconds and top out at 1977, and chrome Dayton wire wheels became optional in ’78. 185mph, it might not quite qualify as a supercar, but it’s close enough for most of us. Spark’s new With the body becoming quite long in the tooth, no changes resin cast is the first 1:43 scale C7, and there’s really no need for expensive handcrafted ones—this were made for 1979, so Neo’s excellent resin-cast model one pretty much has it all. Its resin body is smooth, crisply detailed, and matches photos and scale could represent either year. Its high-gloss black paint is su- drawings perfectly, while the authentic Laguna Blue Tintcoat color is as good as anything you’ll find persmooth, and the padded top is realistic. All the trim is done in the scale. e tiny Corvette badges are photo-etched pieces with color inlays; there’s no clear film with either plated or photo-etched pieces, and photos con- around them. Window glue strips were printed on the inside of the thin clear glass before it was fitted. firm that it’s all there; the tiny Cadillac crests are 3D pieces, All the photos that I found show the horizontal grille bar to be chrome; that’s the only detail that Spark but the ones on the C-pillars are just slightly too big and a bit has missed. Upholstery patterns and colors are correct, while the console face and big round gauges in too high. You can also read “by Cadillac” below the side Seville the instrument panel are fully detailed, too. Wheels have the “just right” alloy color; nicely done photo- scripts. e very thin drip rails and rear-plate surround are etched disc brakes with big calipers are visible behind them. e dimensions are correct on 1:43 scale, bright chrome, while the full-length rocker-panel moldings as well. Wild About Wheels ([email protected]) provided this gorgeous C7 model. —Wayne Moyer correctly have a “brushed” effect. Clear, flush-fitting “glass” sparkmodel.com makes it easy to see the realistic leather-colored seats with multicolored decals for the door-mounted switch panels. Neo Back Before Batman has also used a nicely done decal for the wood-grain dash and its legible instruments. e photo-etched wire wheels Minichamps 1955 Lincoln Futura and narrow whitewalls set off the basic black body, but like most Neo models, there’s no chassis detail. —Wayne Moyer 1:43 | $98.99 Neo; distributed by american-excellence.com e mid-1950s were the heyday of show concept cars from all the American manufactur- ers. Lincoln’s best-known and most successful show car, the ’55 Futura, debuted at the 1955 Chicago Show and stayed on the show circuit until 1959. ( en, as all car nuts know, George Barris turned it into the first Batmobile, but that’s another story.) Minichamps has released this drop-dead gorgeous resin-cast model in its American Dream Car Collection, and it’s just plain right in every respect. Every detail that you can see—from the many thin vertical grille bars and deeply hooded lights to the swoopy taillights and the “jet-exhaust” pipes—is there in perfect scale. e “Frost-Blue-White” paint contained several pounds of finely ground fish scale for a color-shifting irides- cent effect, and Minichamps has somehow duplicated it beautifully. All the major trim is chromed, while the Futura scripts are photo-etched. e famous double canopy is clear, making it easy to see the authentic two-tone upholstery, chrome trim with integral handles, and legible gauges and speedometer. Dimensions are as accurate as the looks. is sample was supplied by Jmmodelautos.com. —Wayne Moyer Picture-Perfect Packard Last Splash of Matrix 1954 Packard Panther Daytona Summer Spirit 1:43 | price NA Designer Richard Teague took a radical approach with the 1954 Grey Wolf (quickly renamed Motorhead Miniatures Panther) show car: He had the big body made as one piece of fiberglass. It was finished and Bikini Car-Wash Figurines trimmed out by neighboring Mitchell-Bentley Company instead of in-house, apparently to get the first car ready in time for 1954’s Daytona Speed Week. With a McCullough supercharger on 1:18 | $21.99 its straight-eight, Dick Rathman drove it to an (unofficial) 131-mph speed record for its class. Meet Rayna and Diane—the latest in Motorhead Miniatures’ Bikini Car-Wash Girls series of figurines. e weather might be ree more were built for the ’54 Show circuit, with “Daytona” added to the name. At the end of turning and car-wash season might be behind us, but in the 1:18 the year, two were restyled with longer rear fenders and ’55 taillights; one became the personal world, the sun can always be shining and your favorite muscle car of a Mitchell-Bentley executive. Matrix has modeled that car without its ungainly removable car, hot rod, or classic could really benefit by some TLC from hardtop, which emphasizes just how long, low, and sleek it was. Photos show that the shape these two. Like so many of Motorhead’s figure sets, these figu- and every visible detail—from the fluted headlights above the photo-etched grille to the slender rines add a whimsical touch to your diecast display or diorama. antennae above the “cathedral” taillights—are precisely correct. e flawless two-tone paint has Click over to the website and check them out, or peruse the razor-sharp separation lines. Inside, there’s two-tone upholstery with separate plated handles other series and sets. In addition to the figurines, the company and cranks, and all of the many instruments have bright photo-etched bezels around their de- has period-correct genre sets, mechanics, and law enforce- tailed faces. Check out the narrow band of copper-painted wheel between the wide whites and ment—all kinds of figures to help set the scene. And they’re the authentic wheel covers! e only thing missing is chassis detail. —Wayne Moyer available in multiple scales, as well. Matrix; distributed by acmediecast.com Motorheadminiatures.net 12 DCXmag.com



Gentleman PHOTO BY FRANÇOIS DE DIJON VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS Racers and Weekend Warriors THE GRASSROOTS TRADITION OF AMATEUR MOTORSPORTS I BYMATTBOYD n today’s world of corporate-sponsored professional motorsports, it is easy to overlook that auto racing originated with a small group of enthusiastic amateur sportsmen drawn to the thrill of competition for its own sake. There were no sponsors, and prize money for victory was a pittance compared to the expense—and the danger. These men raced out of passion for speed, not the desire for profit. And for the most part, they spent their own money to buy and maintain their racing machines. Then, as now, speed was often a question of money. Prestigious brands, like Duesenberg and Bugatti, built some of the fastest cars on the road or track—and they were priced accordingly. Well-heeled sportsmen—the first gentleman racers—spent lavishly to best their peers. Initially, most race-worthy cars were regular production models conscripted into track duty, but soon limited-production variants of street cars evolved, fortified with competition- oriented upgrades. Eventually, the purebred turn-key race cars were offered. Manufacturers recognized the profit potential in selling track-only specials alongside production models—a dynamic that persists to today. In the United States, the privateer racing tradition thrived in everything from board tracks to dirt ovals to speed trials and, later on, drag racing. In Europe, it carried on in rallying and endurance road racing, symbolized by the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the Mille Miglia, and the Targa Florio. American racing took a hit during the Great Depression, but in Europe, things proceeded much this way until the eruption of World War II, which suspended virtually all forms of organized racing. In recent years, a host of diecast companies have released scale versions of these early gentleman racers. Duesenbergs are particularly prolific, with examples from the Mints (Danbury and Franklin), Automodello, Ertl, Mattel, Minichamps, and TrueScale Miniatures (now TSM) being just a few. Bugatti is nearly as common, with Amalgam, Bburago, and CMC leading the way there.

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GENTLEMEN RACERS AND WEEKEND WARRIORS Jaguar’s XK150 (and predeces- sor 140) showed how stylish and refined a sports car could be. ey forced Chevrolet to bring the Corvette to market. e definition of class and elegance on the street, the XK150 was, on track, a 250-hp powerhouse in “S” trim. Aston Martin’s DB series were GENTLEMEN: RESTART YOUR ENGINES! coupes were plentiful and cheap to buy new or used. A capable GT cars. By the late ’50s, wave of small-displacement, affordable, track-ready DB 2/4 Mk III’s could be had Following the war’s conclusion, racing resumed, and sports cars surged out of Europe, joining already- with up to 195hp from their 2.9L amateur racing, in particular, experienced a postwar established premium brands. And regardless of inline-6 engines. renaissance. It was fueled by a booming economy, a style or price point, it seemed like everyone wanted flood of manufacturing firms large and small switching to race. Beaches, lake beds, and airstrips became back from wartime production to consumer goods, impromptu venues for speed trials. Sports-car clubs and the millions of young servicemen returning and road-racing circuits popped up all over. Some, like to civilian life with an appetite for adventurous Silverstone in England and Sebring in Florida, were built automobiles. In the states, V8-powered sedans and on converted WW II airfields. Britain was particularly prolific in sports-car PHOTO BY JOHN CHAPMAN VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS manufacture, but Germany, Italy, France, and, eventually, the United States all followed suit. Jaguar was quick out of the blocks with its XK120 in 1948, followed shortly thereafter by the XK140/150. Aston Martin entered the fray with the DB series, while makes like MG, Triumph, and Austin Healey vied for the lower-priced market. All saw more than their share of track duty. Lotus started producing tiny track specials during this time, but didn’t really hit its stride until the introduction of the Lotus Seven in 1957 (evolutions of which are still produced today by Caterham with up to 310hp!) and subsequently the Elite (Type 14) and the Elan (Type 26). Other track-specific brands, like Ginetta and Elva, earned respect in the amateur racing ranks. BMC’s diminutive Mini made a reputation for itself in rally circles, especially once the more sporting John Cooper models debuted in 1961—the same year Jaguar changed the sports car (and diecast!) world forever with the E-Type. Left: Brands like MG and Triumph served the more affordable end of the British sports-car market. Cars like the Triumph Spitfire were not abundantly powerful but offered excellent handling and defined the roadster experience in the 1960s. is Spitfire is Sun Star’s. Below: e E-Type Jag revolutionized the sports-car world in 1961 with its exquisite beauty and graceful performance. It remains dominant in vintage racing more than 50 years later.

e nimble little Giulia Sprint GTA embodied By the 1960s, Maserati’s all the best virtues of Alfa Romeo: stylish flair road cars were mostly grand tourers, in a compact, potent package. It was a scourge in the small- but the company still made dedicated displacement sedan classes. WhiteBox puts out this 1:18 version. sports racers, like the gorgeous little Tipo 61 “Birdcage.” CMC makes the best replica of the Birdcage in 1:18. VIVA L’ITALIA! classes in international competition, the TR winning Lancia really pushed the Le Mans outright three times (’58, ’60, and ’61) and the technology envelope forward Italy had an equally rich tradition of track-worthy GTO sweeping three straight FIA GT Championships, with the little Aurelia Spider, sports cars, and it recovered surprisingly quickly after 1962–64. Ferrari is, of course, one of the most modeled the war. Alfa Romeo had produced a slow trickle of 6Cs brands, as well, at nearly every scale and price point. which sported a V6 engine throughout the war years, which it continued through For years, Hot Wheels churned out popular classics and a rear-mounted transaxle. 1952. e 1900 served as the basis for a number of in 1:18 before Bburago won the license in 2015. CMC, Bburago does a nice entry-level sporty cars during the ’50s, while the little Giulietta Kyosho, and BBR produce select high-end 1:18s. Several performed well until it was replaced in the early 1960s companies do them in 1:43, as well, with IXO’s extensive model in 1:18. by the legendary Bertone-designed Giulia—Sprint/ library being one of my favorites. GTA variants of which are staples in vintage racing to PHOTO BY BRIAN SNELSON VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS this day. Maserati increasingly focused its road-car production on the grand touring segment to compete with the likes of Jaguar and Aston Martin while simultaneously developing dedicated sports racers, like the famous 1959 Tipo 61 “Birdcage.” Lancia aimed slightly lower but distinguished itself with technical innovation, particularly with its Aurelia, which featured the first production V6 engine, coupled to a rear- mounted transaxle with inboard brakes—advanced stuff for 1950! It worked on the track—Aurelias swept the top three places at the 1952 Targa Florio. But when it came to Italian racing, the purest pedigree belonged to the little Maranello-based company founded by the former Alfa race team manager turned manufacturer: Enzo Ferrari. Scuderia Ferrari began as Alfa’s customer race-prep facility— building cars for gentleman racers and privateer teams. Only when Alfa absorbed its racing operations back into the factory in 1938 did Enzo strike out on his own. Ferrari did not build its first production car, the 125 S sports racer, until 1947, and the first true non- competition road car did not come until 1949. Enzo famously said that he only built road cars to finance his racing operations, and Ferrari has continued to sell competition-prepped models to wealthy amateurs and privateer teams with great success. Models like the 250 Testa Rossa and the 250 GTO were sold as customer cars, and utterly dominated their respective e Ferrari 250 GTO is perhaps the ultimate example of a track special direct from a manufacturer. Nominally a variant of the 250 GTB, it was, in reality, a purpose-built racer and has since become one of the most valuable collector cars in the world. Kyosho makes a gorgeous one in 1:43 and 1:18 (shown). WINTER 2016 17

300SL sports racer, which took victories at Le Mans photo by Softeis via Wikimedia Commons and the Carrera Panamericana. Mercedes followed Porsche established its track German Engineering ReAscends the Gullwing with the legendary 300 SLRs, but those credentials with its very first were not sold to customer teams, and after the tragic model, the 356. Over the course German racing powerhouse Mercedes had been nearly accident at Le Mans in 1955, Mercedes withdrew from of its production, Porsche unstoppable in the years leading up to the war, but organized racing. Still, the production 300SL that released several more potent afterward, it—like Germany itself—needed some time debuted in ’54 enjoyed some racing success in private versions, including the Speed- to recover. Its first foray was in 1952 with the Gullwing hands by virtue of having translated much of the race ster. They are staples at track car’s technology to the showroom. days even today, and AUTOart’s 1:18 replica (shown below) is Meanwhile, the company founded by former VW among the best. engineer (and designer of the Beetle) Ferdinand Porsche released its first model—the 356—and, with it, began establishing a customer racing program that would become the envy of the world. The 356 remained in production until 1965, undergoing a steady stream of handling and power upgrades. It was joined by a dedicated sports racer—the 550—in 1953, and was succeeded by the most successful customer race-car platform of all time: the 911. AUTOart does a beautiful diecast 356 Speedster in 1:18. Stars, Stripes, and Checkered Flags “gentlemen,’” both sports were founded upon grassroots amateur competition. Ford’s proletariat Detroit’s primary postwar focus was horsepower, powerhouse Flathead V8 helped get things rolling, which was manifested in the fledgling sports of stock- and Detroit’s horsepower wars throughout the 1950s car racing (shepherded by the birth of NASCAR in 1948) powered both sports’ meteoric rise. and drag racing (guided by the NHRA, 1951). While it might be a stretch to call many of the participants Domestic manufacturers were somewhat slower When Chevrolet released the second-generation Corvette in 1963 with an independent rear suspension, the racing was on! The Z06 package upped the ante further with race-grade brakes, a 360-hp “fuelie” 327 and a jumbo 36-gallon racing fuel tank. 18 DCXmag.com

to embrace amateur Disco, New Wave, and the rebirth of In the 1970s and ’80s, the road racing. America’s the Everyman’s Sports Car Porsche 911 established signature sports car—the Corvette—remained on The 1970s marked the rise of Porsche as the dominant itself as the preferred ride of the sidelines throughout marque among amateur and privateer road racers—a amateur and privateer racers most of the 1950s, until reputation it enjoys to this day. It won everything Chevrolet contracted from showroom stock to rallying to FIA Group 5 with the world over—on road, on with veteran racer whale-tailed 800hp monsters! In the smaller classes, track, and even in rallying! John Fitch to develop a Japanese makes became a factor for the first time as Corvette racing program. the traditional small Brits faded into memory. BMW became a sensation, sparking the passion for the classic Fitch, who had piloted began to forge its modern reputation, first with its roadster that had lain dormant after the obsolete British a Mercedes 300SL to 2002 and 3.0CSL models, and later with the seminal roadsters disappeared from the market. Here was a victory in the 1955 M1 and the world-class M3. Lancia had become the car spunky, charismatic little 2-seater that had all the best Mille Miglia, guided the to beat in international rally competition with its wild traits of those charming MGs, Austins, and Triumphs Corvette to its first major Stratos, then with its Rally 037 and Delta models. Ferrari but was new, was affordable, and had dramatically successes—class wins had largely pulled back from sports racing to focus improved reliability. Sales exploded worldwide, and the at Sebring in ’56 and on Formula 1, although well-heeled privateers had Miata went from a sensation to a cult to a phenomenon ’57—followed by a class success with track-prepped versions of Maranello’s to a way of life. Now, 25 years later, it remains one of the win at Le Mans in 1960. dominant supercar: the F40 in the late ’80s. Jaguar most loyal customer bases in the auto industry. And When the Vette was worked mightily to adapt its more luxury-oriented it’s a natural-born track star. Entire racing series have redesigned in 1963 to XJS to racing, winning the Trans Am twice, but XJS cropped up for Miata competition. It’s the most common include an independent owners spent more time on the golf course than the vehicle in any autocross club. It’s the people’s track car, rear suspension and race course. By the mid-’80s, the Old Guard had largely turning legions of amateur enthusiasts into budget larger displacement been replaced. Chevy and Pontiac used the resurging gentleman-racers! engine options, it became Trans Am series to help establish the performance a force to be reckoned credentials of the Gen 3 F-bodies, as did Mercury for its Mazda singlehandedly revived the classic roadster and introduced a with. Meanwhile, racer Mustang-clone Capri, and the C4 Corvette established whole new generation to the joys of open-air motoring. The Miata is, turned manufacturer itself in showroom stock classes of various series. by far, the most common car seen at track days, including this one Carroll Shelby began driven by your author! (Photo by Pete Celona) mating Ford V8s to Then, in 1989, an amazing thing happened. Mazda, modified AC Ace roadster best known for its rotary-powered RX-7, introduced a Production-car road racing chassis to create the little 4-cylinder convertible , which captured the hearts brings together many first of the legendary of the enthusiast world. Virtually overnight, the Miata different street-car Cobras and, in 1965, set about turning Ford’s new categories into classes Mustang into a legitimate based on overall perfor- contender for sedan mance. It is here that you classes. There followed will often see sights like a succession of track- oriented ponycars—Z/28 nimble M3s duking it Camaros, Boss Mustangs, out against powerful V8 AAR Cudas—built to vie Camaros and Mustangs. for the SCCA’s fabulous Trans-Am championship. Roadgoing Corvettes are well represented in diecast, and there are a fair number of race versions, too. Spark produces the 1960 winner in 1:43, and AUTOart has issued 1:18 versions of the 1957 Corvette SS and 1959 Sting Ray racers. As for the Trans Am cars, GMP did a brilliant Z/28 a few years ago, and Welly did a cool Boss Mustang. photo via Wikimedia Commons winter 2015 19

PHOTO VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS Porsche sells a dozen versions of the 911, from mildly trackable road THE NEW MILLENNIUM AND BEYOND cars up through full-on customer race cars, and everything in between. e GT3RS street car (like this one from AUTOart) is little e Miata sparked renewed interest in amateur track more than a set of slicks and number decals away from a race car. days and autocrossing that has trickled down to other Carrera Cup cars are developed for Porsche’s bespoke racing series, brands, generating a breadth and diversity of track- but they are essentially FIA GT3 legal turn-key race cars. capable models for sale that rivals any previous era. Jaguar has refocused on track-ready performance, with is has happened just as America’s other grassroots cars like the XKR-S. It’s not as svelte as a classic E-Type, motorsports pastime—amateur drag racing—is on the but with 550 supercharged horses and electronically adjust- decline, and local tracks are closing up due to rising able active suspension, the XKR-S is a lot faster. AUTOart insurance costs, increasing property values, and nails it with this 1:18 version. decreasing interest as front-wheel-drive cars have taken over. But amateur road racing, autocross, and 20 DCXmag.com track-day events are going strong, and front-drivers can be seen in droves at such venues—where chassis balance is more important than launch traction. Honda’s Civic (and its variants) enjoys a particularly strong following, due to its light weight and high- winding VTEC motor. And the late S2000 roadster is a regular at track events, being a sort of Miata on steroids. European entries from resurgent Mini and VW also make their mark. e rally-inspired Subaru WRX and Mitsubishi EVO have established fanatical followings, and with their all-wheel-drive and torquey turbo powerplants, they are terrors on tight, twisty autocross courses. BMW has ascended the production-based ranks with its M division, and now rivals Porsche for sales with the affluent weekend-warrior set. e M3 sedan largely carries the BMW banner but now has been joined by M versions of the 5 and 6, as well as the Z roadster—essentially an upscale Miata. Even non-M Bimmers are forces to be reckoned with, and BMW owners are among the most likely to track their machines. Jaguar, although still large and luxury oriented, has recently refocused on track-worthy performance, offering “R” versions of its XJ; XK; and new, smaller F-Type. e XKR-S offers an even higher echelon of race-readiness in street trim. Porsche’s 911 comes in nearly a dozen levels of performance, ascending up to the naturally aspirated GT3 RS and turbocharged GT2 RS uber-911. e smaller, more affordable Boxster and Cayman midengine siblings are also supremely capable and frequent attendees at track days. Lotus

photo via Wikimedia Commons has re-established its motorsports cred with the of track-prepped Vipers, including the Competition Nominally a street car but with scalpel-like Elise, followed by a host of track-specific Coupe, ACR (American Club Racing), GT3-R and GTS-R 950hp available from its hybrid variants, like the Exige. Aston Martin has charged back racers, all available to customers. AUTOart has a nice power system and insane levels into competition with its Vantage, building it in GT4 and selection of race-prepped Corvette, Mustang, and Viper of grip available from its elec- GT3 trim with V8 or V12 power to make it legal for a replicas, but no one (yet) has a quality 2014 Z/28. tronically controlled suspension variety of classes. AUTOart is the go-to brand for first- and active aerodynamics, the generation M3s, as well as modern 911s, Jags, and the So where does it go from here? Who can say for sure, LaFerrari’s limits can really only Lotus Elise/Exige. with consumer tastes, be approached on a racetrack. economic conditions, and This 1:18 LaFerrari is one of the Ferrari has re-embraced privateer racing in a big way manufacturing trends all last models that Hot Wheels did with its one-make Ferrari Challenge series, producing a combining to determine before its Ferrari license ended Challenge variant for each of its midengine V8 models the availability of track- in 2015. over the last 25 years—348, 355, 360, 430, and 458. worthy vehicles. One thing In addition, for the ultrarich, track toy versions of its is certain: Right now, there Lamborghini has emulated its flagship Enzo (called the FXX) and 599 GTB (599XX) are more—and faster— Maranello-based rival and set have been made. Its newest hybrid hypercar entry, race-ready vehicles for up a spec-series featuring race- the LaFerrari, is nominally a street car, but with 950hp sale than ever before, and prepped versions of its street and sophisticated aerodynamics aboard, its limits can there are no signs of that cars. The series is called the only really be explored on a racetrack. And of course, letting up. Meanwhile, Super Trofeo; it started with the a track-only version called the FXX-K is offered for a robust vintage-racing Gallardo, but the featured model billionaire would-be racers. Lamborghini has emulated scene has kept a large is now the beautiful Huracán. its Italian rival with its Gallardo and Huracán Super number of classic cars—import and domestic—on the Trofeo models. Alfa has come back strong with the track where they belong. For now, the future looks dramatic little 4C coupe and roadster. Modern Ferraris pretty bright for weekend enthusiasts and amateur have been amply represented by Hot Wheels and racers. So when you’re not out there collecting the Kyosho, and will continue to be with Bburago. There diverse selection of diecast patterned after all of these have even been a couple of Challenge models made. fantastic track cars, get out there on the track yourself AUTOart, BBR, and TSM each have beautiful 4Cs. if you can! Domestically, Corvette has gone full-bore at reviving its racing heritage, returning and utterly dominating the GT ranks at Le Mans. Meanwhile, customer offerings, like the Z51 track package, high-performance Z06, and ZR1, have given buyers truly exceptional track capabilities available off the showroom floor. The Camaro’s return has been exploited in SCCA sedan classes, where track-prepped versions are perennial contenders against the likes of Mustang and BMW M3. And the return of the legendary Z/28 has brought one of the purest track cars ever to carry a Bowtie emblem. Ford served up a track warrior for the exotic market with its mid-2000s’ GT (and is about to again), turn-key factory race Mustangs under the FR500 program, and capable contenders in the touring-car classes with the ST and RS Focus models. More recently, it revived the Boss 302 and offered the Laguna Seca track package to counter the Z/28. Dodge continues to produce a string photo via Wikimedia Commons Lotus has a rich history of track special models. The Exige—based on the Elise—fits right in with that tradition. winter 2016 21

out of the box by Matt Boyd Less is More (Fun) for the New Benz Performance Flagship Maisto Exclusive Edition Mercedes AMG GT 1:18 | $45 (estimated) O nce upon a time, Mercedes was among the premiere marques when it came to multipurpose sports cars and grand tourers—vehicles that were exquisitely balanced, brilliantly engineered, and meticulously assembled. And while the quality of engineering and workmanship has carried through to today, the balance has shifted gradually but inexorably towards technology and luxury—characteristics that inevitably add weight, complexity, and cost, and often draw a car further from a pure sporting purpose. Even AMG— Mercedes’ in-house performance division—has become better known for its tremendously powerful, shockingly fast, but somewhat ponderous plus-size machines that can be ill at ease clipping apexes on a racecourse. That trend peaked with the considerably smaller thanks to The interior is two-tone black-over-red with plenty of metallic paint and trim. The dash is 2003–2010 SLR McLaren, an more flattering proportions. It well shaped, and there is more detail than you’d expect; the instruments are legible, and extravagant exotic capable of retains the SLS’s classic long nose there is even a recognizable image on the infotainment display. 210mph but tipping the scales with the cabin set far back, but at nearly two tons and costing the GT has more graceful, fluid more than half a million dollars. lines and a smoother transition But most damning of all was from the roofline through the that it wasn’t much fun to drive. backlight to the rear deck. To me, AMG refocused with the SLR’s the impression is of a car that successor: the SLS gullwing. It is more comfortable in its own was smaller, lighter, less powerful, skin; it isn’t trying too hard to be and less expensive than the SLR— unique. It’s still unmistakably and better. AMG is now rolling Mercedes, with its upright grille out the replacement for the SLS, and tri-star emblem, but the rest named (simply enough) the GT. is more relaxed. Maisto captures And again, AMG has downsized, it delightfully well as part of downpowered, and downpriced. its Premiere series—and in the Distilling down its grand-touring hobby-grade Exclusive Series formula further toward the that you see here. The casting fundamentals has yielded a is the same, but the external dynamically superior vehicle. differences on the Exclusive With the GT, AMG has, at last, version are the presence of reinstituted much of the balance side windows and blacked-out that has made classic Benzes wheels, and the deep red color equally at home cruising at speed, (Premieres are gold or silver). I got carving a canyon road, or shaving an exclusive look at the Exclusive tenths off a lap time at the track. Series prototype before it goes The GT is a true grand tourer in on sale later this fall, and it will be grand Mercedes tradition. worth your wait. Panel gaps are narrower than you expect of a The GT is by no means a small Maisto piece, and details like the car; in fact, at 3,650 pounds, it movable rear spoiler and laser- is only about 100 pounds less etched metal badges on the rear than the outgoing SLS and just 3 deck lend an air of upmarket inches shorter—although it looks 22 DCXmag.com

DETAILS LIKE THE MOVABLE REAR SPOILER AND LASER ETCHED METAL BADGES ON THE REAR DECK LEND AN AIR OF UPMARKET SOPHISTICATION. Mercedes hides the twin-turbo 4.0L V8 under a cosmetic panel; Maisto does a fine job sophistication. Only the solid e floorboards are hard plastic, depicting the bit of hardware that there is to see with separate molded pieces and strate- plastic vent and grille inserts with but they are painted flat black to gic use of metallic paint. mesh surface patterns hint at its cut down on shine and to simulate being entry level. floor mats, complete with logos. e interior has an upscale e same color adorns the rear feel, too, starting with doors that compartment under the hatch; have hidden hinges with firm it is convincing enough, but it detents. e AMG logos on the sills is, otherwise, rather plain back are decals, but they have a nice there. semimetallic sheen to them. Seats are molded in hard plastic and well e engine presentation is painted in two-tone black and de rigueur for most modern red with additional metallic frame performance cars: a stylized accents. Seatbelts are separately engine cover that hides virtually molded out of flexible plastic with all of the actual running gear of painted buckles. e black-over- the twin-turbo 4.0L V8 beneath. red two-tone continues through the console and dash, accented e powerplant is a departure by more metallic semigloss from the SLS, which used a paint and trim. e deeply naturally aspirated 6.2L V8 and sculpted instrument cluster has cedes 80 peak horses to it, but respectable gauge detail, as well. the boosted 4.0L matches the 6.2’s torque of 479 lb-ft—and it delivers it across a much broader WINTER 2016 23

The carpeted areas on the floorboards and under the rear deck are simulated with tex- you want to see more. other performance machine tured flat black paint to decent effect. More interesting are the movable rear spoiler and Ground-effects panels cover is piling on the power and the the etched badges that really make the model feel upscale. pounds and charging a premium most of the chassis, so there isn’t for the privilege, the AMG GT is rpm. This might explain how the aluminum color), and there’s an much to see when you flip the GT a welcome step in the opposite GT handily outhustles its big intake vent near the passenger’s over, except for some respectable direction. A little lighter on the brother (it’s half a second quicker side wheel well, which could be detail on the exhaust system. scales and a lot lighter on the to 60mph and maintains that the intercooler inlet or a cold-air As is Maisto’s practice, the coil checkbook, the GT, nevertheless, advantage through the quarter induction vent—it’s hard to tell. springs are functional, although manages to produce more driving mile) despite the horsepower That is no failing of the model: they are too stiff to allow the excitement and fun in the bargain. deficit. We can see just a bit of the Maisto does a nice job depicting car to settle much in ride height. It’s a stunner to look at, it’s a riot intake hardware at the back of what there is to see in the GT’s That’s OK—the stance is about to drive, and it’s a Mercedes, so the engine bay (painted a realistic engine bay. Blame Mercedes if right as is. The Exclusive edition’s it will be rock-solid reliable and polished black double-five-spoke impeccably built down to the wheels look sharp, with good minute details. It’s wonderful, detail on the rim placard and the then, that Maisto has brought it’s tri-star center cap. The only miss A game in reproducing it. Once (and I’m quibbling here, given upon a time, Maisto was firmly the price point) is that the same ensconced in the entry-level diameter is used for front and diecast market—great value but rear, whereas the real GT has with a few sacrifices necessary staggered sizes (19s in front, 20s to keep prices down. There are out back). Detail on the optional fewer such compromises in carbon-ceramic brake rotors and this new generation of Maisto red calipers is also impressive. models, and the hobby Exclusive Tires lack sidewall markings edition is a welcome nod to us but are, otherwise, convincing enthusiasts. And the price is still replicas of the GT’s Michelin an outstanding value. Get one, Pilot Sports—right down to the and be as impressed as I am. staggered width. SOURCE FINAL THOUGHTS Maisto.com In an age where virtually every ONSLHIONPE www.DHSDIECAST.com 800-591-1171 107 Karl St. Berea, OH 44017 ONSLHIONPE www.DHSDIECAST.com 24 DCXmag.com



OUT OF THE BOX BY MATT BOYD Raucous and Ravishing Retro Rocket AUTOART PERFORMANCE SERIES ALFA ROMEO 4C 1:18 | $130 U pon laying eyes on the Alfa Romeo 4C at the New York Auto Show in 2014, my first impression was “Wow. ey don’t make ’em like this anymore!”—except, of course, Alfa just did. e 4C is real. And it’s for sale. In the USA. Finally. It’s the first Alfa available stateside in more than 20 years—that alone makes this little beauty a big deal. And what a car to usher Alfa’s return! It embodies the essence of the brand perfectly: beautiful and quick, light and nimble, and a little bit raw. is is the kind of car Alfa made when it was forging the reputation we know and love. at it managed to pull it off in 2015 with all of today’s safety and emissions regulations is borderline miraculous. And it was by no means a sure thing. e car was originally slated to arrive here more than two years ago, but the modifications necessary to the European version to make it legal for sale here—including extra carbon-fiber reinforcement to the crash structures, door-mounted airbags, and engine programming—took more time than anticipated. Such an adaptation often dilutes the essence of a vehicle, adding weight and dulling its reflexes. Not so with the Alfa: It comes to market at a trim 2,400 pounds, with scalpel-like steering, micrometer-precise brakes, and enough boost flowing into its raucous 4-banger to rocket the 4C to 4-second 0–60 sprints. It is, for all intents and purposes, a 3/4-scale version of an old-school Italian exotic car. LIFE WITH A 4C ISN’T GOING TO BE EASY, BUT IT WILL NEVER BE BORING. THAT’S WHAT MAKES IT SUCH AN APPEALING MODEL. 26 DCXmag.com

It’s appropriate, then, that the the second of AUTOart’s new The Alfa’s cockpit is stylish, but the focus is on driving precision rather than comfort. Alfa also arrives with a few of series of composite-body 1:18 AUTOart captures its purposeful look, with excellent detail on the seats and gauges. the vices one might expect of models. Like the Aston Martin a mini exotic: It requires some we showed you last issue, the athleticism to shimmy over material makes for a first-rate the doorsills; an absurd lack visual impression. On the Alfa, of rearward visibility means it also happens to add to its reversing depends on luck authenticity because the full- rather than skill; and the barely size 4C’s body is also plastic. muffled exhaust means that The 1:18 version trades the your passenger likely won’t carbon-fiber tub for a metal be able to hear your squeals of subframe beneath the body, delight as you throw the car into to which items like the door a turn. It is also one of the purest hinges, steering mechanism, track-ready cars that you can and wheels are anchored. The buy—ideal for the latter-day construction is actually rather gentleman racer! similar to that of the real car in that sense, and it gives the model So keen is AUTOart’s eye a sturdiness that you might not for maximum-appeal modern expect of a composite piece. But sports cars that it has become the plastic allows tighter door the de facto authority for seams and finer body-line detail them in diecast. Its catalog is than traditional cast metal can packed with exotics, but even provide. And the etched metal among such exalted company, trim, beautiful lensing, and other the Alfa stands out—not only finery that we have come to because of its stunning looks expect of other AUTOart models but also because this is just carries through here. Open those tightly gapped doors to admire a tight cockpit laid out with driving (rather At just 1.7L, the 4C’s engine might be down on displacement, but lots of boost helps it muster 237hp. AUTOart doesn’t let a composite body deter it from delivering an opening engine compartment. than comfort) in mind. The steering wheel connects to the front wheels without power assist, giving a visceral precision in keeping with the 4C’s character. AUTOart details it—with its Alfa badge center button—and the instrument panel behind it expertly. These two features are the two bright spots in an otherwise uniformly (and realistically) gray interior. The aggressive sport seats are especially nicely molded. It’s worth noting that the Alfa forgoes a traditional gear lever and clutch pedal for paddle shifters, denoting the presence of a dual-clutch semiautomatic transmission— the biggest departure from its retro character. The remaining two pedals are floor-hinged, and AUTOart gets this detail spot-on, as well. The Alfa is the second composite model in AUTOart’s lineup but the first of them to feature an engine compartment WINTER 2016 27

The Alfa’s voluptuous curves wheels are gorgeous and give give it the look of an old-school a nice view of the cross-drilled exotic, in 7/8th scale! metal brake rotors and bright red AUTOart’s 1:18 scale replica calipers. captures it perfectly. FINAL THOUGHTS that opens. Carefully lift the rear here. The slick hinges that the nothing that compares with hatch and rotate the convoluted hatch rides on are small enough the voluptuous curves of the The Alfa Romeo 4C is one of prop rod into place to view to miss, but they also deserve body. AUTOart does some of those cars that inspires infatu- the cargo compartment and notice. the best tires in the business, ation. It’s a torrid love affair on spunky little 1.7L turbo-4—or and its representation of the four wheels waiting to hap- at least its cover and a bit of Aerodynamic efficiency staggered width and diameter pen—passionate, volatile, and a its peripheral hardware. The dictates a flat undertray for the Pirelli P-Zeros shows why. They little reckless. It’s not a machine secret to squeezing 237hp out of Alfa’s chassis, so there is little are mounted on striking circular that tolerates complacency. Life just 106 cubic inches is boost— to see on the underside of the spoke wheels that, to my eye, with a 4C isn’t going to be easy, nearly 22psi of it—and the turbo model. The tray does have a evoke the old Campagnolo but it will never be boring. That’s plumbing responsible is what couple of well-crafted NACA “telephone-dial” wheels from what makes it such an appealing catches the eye in the engine bay ducts with fine mesh, and the the 1970s and ’80s. AUTOart’s model—its shape oozes per- rear suspension peeks out, but sonality and excitement. I really liked AUTOart’s first composite model, but I flat-out love this one. The composite construc- tion looks great, works great, and allows AUTOart to sell it at a lower price than its metal-body cars, which is always welcome. If Alfa’s tradition of stylish perfor- mance and character is appeal- ing to you, this model should top your holiday wish list. SOURCE Autoartmodels.com 28 DCXmag.com



out of the box by Matt Boyd Colin Chapman’s Cutting-Edge Coupé WhiteBox 1960 Lotus Elite S2 1:18 | $34 Perhaps no automotive designer has ever been so singularly dedicated to a philosophy— or so ambitious in its pursuit—as was Lotus’s Colin Chapman in his commitment to minimizing weight. He was fanatical about it. He was also a genius. And his unrelenting quest did more to push forward racing technology than any designer of his time. But his fascination with “adding lightness” was not limited to the racetrack. It pervaded his road-going creations, as well, and one of his most progressive was the 1958 Lotus Elite. Conceived originally as a revenue generator to help finance the Lotus Formula 1 team, Chapman’s engineering ambition soon outpaced that plan, and Lotus lost money on every one of the roughly 1,050 Elites it built. The profit-eating culprit was also its most innovative feature. Chapman eschewed a conventional steel frame for the Elite—in fact, he rejected a frame altogether! Rather, he chose a fiberglass three-piece monocoque made rigid by box sections—the first time such a design had been used on a road car. 30 DCXmag.com

e three-piece fiberglass monocoque was light and rigid, giving the Elite exceptional reflexes. WhiteBox’s model is light on the wallet but presents like a more upscale replica. WINTER 2016 31

Top: One of the only metal pieces on the chassis was in the dashboard area that sup- The only metal in the design was delivers beyond what I expected ported the steering column. The model uses plastic but is nicely appointed. Middle: The a reinforcing steel hoop tying of a $34 model. tiny little 1.2L Coventry Climax inline-4 could be ordered in various states of tune. The together the roof and sills, and model carries the single-carb intake, but detail is excellent for the price. Bottom: The sheet steel below the windscreen The engine space is also fiberglass monocoque was prone to fatigue at the rear suspension mounts. The model to support the steering column. impressive. Elites used a has no such concerns, being diecast metal construction. The design achieved the primary tuned version of the Coventry objective: the Elite weighed Climax 1.2L inline-4, specially a scant 1,100 pounds. But it tuned by Lotus. S2s enjoyed a was devilishly difficult—and tuned exhaust and enlarged expensive—to manufacture, and carburetors, good for as much it was prone to fatigue. These as 110hp in some models. Sadly, factors conspired to bring about this car is equipped with just its retirement in 1963. a single carburetor intake It’s light weight (and resultant rather than the high-output power-to-weight ratio) and configuration. Still, the detail superb balance—particularly is impressive, with its properly with the rear-suspension painted valve cover complete revisions introduced in the with embossed Coventry Climax Series 2 in 1960—made it a scripts and logos. Ignition natural for the track. Although wires are a welcome surprise it was never campaigned by at this price; the coil and the Lotus directly, privateer teams radiator plumbing complete the scored an astounding six presentation. consecutive class wins at the 24 Hours of Le Mans (from 1959 The chassis plate is where through 1964) and countless the model’s economy nature victories in a variety of other is most apparent. There is fair series. Surviving examples detail on the exhaust system, are still highly competitive in oil pan, and rear axle but little under-1.5L classes, and its slick else of note. The wheels and tires 0.29 coefficient of drag puts to are a different story. The spoked shame most modern sports 15-inch-diameter wheels and cars. In addition, it’s as beautiful skinny 155-width Pirellis of the as it is fast, making it an ideal S2 are well presented. There are subject for diecast. WhiteBox no sidewall markings, but the has rendered the Series 2 in 1:18 tread width, pattern, and aspect (although it seems a smaller ratio look true to life. The spokes scale due to its tiny dimensions). are a touch thick, but that isn’t Elites frequently came with a serious flaw, and the matte contrasting two-tone paint metallic finish is nicer than the schemes; the silver-over-red chrome you might expect. is attractive and nicely applied, although perhaps not the first FINAL THOUGHTS choice for a classic Lotus. Still, its smooth application presents The Elite is a statement of well above the model’s price purpose and intent for Lotus, point. Brightwork is represented even if it didn’t do precisely by chromed plastic—bumpers, what Colin Chapman intended. It window trim, and head- and overperformed on the road and taillight bezels. on the track, making far more of a lasting impression than had it The Elite had style inside, as been a less ambitious but more well. The upholstery is vinyl; profitable venture. We remember Dunlop supplied the seats, and and admire it today for what it the custom-designed dashboard is and does, not what it grossed. had a sleek sweep to the WhiteBox continues to impress instrument panel. The seats are with its tremendous value; this molded from soft-touch plastic is a charming and satisfying with a matte finish, and while piece with more detail than the dashboard panel is chromed expected, and its asking price plastic, there is some gauge detail undercuts many models that are present. It had a modern look for less interesting and less skillfully its day, which the model captures executed. Fans of Lotus history nicely. The only clues to the car’s will be happy having this one in vintage are the tall shifter and their collection. the upright emergency-brake lever. Overall, this Elite’s interior SOURCE WhiteBox; distributed by American- excellence.com 32 DCXmag.com

8 1991 Mazda 787B #55 Le Mans 24 Hr Winner 1:12 Resin Model #TSM151201

out of the box by Matt Boyd The P1’s active aerodynamics produce an astounding 1,300 pounds of downforce at speed. 34 DCXmag.com

The Only “1” That Can Make You Forget the F1 TSM Model 2013 McLaren P1 1:18 | $210 T he title of “World’s Greatest Supercar” is, by nature, a fleeting accolade. The relentless march of technology inevitably produces quicker, faster, more nimble, and more coveted exotics. The pace of such advances can be dizzying, and as such the bragging rights are seldom held for long. But there is an exception to any rule, and in 1992, McLaren introduced a truly exceptional machine: the F1. That car’s capabilities were so far beyond its contemporaries that it was utterly unchallenged atop the supercar world for its entire production run—and for many years after. In many respects, in fact, it had yet to be surpassed, at least until the arrival of its successor—the car you see on these pages. It took McLaren 21 years to decide to craft a the aforementioned competition. To accomplish it, replacement for the F1. Perhaps it was moved by McLaren not only brought its technical expertise, the advances that Porsche made in the 918 Spyder? which is world-class, but also had to temper that Perhaps the LaFerrari spurred the company to act? tech with subtlety, smoothly integrating its various Whatever the inspiration, crafting the heir to the advanced systems into a seamless whole. Mission most dominant supercar of the last half century accomplished. would be a monumental task, particularly given WINTER 2016 35

Above: Doors swing open butterfly- The P1 is without question the systems mating a gasoline strikes the right balance between style—a clear nod to the P1’s forebearer. quickest production car McLaren engine with a supplemental aggressive and tasteful. It is more Below: The rear wing rises up out of the has ever built—and a contender electric power to muster 900hp distinctive and interesting looking rear deck at speed, and it trims out when for the quickest production car plus. But the P1 is far from just a than the 918 or the LaFerrari the DRS is activated. by any manufacturer. It, the 918 powerhouse. It uses the 177-hp but less otherworldly than, say, Bottom: The tiny forward compartment Spyder, and the LaFerrari turn electric motor to fill in the gaps in a Pagani or a Koenigsegg. And makes room for the air channels that aid essentially identical 9.8-second the twin-turbo V8’s power curve it has the familiar proportions front downforce. quarter-mile times, all with trap and eliminate turbo lag, yielding of its progenitor, the F1. And speeds right at 150mph, and all seamless thrust at any rpm. this particular model is bathed 36 DCXmag.com of them lap a road course within Its advanced hydropneumatic in a color that evokes McLaren a couple of ticks of each other. suspension is interlinked with family tradition, going all the All three employ hybrid power the engine-management and way back to the brand’s Can-Am stability-control systems and racing days in the late 1960s. the active aerodynamic devices, It’s called “Volcano Yellow,” but allowing ride height and damper there’s a clear nod to McLaren stiffness to be dialed to suit Orange in there. The application driving preference. In “Race” is delightful, with the fine metal mode, the suspension drops flake beautifully accenting down two inches and stiffens, and the P1’s dramatic swoops and the pneumatic rear wing extends curves. It contrasts nicely with a foot up out of the rear deck for the expanses of carbon fiber. maximum downforce—reportedly McLaren is one of the pioneers over 1,300 pounds of it at speed! in the use of carbon fiber, and Traction and stability systems it remains a master in that are curtailed, allowing track- construction medium. The nose, appropriate levels of wheelspin tail, roof, and side panels all use and sideslip. There’s even a large unpainted swaths of it as a “DRS” (Drag-Reduction System) styling element, which TSM nails button that trims the wing out perfectly. for less drag on straights to aid The doors butterfly up just like overtaking, à la Formula 1. All this the F1’s to reveal a race-inspired on a street-legal production car! cockpit. There is a lot more TSM produces an impressive visible carbon fiber in here, and array of McLaren replicas—road surprisingly little of the frippery and race, in multiple scales, that you normally associate with from past and present. The P1 a $1.2 million supercar. There is a is unquestionably McLaren’s stereo and a navigation system, flagship. Given its capabilities but why? As fast as the P1 gets and dramatic styling, it seems you to your destination, are well positioned, in the coming you really going to risk taking years, to rival the mighty F1 in your eyes off the road to read an terms of collector appeal. When infotainment screen? And the it comes to diecast (and the P1 is seats are manually adjustable! diecast metal), looks obviously There are a handful of business matter more than performance, buttons, switches, and dials on and it helps that among today’s the steering wheel and center bumper crop of hypercars, the P1 stack—reminiscent of the inside of a Le Mans racer but more refined. The P1, of course, uses a paddle-shifted dual-clutch transmission, and there are two slotted-metal pedals plus a large dead-pedal foot brace in the footwell. All in all, the interior is businesslike, and TSM captures it with superior authenticity. The hatch in the nose lifts to reveal yet more carbon fiber plus a tiny cargo area with a small emergency kit inside. Up front are the air-extractor channels ducting to the scoops in the deck lid, contributing to the P1’s superior downforce numbers. The hybrid power system—the 3.8L twin-turbocharged V8 coupled to the 177-hp electric motor—is mostly left to the imagination, however, as the rear deck and engine cover

does not open. You can see stops on the P1’s stopping power. The cockpit is purposeful, with paddle shifters, acres of carbon fiber, and race-grade what amounts to a carbon The carbon-ceramic rotors are switchgear. fiber–style cover through the coated in silicon carbide for rear window, and it has narrow extra durability, giving them like an evolution. This car isn’t a I’m getting my money’s worth. It slots in it that hint at some an obsidian-like black mirror passionless technomarvel the comes in a few colors, but to my mechanical bits beneath, but shine—very cool looking!—which way some others are. That makes mind, this one, which hints back that is the extent of the engine TSM gets just right. And they it a more compelling model, as to McLaren’s past, is the one to detail on the model. The design can produce more than 2g of well, and TSM’s replica evokes get—even if they do insist on of the system is fascinating to stopping force. The brakes live some of the same connections. calling it “Volcano Yellow.” me, but it’s doubtful that much inside a set of aircraft aluminum That the company executes it would be visible even if the wheels wrapped in Pirelli P Zero so well is almost secondary, but SOURCE cover did open, and that added Trofeo R tires—essentially, it is still reassuring to feel as if Tsm-models.com complexity certainly would DOT–legal race tires. As the have significantly driven up the P1 is rear-drive only, they are model’s price. aggressively staggered—245/19s Cars like the P1 always have in front, 305/20s in back. TSM aerodynamic undertrays, which gets the differing widths and shield much of the suspension diameters perfect, and the and drivetrain bits from the treads look great. air—and our gaze. As such, chassis detail is limited to the FINAL THOUGHTS brakes, wheels, and tires, but those three deliver the goods, The hypercar segment is big-time. Let’s start with the an odd one to judge. The brakes. They are made by prices, exclusivity, and Akebono—the same firm that incomprehensible dynamic builds brakes for McLaren’s capabilities make them a Formula 1 team. McLaren wanted challenge to identify with, and the P1 to be able to hot-lap at so, they are sometimes hard the track all day without the to connect with. Not so the P1. worry of the brakes fading, so Perhaps because it seems like it had Akebono pull out all the such a direct continuation of the legendary F1, the P1 seems more WINTER 2016 37

out of the box by Matt Boyd the “Church of M” by returning to splitter and a wing on the rear its race-ready roots with an M3 deck, blacked-out BBS wheels Celebrating 25 Years that comes closest to the spirit and trim, and a different exhaust. of “M”agnificence of that original E30: the 2011 M3 The Jäger orange, so familiar to GTS. fans of BMW’s touring cars over Kyosho BMW M3 GTS the past 40 years, is smooth 1:18 | $179 (estimated) BMW built just 150 examples and even, with a nicely rendered of the GTS, all bathed in carbon-fiber roof panel. F rom its inception in 1986, BMW’s M3 was in many Jägermeister orange (rumor ways the epitome of the modern dual-purpose has it, in fact, that that was the The list of internal changes is vehicle, a machine sold for the street but honed for project’s internal codename), considerably more extensive. the track, with a competition character and capabilities to and each cost the equivalent of The interior has been stripped of complement drivers with the wherewithal to purchase it about $175,000. Still, BMW had superfluous items, like the back and the skills to wield it. In other words: It was the perfect no trouble selling all of them to a seat, sound system, and A/C gentleman’s racer. That first M3 (known by its internal gross of eager gentleman racers. controls. The front seats have platform designation “E30”) was rare and rambunctious— Based on the V8-powered E92 been replaced with carbon-fiber born of a mandate that manufacturers build 5,000 street- coupe, the GTS underwent units—covered in fine flocking on legal examples of any car that they sought to homologate extensive upgrades to become the model. There’s a four-point for Group A Touring Car competition. That car’s chunky the ultimate road-going M3 roll bar in place of the rear seats, fenders and rowdy 4-cylinder engine were derived directly produced to date. Kyosho has and the driver gets a six-point from the Group A formula. The spunky little coupe struck a lovely E92 tooling in 1:18, so a racing harness to supplement chord with enthusiasts, and BMW ended up selling 18,000 scale version of the GTS is the the conventional seatbelts. The of them and, in the process, created a cult of “M” devotees. perfect way to round out the latter are, oddly, not present line as the company (it is hoped) on the model, although the prepares a replica of the 2014+ blue racing-harness straps F80 M3. The model carries the are partially visible folded up door placards and windscreen banners of BMW’s press-demo GTS, so it looks just like the car that appeared in all the magazine features and road tests. External modifications to the already excellent casting include a deeper front Subsequent models—the E36, great as the M3 has grown to be, E46, and E92—have become purists—including those within progressively more refined even BMW itself—recognized that as they got faster, trading some it lost a little something in the of their rawness for luxury and process. So BMW celebrated the technology and, in the process, 25th anniversary of becoming what many feel is the best all-around do-anything automobile you can buy. As 38 DCXmag.com

Out come the backseat, stereo, and A/C controls; in goes a roll cage, a pair of carbon- e big orange intake plenum is just the beginning of the changes underhood. e fiber seats, and a set of racing harnesses—all of which Kyosho replicates nicely. displacement is stroked out to 4.4L (from 4.0), with a corresponding bump in power and torque. ere are even edjustment knob covers for the adjustable suspension! in the rear, next to the factory correctly represents with a two- deletion of sound insulation and underhood, as well, starting with fire-extinguisher bottle. e pedal arrangement, a stubby the substitution of lightweight a fully adjustable suspension, GTS comes only with BMW’s console lever, and paddles polycarbonate for the rear which can be altered for camber, M-DCT 7-speed dual-clutch behind the nicely detailed quarter windows and back glass. caster, shock stiffness, and transmission, which the model steering wheel. Invisible are the ride height. e giant orange ere are plenty of changes THE MODEL CARRIES THE DOOR PLACARDS AND WINDSCREEN BANNERS OF BMW’S PRESS DEMO GTS, SO IT LOOKS JUST LIKE THE CAR THAT APPEARED IN ALL THE MAGAZINE FEATURES AND ROAD TESTS. WINTER 2016 39

The most obvious difference between the GTS and the garden-variety M3 is the tall wing It is effective; the only miss is the of interest visible, save the at the rear, but Kyosho nails the subtle stuff, too—like the beautiful titanium exhaust lack of a metallic finish to the rear-suspension subframe and system. cam covers. But there are lots the beautiful titanium exhaust of details—big and small—that system, which is unique to the intake plenum cover is just torque across the rev range. It’s a are done right: Pictograms on GTS. the beginning of the engine densely packed engine bay and, the fluid-reservoir caps, the modifications. Beneath it lurks as is typical for Kyosho’s modern covers on the shock-tower- FINAL THOUGHTS a V8 that has been stroked cars, is represented by a deeply suspension adjustment knobs, from 4.0 up to 4.4L, with peak molded plate with a strategic use and the ducting from the hood The GTS is a legitimate spiritual power up to 444hp (from 414) of paint and add-on pieces to vent into the airbox are just three successor to the original M3 and resulting in increased create the illusion of a 3D engine. examples. and timed perfectly to coincide with the car’s 25th birthday in From the beginning, M3s 2011. It’s the ultimate expression have been at least as much of the E92 road car, which just about handling as they have begs to be exercised at the about power, and the GTS is track. That BMW only built 150 no exception. It sheds 150+ means that most will probably pounds from the standard M3, be sequestered away as collector and the track-ready adjustable cars rather than driven with the suspension is well detailed passion they deserve. Kyosho’s on the chassis, with (slightly) model reproduces that passion compressible springs up front. in scale, and has managed The GTS wears wider rubber to capture the final E92 as a than the standard M3, mounted supremely appealing replica. This on special 19-inch-diameter upcoming year will be the M3’s BBS wheels. Kyosho’s rendering 30th anniversary. This GTS is so of those rims is exquisite, with good that I can’t help wondering delicate spokes and the signature what BMW—and Kyosho—have in BMW roundel center caps. The store for us! open wheel pattern also yields an excellent view of the up-size SOURCE Brembo cross-drilled brakes. The aero undertray leaves little Kyosho; distributed by CarvilleModelShop.com 40 DCXmag.com



CtAheMARO THE REAL BEGINNING OF THE PONY CAR WAR BY ALAN PARADISE “F or every action, there is an equal and opposite and short rear deck. e Camaro was created using the same formula. reaction.” Sir Isaac Newton’s third law of motion e Mustang’s marketing plan was all about the youth market, with an describes the forces of nature that keep all things eye toward improving brand awareness with female buyers. Chevrolet in balance—a counterpart to every entity. For every mirrored that approach. e Mustang’s allure was born as much on the track as it was on the street. Not needing to reinvent the wheel, the yin, there is a yang; for every snake, there is a mongoose; and for Camaro team sought to beat Ford at its own game. us, an amazing rivalry was born. every Mustang, there must be a Camaro. e history of the Camaro is e development of the name “Camaro” was vastly different in its steeped in competition. When Ford introduced the Mustang, Chevrolet effect and origin than its cross-state rival. e Mustang was the first in a wave of vehicles named after horses, later followed by Bronco had no model with which to answer. When Bill Mitchell, General and Pinto. e name “Camaro,” on the other hand, was created to follow with the “C” theme (Corvair, Chevelle, Corvette). e actual Motors’ Head of Styling, was given the go-ahead to create a viable Camaro tag was a combination of possibilities from a brainstorming list. Chevy’s marketing team, at first, claimed that the name had personal sports coupe as a competitor, it was no holds barred. roots in the French word for “friend,” akin to the Spanish El Camino e parallels between the Mustang and what would become the Camaro were strikingly similar. e Mustang’s project name was “Cougar.” e Camaro’s project name was “Panther.” e Mustang was based on the preexisting Falcon platform. e Camaro was to share the Nova frame and chassis. e Mustang was designed with a long nose Still kicking asphalt after all these years, the ZL1 Camaro is the latest high-performance edition of the classic brand. e model is truly international in nature, being designed in the United States, engineered in Australia, built in Canada, and sold around the globe.

Legacy name. Chevrolet Competition claimed that it was named for a vicious When you consider, however, that 1967 Mustang sales dropped by creature known to attack horses in the wild. Decades later, GM more than 22 percent (despite a redesign and the first big block engine admitted that it made up the word “Camaro” because it sounded cool option), the presence of the Camaro takes on far greater meaning. and hip. So while Mustang started a Ford trend, Camaro was more Over the next three model years, Camaro sales increased, while about extending a Chevrolet theme. Mustang deliveries continued to fall. The showroom battle between the two rivals spilled out onto numerous racetracks, most notably in Trans After the summer of 1966 press introduction (closely followed by Am and NHRA Super Stock competition. Pontiac’s unveiling of its Firebird), GM let Ford know that it was game on—the image contest of Camaro versus Mustang had begun. In There was one new and very important place were the Camaro September, the first Camaro television ad hit the national airwaves. It made its mark: store shelves. In 1968, Mattel introduced its Hot Wheels was a lavish, big-budget two-minute affair with an erupting volcano, brand of diecast cars. Among the first wave of models was a Custom flowing lava, and flying rocks as a SS350 emerged from the special Camaro—a 1967 (albeit without the wind wings) featuring a raked effects. The ad was cheesy by today’s standards but quite exciting for stance, mag-style wheels, and Spectaflame paint. Like the other its day. original “Sweet 16” Hot Wheels, the Camaro was a major hit and helped plant the new Chevy into the hearts and minds of the next generation Looking at the numbers, one might question the Camaro’s impact of full-size car buyers. on the Mustang —it sold roughly one Camaro for every two Mustangs. WINTER 2016 43

The Chevy pulled out all the stops when the Camaro Camaro was launched, including pacing the 1967 Indy Legacy 500. The special SS Convertible was put on tour after the event, alongside the 1968 SS350 and Z/28 due out in September of that year. One of the first Hot Wheels was a 1967 Custom Camaro. It was one of the new diecast line’s top sellers and played a major role in endearing the car to a future generation of car buyers. In 2015, Mattel and Chevrolet teamed up to create a full-size version of the car. Chevrolet banked on the including the potent new LT-1 sales also dropped. robust Pony Car space turned second-generation Camaro 350 in the Z28 model. There Over time, the second- Camaro from a rival to a victor. to be a game changer, and in was, however, a disconnect Each year since 1972, horsepower many respects, it was. Released with buyers as sales dropped by generation Camaro found its ratings dropped due to stiffer midmodel year in 1970, the sleek nearly 100,000 units. This was stride—despite an oil embargo, EPA standards, automobile new body (two inches longer and more a sign of the times, though, UAW labor unrest, and a faltering insurance rates, and a shift in one inch lower) and an improved than an indictment of the vehicle, economy. The European-inspired social direction. With the Middle chassis was mated with more as Mustang sales fell off by about design held up well, especially East oil embargo, buyers began powerful engine combinations— the same amount and Firebird in the landmark year of 1974. paying more attention to mpg Two major changes in the once GENERATION F: Styling has always played a primary role in the evolution of the Camaro. Chevrolet’s designers have found key connective cues that kept buyers coming back for each generation and iteration, from the popular 1969 to the new 2016. 44 DCXmag.com

than mph. Ford, believing that it The 1969 Camaro has become, far and away, had the answer to this quandary, the most popular model. Over 240,000 Camaros were made a bold move: It stopped production of the traditional sold in ’69—19,000 of which were Z/28 models. Mustang. In its place, Ford rolled out the new Mustang II, which years after a true Mustang was offered. Was there a revolt? new Tuned Port Injected (TPI) shared many parts with the returned to the market. This Hardly. The new Camaro blew the 5.0L V8 engine that put out Pinto economy car. This was also was the “downsizing” of the sales doors off previous model 215hp. the final year of the Barracuda Camaro—although the look of years and outsold the Mustang and Challenger models—leaving the car did not give away that for its first four years—1982 Camaro sales continued to Camaro and Firebird as the last it was on a wheelbase seven through ’85. The economy was keep an even pace. A convertible remaining Pony Cars, prompting inches shorter and three inches in a good place, and gasoline model, the first since 1969, was a boost in sales. Ford had the last narrower. It also marked the first prices had come back into line. offered in 1987. The Camaro laugh, however, as it promoted time that a 4-cylinder engine Performance cars were hot returned to racing in many the Mustang II as the first “mini again, and the Camaro was in forms, most notably in the IROC Pony Car” en route to its biggest the right place at the right time. series as well as IMSA and a Mustang sales year since 1967. The Z28 was joined by the new return to Trans Am. Diecast IROC-Z in 1985 and debuted a makes also found the third- Chevrolet wisely did not generation car somewhat follow Ford in downsizing the appealing mostly in 1:43 and Camaro. The way Chevrolet saw 1:64 scales. After a number of things, the Monza was a more steady sales years, Camaro sales appropriate competitor to the began to lag. Armed with global smaller, wimpier Ford. Camaro’s sales trends and information sales and popularity held fast that Ford was about to release a through the “disco era.” Little completely redesigned Mustang, changed on the Camaro’s build Chevy made a preemptive strike sheet. Few refinements were with an all-new Camaro in added, and horsepower fell to a 1993. The new Generation Four low of 170. That still outgunned design was slippery and more the mini Mustang, and the athletic looking than the model Camaro finally outsold the Ford outright for the first time in 1977 and 1978. For 1983, the third-generation Camaro finally arrived—three Auto World is one of many brands that have produced a First Gen Camaro in 1:18. WINTER 2016 45

THE CAMARO LEGACY it replaced. It also offered a more Right from the introduction, Camaro made its mark on drag strips and road tracks across America. Competitors like Bill “Grumpy” Jenkins powerful 275-hp engine option cultivated an army of loyal Camaro fans. in the Z28. on a concept car based on was developed and joined the Not long after the Camaro was e following year, the the remarkable popularity of coupe on the circuit the following seen at auto shows, the diecast SN-95 Mustang was released, the first-generation model. season. is only added fuel versions started showing up in and suddenly, it was like the Drawing from the 1969 model, to the fire and desire for a new department-, toy-, and hobby- late ’60s all over again. e far and away the favorite of Camaro. Not entirely by chance, store display racks. Camaro-Mustang rivalry had enthusiasts, the coupe had an Dodge unveiled its retro- returned in earnest with truly eerie yet modern resemblance designed Challenger Concept As Ford had put its retro- high-performance models, and to the ’69 SS. An Australian GM that same year. designed Mustang into once again, the street, strip, Holden Zeta chassis was the production in 2005 and as Dodge and track were ablaze with our foundation for the 2006 Camaro Once again, Mattel helped sell started taking deposits for its favorite Chevy vs. Ford battles. Concept that debuted on the the Camaro image. Even before new 2008 Challenger, Chevy North American Auto Show the concept car was finished, put the development of its fifth- e fun continued throughout circuit. e public reaction was Chevrolet had licensed the shape generation Camaro in the hands the ’90s until the dawn of the so overwhelming that a for a new Hot Wheels release. of Holden in Australia. On March 21st century. A market shift convertible version 16, 2009, the Camaro went back was once again in swing as into production at the Oshawa the Camaro was beginning to Assembly Plant in Canada, be seen as a relic. Sales fell; alongside the Impala and interest diminished; and the model, once a halo of the Chevy Bowtie, had lost favor—even within the glimmering towers of General Motors’ headquarters. e decision was made to kill the Camaro. One last marketing ploy was put into place to make 2002—the 35th year of Camaro production—the last hurrah. ere were two models offered: a standard V-6 and the SS. Both were produced in coupe and convertible. On August 27, 2002, the final Gen-4 Camaro rolled off the Canadian Boisbriand line—GM’s last remaining North American plant outside of the United States. After which, the plant was closed. A funny thing happened on the way to oblivion, however. A resurgence of what was sparked a renewed interested it what could be. ree years after the “final” Camaro rolled off the assembly line, the Chevrolet design team started working e Camaro’s racing heritage manifested itself into diecast, especially its Trans Am heritage. e 1968 and ’69 versions are classic GMP products, while the 1997 is from Lionel/Action. 46 DCXmag.com