VITESSE 1/43 JAGUAR XK8 CONVERTIBLE - METALLIC AQUARMARINE GREEN

This is a nice Jaguar from Vitesse, with great wheels and a good interior. The headlamps and the wing mirrors are nicely done. Shop here

KYOSHO 1/18 FERRARI 250 GTO 1962 STREET BLACK

The 250 GTO was designed to compete in GT racing. It was based on the 250 GT SWB. Chief engineer Giotto Bizzarrini installed the 3.0 L V12 engine from the 250 Testa Rossa into the chassis from the 250 GT SWB and worked with designer Sergio Scaglietti to develop the body. After Bizzarrini and most other Ferrari engineers were fired in a dispute with Enzo Ferrari, development was handed over to new engineer Mauro Forghieri, who worked with Scaglietti to continue development of the body, including wind tunnel and track testing. Unlike most Ferraris, it was not designed by a specific individual or design house. The rest of the car was typical of early-1960s Ferrari technology: hand-welded tube frame, A-arm front suspension, live-axle rear end, disc brakes, and Borrani wire wheels. The five-speed gearbox was new to Ferrari GT racing cars; the metal gate that defined the shift pattern would become a tradition that is still maintained in current models. The interior was extremely basic, to the point where a speedometer was not installed in the instrument panel. Many of its switches came from the Fiat 500, and it was said that as the car was rushed into production, the original cloth seats were made from workers' overalls. Shop here

This car has the following features: open door, hood, trunk, has steerable wheels.Workable steering wheel. Rubber tires. Made of diecast with some plastic parts. The interior is extremely detailed.

IXO 1/43 MASERATI SPYDER - CAMBRIOCORSA 2002

These rather nice Maserati casting are produced in special branded Maserati packaging. This Giallo Grantorismo showns nice touches, including grille. Shop here

CORGI - JEEP TOWER TRUCK

The basic 409 Forward Control Jeep, fited with a swiveling pantograph-type lifting hoist, at the end of which was a yellow nylon moulded cradle. The model shown on plate 137 is of the revised version, later sold on its own, when Corgi Kits, which included the Lamp Standard, were discontinued. The lamp standard was an example of the design team’s imagination and was one of the 606 Kit Set items. The painted electrician figure was moulded in vinyl.

MATCHBOX 1/64 '70 VOLKSWAGEN T2 CLASSIC BUS

This 1970 Volkswagen Kombi van makes a nice addition to any movie die-case vehicle collector as an unofficial release of the Libyan Kombi van that terrorists shot Doc and chased the Delorean being driven by Marty in the shopping centre car park near the start of Back to the Future. Not sure if it is the exact same year Kombi but it is the same colours. The roof even looks like it should open up for terrorists to pop out with machine guns and gun down Doc. Doesn't have the extra headlights above the bumper, not sure if this necessarily means its the wrong year or that Matchbox just didn't include to that detail, or maybe the lights were added to make the Kombi chase scene more menacing by producer Steven Spielberg or director Robert Zemeckis.

It's a nicely made vehicle by Matchbox which also comes with a nice bonus box to put the Kombi van in if you open it from the blister pack. It does display nicely in the blister though with a nice image of the Kombi on the blister card as well. This displays very nicely next to the Johnny Lightning diorama Back to The Future Great Scott...Its a Time Machine with Doc's van, the Delorean time machine, and the Marty, Doc and Einstein figures.

These were released in 2010 and sold in shops for about double the price of a normal mass produced Matchbox vehicle. --James N Simpson   Shop here

VANGUARDS 1/43 MORRIS MINI - 45th ANNIVERSARY

The Mini was first produced in 1959 and was was so successful production of the car lasted until 1999 and although the car was updated, the general look of the Mini changed very little during it's 40 years of production. In total over 5,300,000 were produced.

Celebrating the 45th anniversary of this venerable motor, Vanguards issues a maroon model with black roof inlay in its BMC/British Leyland Collection. Side and rear views appear convincing, if somewhat squat, but we are unconvinced about the front view. Shop here

EFE 1/76 BRISTOL VR III OPEN TOP - NEW FOREST TOUR (SOLENT BLUE LINE)

This model, with its sunny eye-catching City Sightseeing livery, should attract tour bus collectors. It is serving route 149, taking in the New Forest and surrounding area. The model carries fleet number 901 with a registration number of UFX 857S. Shop here