New additions : 14 january 2011

Here's my january edition of new additions! Lots of new Hot Wheels, and a few others that were missing for a long time. I want to thanks folks from MCCH who helped me to find these cars!

Maisto Dodge Ram 1500

Quite a great casting for a Maisto! Nice wheels, great tampos and a cool color. Only actual 1:64 latest Dodge Ram. 

Maisto Scion xB

Again, an awesome new casting from Maisto. This one is missing a few tampos on the front, and wheels could be a little better. As every Maisto, windows are badly black. But it's the only 1:64 new Scion xB replica, and quite rare :)

Matchbox LesneyRover 3500

A long long time wanted that i finally found at a reasonable price on eBay. This casting has only been produced once in this cooper color (a few can be found in yellow, but they're sold around 350$ each), and is quite elusive. Even more, having one near mint is even more harder to get. With a working sunroof, it's definitly one of my favorite casting, of a quite rare england car. I'm a huge fan of these old 70's-80's sedans!

Matchbox Nissan Fairlady Z

Casting coming from 1979, this one is for filling a hole in my collection. I already had the 300ZX of the same years (Kidco), but didn't have the japanese version. As a old Matchbox, it is an awesomely done casting, with opening doors. Those wheels are quite strange for a Matchbox though, they are really small.

Johnny Lightning Plymouth Fury '67

A high wanted one, already got the Police version a few weeks ago. This is one of the longuest 1:64 i've seen! As every JL, it is very high detailed, with tampos and opening hood. Those wheels are new (or rarely used). The driving wheel is huge! Color fits really well for the car.

Corgi Junior Citroen Dyane

The Dyane always intrigued me.Kind of a rip-off of a 2CV.... This one is also a quite rare casting, one of the older Corgi(s). Pretty much well done but lacking a bit of details, such as lights or black bumpers? It is a big too big for a 1:64 though, as it is the small size of the Ram 1500.

Hot Wheels Dodge Charger R/T 2011

First of a few HW castings i was missing.Clearly not one of the best of 2011s, but still not bat. Problem is, it doesn't look like so much the real car... And tampos are in the wrong place. I mean, those black stripes are cool, but where are the lights? Front calander is awesome though.

Hot Wheels Ford Mustang Boss 302 Laguna Seca

Awesome casting of an awesome car. Definitly my style. This black & red combination makes it look a bit evil, and the front bumper is indicating some racing in the air. Red wheels makes it look agressive. Tampos would have been welcomed though... but it's definitly a needed one.

Hot Wheels Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4

Now this is clearly one of the best looking cars of 2011. Style was already announced with the Reventon and the last editions of the Murcielago, but this one is stunning. Lines are so much agressive but well-balanced, and the orange color looks like it's burning hot. Hot Wheels reproduced it very well, and is clearly one of the best add in this batch. YOU NEED IT!

Hot Wheels BMW M3 GT2

This new casting of 2012 is the racing version of the M3 introduced in 2011. It's a neat reproduction of those LM racing cars. Racing tampos are greatly applied, but a few lights could have been added (although racing cars don't always have these). The rear wing is somewhat cheap and plastic, but was needed. A great new casting for 2012 overall.

Hot Wheels Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

The new Camaro ZL1 is a stunning car, looking soooo powerful. With this huge bumper, agressive hood, hidden headlights and red/black paint, it's ready to burn down some rubber. Problem with the HW casting is its cheapiness... it looks like fragile! Rear tampos could have been added too. Still a neat addition to my Camaro collection.

Hot Wheels Ferrari FF

The Ferrari FF is one of the strangest looking car released in 2011. The "chase break" style has already been used a few times in the history (Volvo P1800es), but it's the first time that it's applied to a Ferrari. The result is... quite good, but still strange. The front calander is also quite strange, looking "vulgar" for a Ferrari. But although i'm not sure about the real car, the diecast replica is admirably well done by HW, and is needed in any collection!

Hot Wheels Volkswagen Sunagon

Released in 2011 as a re-tool in the "Hot Ones" serie, the Sunagon has been one of the most elusive Hot Wheels in the market. The original ones (from the beginning of the 80's) are sometimes the most expensive Hot Wheels regulars you can find. This new edition offers brighter colors than the original one (that was brown). This is a great classy HW, with the opening roof and motorcycle at the back. A casting that i needed for a long long time.

Hot Wheels Ford Falcon Race Car

Finally, this is one of the first Hot Wheels introduced in 2012. Aussies are quite happy with this one, although it isn't a great casting. Looks plastic, the interior is quite horrible (what's with that big plastic rollcage?). The design tampos are not bad, but are missing on lights. I'm not sold on this one, but australian cars are rare, so it's welcomed in my collection.

Which one is your favorite? Thanks for looking! :)

[Italian Classics] Countach's legend.

The Lamborghini Countach is certainly one of the most legendary Lamborghini. It has been listed by Sports Car International as the #3 of the Top Sports Cars of the 70s, and as #10 of the Top Sports Cars of the 80s. During its sixteen years of life (from 1974 to 1990), only 2500 cars were produced. It also popularized some sports cars trends still used today, such as the sharply angled look and the cabin-forward design concept. It has also been done many times in all scales of diecasts.

How it started

1971 Concept.

The name Countach is an exclamation of the Piedmontese language, generally used when a man see a beautiful woman. Designed by the legend Marcello Gandini of Bertone (designer of the legendary Miura), the Countach was a wide and not very long car. It is still recognized as the most outrageous Lamborghini designed in the history. Scissors doors were giving an astonishing effect. Main problem of the cas was its reliability... a thing that mainly improved in new Lambos (especially when Audi bought the brand.) The Countach uses a tubular space frame, as in the racing cars. It gave a small weight of only 1400 kg, mainly because of the fiberglass body.

The original LP400 one.

The first prototype of the Countach was the LP500: introduced in 1971 in the Geneva Motor Show. It even had NASA air-ducts on the side! The original Countach was sunflower yellow, but we often see red or silver color. The Countach entered in production with the code-name LP400 in 1974, with a 353 hp engine. It had a narrow front end, easily distinguable from the further series. Lamborghini only produced 158 units from 1974 to 1977.

In 1978, the LP400S was introduced. The most important changes were the common-see front and rear spoilers. Wider tires were also added at the back of the car. The car was renamad as LP500S in 1982, and the engine was upgraded to 4 liters to 5 liters. It's the most "common" Countach encountered. In 1985, the car was finally introduced in America, with a basic price of 100 000$ (that was a lot of money in those years!). The engine had been upgraded to 420 bhp, with the same original weight.

How can you resist to such a beautiful car?

Last Countach produced.

The final Countach was the one introduced in 1988, named the 25th Anniversary Edition. It is recognizable by its way more futuristic style, and its usual color was the flashy silver. Car has only been produced for 2 years, before being replaced by the Diablo in 1990.


Diecast time!

Of course, the best diecasts of Countach has been done by Kyosho or AutoArt, but eh, they're really expensive, and i prefer having less expensives diecasts, but at least have them! The older diecasts of Countach i have are the Majorettes one. Introduced in the 200 line as the number 237, the Majorette has mainly been produced as a racing Countach, but there's also a rarer stock black one. I had this one when i was a kid, but it was so much in bad state that i recently decided to restore it. I added a few details such as the front and back lights. I also tried to keep the original color, even if it's an odd color for a Countach. The green interior is a bit odd too... But it's an overall nice one.

I bought the racing one last year in a big Majorette lot. I'm not a fan of this casting, as it is somekind unrealistic and with bad tampos. The rear spoiler is also horrible. That's more of a "for-kid" casting.

2 Majorettes together.

On the other hand, Matchbox made a LP500S replica in 1985, and it survived in the line until 2000. I have the red 1996 edition, and i must say it's a really well-done casting, even if some of those Tyco years Matchbox were awful. Tampos are missing and the wheels aren't a so-good fit with the car, but the overall feeling of the real one is really well reproduced. I have this one since i'm a kid, and i'll surely keep it.

The latest diecast i have is a replica of the 25th Anniversary edition offered by Hot Wheels in its Speed Wheels line last year. In my opinion, this is the definition of an awesome casting. Wheels, painting, the overall shape... it really looks like the original one. I was reluctant to buy it because i already had 2 Countach at this time, but tentation won when i saw how much it was well-done. Even tampos are high-quality.

Enjoy the pics! :)