September 2002 - November 2002 Archive
30-November-2002 The Minichamps NA website has been updated with the first pictures of the James Bond "Die Another Day" models in their individual boxes. Also a picture of the exclusive Minichamps NA released Racers Group Porsche 911 Le Mans 2002 models which is limited to 811 pieces !
Unfortunately due to other commitments there will be no further updates until Friday 6th December.
23-November-2002 It seems that BMW are making the release of a Safety Car an annual event - remember the Z8 from last year ? Well this year the model is an M3 version in a similar livery part number 80 420 145 804.
Also some good news for Jordan fans, both the 1/18th scale Schumacher 191 and the Jordan 193 & 194 history sets will be released this side of Christmas.
21-November-2002 Some further news on those BMW Mini promotional models we featured yesterday. The models were originally produced in every colour combination (around 20 variations) for use at the recent NEC Motorshow on the Mini stand.
They are now supplying a set to every dealer in the UK for their use and are NOT to be sold as they have been advised that no replacements will be available. In the new year a further three models will be supplied of the Cooper S in the colours exclusive to the Cooper S.
20-November-2002 A couple of BMW Mini promotional models appeared for sale on eBay this week - the differ from the non standard Minichamps releases in so much that they contain a different style of printing on the base of the models. It seems that they are being supplied to BMW/Mini dealerships to be used as promotional items when showing potential new car customers the multiple colour options available on the new Mini.
If you bear in mind that there are approximately ten colours for the car which can be ordered with either white, black or body coloured roof means that there must be approximately thirty different colour combinations for this model however they are not supposed to leave the dealer networks so obtaining them will be very difficult.
18-November-2002 Yet another promotional model has surfaced, this time a 1/43 Prost AP04 celebrating Jean Alesi's first point for the team at the Monaco Grand Prix on the 27th May 2001. The model comes in a high box complete with a driver figure and is limited to 999 pieces - the good news is that it is available via a French model magazine for only 49 Euros plus postage.
Whilst on the subject of promotional models Ivo Beuken the top Dutch Minichamps collector has updated his comprehensive Minichamps database with photographs of those Bridgestone models we featured a few weeks back. Click Here! to view them.
16-November-2002 I received my delivery of the Audi Hattrick set this morning which can only be described as fantastic ! As an individually numbered limited edition of only 2,002 pieces it will no doubt become one of the most collectable "giftsets" in years to come so if you haven't ordered one yet then you had better not hang about. The part number for this gem is 2.00.000.01411.
If you want to order the Audi boxed 2002 Infineon R8's the part numbers for these are as follows :
Whilst on the subject of Audi Minichamps will produce the 2002 ALMS 'Petit Le Mans' Audi R8's of Tom Kristensen's winning 'Audi Sport North America' car product number 400021382 and Stefan Johansson's 'Team Champion' car product number 400021338.
The James Bond "Die Another Day" 1/43 three car giftset goes on sale shortly but will only be limited to 5,002 pieces which makes you wonder if Minichamps have got the number right on this occasion. You don't have to be a genius to work out that they are going to sell like hot cakes when you consider that the film goes on general release next week plus the popularity of James Bond memorabilia as a collecting theme. It seems strange to me that they produce 11,111 for the Verstappen Test Car which they have difficulty shifting yet cut back on something that will sell.
15-November-2002 It seems even dealers have been getting ripped off by so called "collectors" in Japan who purchased the M-Creative models in bulk only to sell them on at a massive profit ! In one case a dealer is even selling the models for LESS than he paid in order to recoup his losses and has even given his customers who initially purchased the models at the higher price a "store credit" of $100 due to the fact that he felt that it wasn't fair once he slashed his prices on the models (Well done Michael at Exclusive Diecast !)
14-November-2002 I hope that this will be the final post in relation to those M-Creative models and we can finally put the whole thing to bed so to speak. It seems that the eight different models (yes there are eight in a full set despite what some sellers are claiming on eBay !) were shipped to M-Creative in plain plastic high lid boxes with a black base in the standard white Minichamps cardboard six pack. These items were all issued with individual product numbers which were printed on the small white box and larger outer PMA carton. These product numbers were as follows
Here comes the interesting part - the inlay cards were then printed in Japan and added with the little plastic figure which begs the question : how do we catergorise these models ?? Perhaps Code 1 models in a Code 2 box ??
12-November-2002 If you are going to order the 'HP' sponsored BMW dealer edition Williams models in 1/43 scale from your local BMW dealer you will need the following part numbers :
Also for those of you who are little unsure how eBay actually works then here is your first lesson in how to use it to your advantage - check out Auction #1 making note of the buyer and the price, now check out Auction #2 noting the seller and the final price........if it was only that easy !!
11-November-2002 It seems that Minichamps have come to their senses and scrapped all the Senna Steiff Bears they had planned to release apparently due to a lack of orders.
The good news however is that the Minardi PS02's of both Davidson & Webber (5th Place Australian GP 2002) will be produced as worldwide releases in 1/43 scale and are expected to arrive around March 2003, possibly to coincide with the Australian GP. There will also be two additional Saubers produced for both Heidfeld & Frentzen which ran at this years US Grand Prix - these differ from the standard cars due to the fact that they carried a different front wing configuration and sponsor.
Now some even better news relating to those M Creative models ! A large number have failed to attract a single bid on eBay whilst large numbers remain unsold on dealers shelves - one dealer has even slashed $450 US off a set of seven models which highlights just how much profit is being made on them and proves that our campaign is having an effect. The longer you leave it the lower prices are bound to fall as at the end of the day it's all about supply and demand, and if there isn't any demand they can't rip us off. As I've said before with over 1,000 pieces to go at for some of them it's obvious someone is stockpiling them and sooner or later they will have to sell them to recoup some money.
One interesting point too - Minardi's run on Michelin tyres so why no model ??
07-November-2002 Here's something that sums up how the majority of collectors feel at the moment. Click Here! to see what I mean, then click "refresh" a few times !
06-November-2002 As you are aware the main topic of conversation over the last couple of weeks has been the Japanese released Michelin models and the extortionate prices already being charged for them on the secondary market. I felt so strongly about the whole issue that I even sent an email off to Minichamps at the weekend to make Paul Lang aware of not only my feelings but those of many other collectors worldwide.
These particular models were always going to be difficult to obtain however what got most peoples backs up was the fact that M Creative had no intention whatsoever of selling the full allocation on the Japanese market - this became apparent at the rate by which they were appearing at dealers outside of Japan in such a short space of time after their release.
What Minichamps fail to realise is how these "Japanese only" releases actually affect their profits in the long term. Let's do some quick sums - Paul's Model Art probably made around £6-7 profit on each model when they were sold to M Creative. Once they hit the shops in Japan at around £25 each M Creative will have probably made £12 per model and shipped the unsold ones on at an even larger mark-up. The dealer wants to make his profit so they are now priced £100+. If someone buys one at this price it's £100 less the collector has to spend on standard releases hence Paul Lang sells four less models than he would have done which means a quarter of the profit he would have made normally.
As well as shooting himself in the foot Paul Lang also has quite a few disgruntled customers out there in "diecast land" at the moment. Here are just a few extracts from some of the many emails I have received over the last week :
"It is really putting me off collecting to the point that I have considered selling all my models. What's the point in collecting if I am going to have gaps in my collection because I don't want to spend extortionate amounts on models........."
"Something really needs to be done about this as it takes the fun out of being a collector..........."
"got to agree with you and everyone else that I have spoken to about all these specials. Its getting to the stage now where I am not buying anything from Minichamps at time of release, I am waiting until prices steady themselves. If Minichamps are not careful they are going to have the true collectors switching to BBR or similar. Okay BBR models cost around £100 but at least you are getting something handbuilt and limited to around 50 pieces.........."
02-November-2002 I've just visited eBay and quite honestly can't believe the number of the so called "rare" Michelin models up for sale at the moment. What amazes me is the fact the some people are allowing themselves to be ripped off by speculators (polite description) who are buying these models in bulk and are then holding people to ransom by selling them at ridiculously inflated prices.
As I pointed out yesterday 1,000 pieces of anything isn't difficult to get normally but what makes it harder with Japanese only releases is not the language barrier but due to the fact that Japanese dealers will not ship outside of Japan so the large majority of collectors are not on a level playing field at the start. The result is the racketeers buy in bulk and the proceed to rip off other collectors.
Only a couple of years ago Minichamps.com commissioned a Jenson Button Williams model especially for the Motorshow which was limited to 1,000 pieces worldwide - the difference here was that it was £20 and available worldwide to anyone who wished to purchase it. These Michelin models are worth no more than £30 each so why be prepared to pay more ??
01-November-2002 Well it didn't take very long for those M-Creative models to arrive in Europe did it ?? As I predicted the models are now available outside of Japan and appear to have been "offloaded" at various outlets (one in Canada and one in Germany that we know of) and they were only released just under a month ago. Lets face it 1000 of anything isn't exactly difficult to get hold of and here's the proof - tonight I received this picture from Sport Express accompanied with an updated pricelist with the models at least £60 cheaper each than the previous source in Canada.
What surprises me is the fact that these models are allowed to be produced on the basis of being "Japanese only" releases but suddenly appear at much inflated prices all over the shop in a matter of weeks - to be quite honest with you I'm surprised Minichamps allow this type of thing to go on.
We all understand that teams and companies commission models to be handed out as corporate gifts from time to time - we don't mind this its the fact that we are fed up at being ripped off every time someone comes up with the bright idea of producing a "Special" model.
Note to Paul Lang - either make models available to everyone worldwide or not at all
31-October-2002 The Audi "Hat-trick" set has been released (in Germany at least) and has already made an appearance on German eBay. I'm sure you will agree that its a well presented item - do my eyes deceive me or is that a replica of the 24 Heures Du Mans trophy in the left hand side of the box ??
Some more news on that WEST GTR box we featured earlier in the week which has come from a very reliable source. Apparently the whole production of the WEST cars had been sold to WEST or Reemtsma the brand owner and although the packaging was not made by Minichamps it does not mean to say that it isn't genuine. It seems that when models are commissioned by sponsors or companies for special events they sometimes have their own packaging printed and repack the models. It is therefore viable that Minichamps did in fact ship the models in the standard Minichamps McLaren Collection boxes with the green tape over the UPC code only for WEST to repackage them later.
30-October-2002 Rumour of the Week - according to one of my many sources in Japan the Sato BAR Testcar Suzuka Circuit model limited to 300 pieces has been completely scrapped at the request of Minichamps !!
It seems that the whole project had been "well publicised" by the Suzuka Circuit even before they had obtained authorisation from Minichamps to produce it, needless to say when they found out about it they were none too happy and as a result cancelled it. Basically it was planned to utilise the remaining 300 + models however after the information was leaked on the internet the whole thing went belly up......ooops !
29-October-2002 If you remember a few weeks we ran the story about the Jos Verstappen Fanclub having exclusive rights to sell the "Limited Edition" Honda Testcar via their website for a period of two months prior to it going on general sale.
One collector has contacted us to advise that he was more than surprised to see the model for the first time on German eBay for around 40 Euro's - nothing strange in that you may think however the price our friend paid via the fan club was 60 Euro's !! A quick telephone call to them revealed some interesting information : Minichamps made 11.111 pieces of the car as they assumed that this special boxed item would be highly collectable and everyone who preordered the model paid the higher price i.e. 60 Euros. Apparently there were around 80 pieces unsold once the preorders had been dispatched and these then went on sale to anyone who hadn't preordered.
It is clear that the demand for this model was much lower than anticipated and now regular outlets are trying to offload them for around 40 Euro each which according to the JV fanclub was about the price they paid wholesale ! I thought this was a case of deja-vu initially but a similar thing happened to me with the Ayrton Senna 41/41 set a few months back, paid full price for it only to find dozens discounted (and unsold) at a toyfair a week later.
The moral of the story here is obvious - it doesn't always pay to pre-order or be too eager to buy a new release.
27-October-2002 The remaining M-Creative models went on general sale in Japan yesterday. Our reporter in Tokyo was able to purchase five of the six models without reservation however it seems that the McNish Toyota is already in short supply.
If you are still looking for a source to purchase these models then the good news is that Exclusive Motorsport Diecast will receive a consignment of these models next week so if you are interested you had better contact them without delay.
(Photographs Copyrighted and used with kind permission of their respective owner)
26-October-2002 Over recent years one of the most coveted and faked models has been the McLaren F1 GTR "West" promotional car. The normal practice for the fakers is to take the standard West FM release, add a couple of decals and then stick a piece of the correct type of green tape over the UPC code and hey presto the average collector is none the wiser.
If there wasn't enough confusion over this model already then this really complicates matters further. A totally different type of box has surfaced which nobody seems to have seen or heard about before - even the owner does not know the full story behind it. The packaging does contain some none standard Minichamps features but you will note that the words "not to be sold to persons under 21years of age" something which only appears on the normal F1 West Team Editions. Check out the photographs for yourself - Picture One, Two, Three, Four, Five, and Six.
We are still awaiting for official clarification from Minichamps in Aachen on this but my view is that this was the original print run solely for the McLaren team, when a further batch of the models was ordered the normal Minichamps box was used with the green tape over the UPC. If anyone else has seen this before then please let us know.
24-October-2002 The McLaren MP 4/17 "WEST" Team Editions have finally been released. A number of you have contacted me to advise that the models arrived on your doormats this morning out of the blue - as soon as my consignment arrives I will have some photos uplifted, hopefully by tomorrow evening.
Every now and again we cover something on the site that hits a raw nerve and results in a whole load of emails arriving in the mailbox. Well I can tell you that this week has been no exception since we covered the story of those M-Creative models. The alarming thing is that the content of these emails are remarkably similar - you state that the number of these F1 variations hitting the market are killing the hobby stone dead and that you will be cutting back on your F1 model purchases - or in some extreme cases even changing your collecting theme entirely.
In order to prove the point lets look at a typical example - Toyota F1. Its Toyota's first year in F1 so they can be excused for not breaking any records but it's not stopped the models being churned out with an alarming regularity. So far we've had the following :
If you discount the minute decal variations in this instance that's a grand total of thirteen models and we still have the Salo First Point, two test cars and two pitstop dioramas to go ! That's a grand total of EIGHTEEN models for a team that hasn't even won a race yet - its crazy! The dealers who have to sell the things have even commented that it's becoming increasingly difficult to sell the teams like Toyota and Williams due to the number of variants appearing on the shelves. I'm sure you all agree that it's now getting totally out of hand - OK you don't have to collect everything but who wants a collection with a load of gaps in it ??
Once in a blue moon something totally unique will appear that nobody has seen before. Click Here! to have a peak at something that turned up in a Brussels suburb a few days back.
21-October-2002 A further three promotional models have surfaced - this time given away free to guests at the Bridgestone paddock club during the Suzuka Grand Prix ! Whilst there are seven models in the set to commemorate Bridgestones 100th GP only three feature Minichamps models - here's the full list.
We must point out that these models were not produced directly by Minichamps for Bridgestone. It has been confirmed by Bridgestone Japan however that these are REAL and NOT fake. Unfortunately they were not willing to discuss the quantities produced but confirmed that the inserts are the same for all seven models.
Warning ! The photograph below is used for illustration purposes only in order to show the packaging. It's contents must be avoided at all costs. If a photograph of Minichamps version becomes available we will of course replace the offending picture.
(Photographs Copyrighted and used with the kind permission of Michael Kuo)
20-October-2002 The eBay bidding war on those M-Creative models has commenced with some models already well into treble figures. It may help some of you to know that Sport Express in Germany have secured a small number of these models including the three released last year.
The second half of the season BMW Dealer Edition Williams models complete with Hewlett Packard sponsorship have been released in Germany already - as soon as we have the part numbers we will of course post it.
17-October-2002 Since I posted the story about the forthcoming M-Creative releases last week I have received dozens of emails from collectors asking if I can provide information on how to obtain them or in some cases if I can obtain the models for them !
Unfortunately I am in the same boat as everyone else and the fact that I run this website doesn't mean I have special privileges such as free diecast or get offered preferential treatment when new releases hit the market. So just to recap - M-Creative (or any other company for that matter) will not ship outside Japan so you either have to go to Japan and buy them direct from M-Creative or get someone over there to buy them for you and ship them on. The third and less favourable option is buy them via eBay if you are willing to pay ridiculous prices for them.
I too would love these models to grace my collection however I am going to hang fire - with some models being in excess of 1,000 pieces the chances are some will reach foreign shores just like those Hakkinen MP 4/9's did last year. One interesting point about the emails I have received so far - a considerable number of you have stated that you are getting fed up with the number of different variations hitting the market and will be cutting back on your purchases from next year.
15-October-2002 Rumour of the week (so far!) - one Renault dealership in the UK is reporting that they should be receiving some Renault F1 diecast promotional models. That's all we have on this at the moment, precisely who the manufacturer is at this stage isn't clear however it does tend to point to Minichamps. Once we have more details we will of course let you know.
The Edition 3 of the Minichamps catalogue is now available from diecast outlets - I haven't had my copy yet so if there is anything interesting in it then please let me know !
12-October-2002 More news hot off the press from our reporter at the Japanese Grand Prix ! The M-Creative Williams models were readily available at the shops around the circuit yesterday and here's the picture to prove it !
As you can see it comes complete with an outer sleeve and lists the Grand Prix calendar on the reverse Also as promised yesterday the part numbers for those Toyota TF102 Debut Grand Prix models. Click Here!
11-October-2002 Hot news just in from the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka ! A further two Toyota Promotional models have surfaced - this time 1/43 scale "Toyota F1 Debut 2002 Australian Grand Prix" versions complete with an outer sleeve. The even better news is that these models do not appear to be limited editions and were readily available at the Toyota stand at the event. As soon as we have some part numbers they will be posted on the site so stay tuned.
(Photo courtesy of Eiichi Tanabe)
Whilst on the subject of Toyota F1 models it has come to light that there are currently three different versions of the race car doing the rounds at the moment to keep the 'variation hunters' busy. Also include the Toyota boxed versions and that's quite a few to collect so if variations are your cup of tea then here they are.
Small number on nosecone (without 'Avex' decal on nose) no 'Avex' decal next to the driver name on airbox and no Toyota F1 URL on sidepod under Panasonic
Large number on nosecone (with 'Avex' decal on nose) 'Avex' decal next to driver name on airbox and complete with Toyota F1 URL on sidepod under Panasonic
Same as version 2 but without Toyota F1 URL on sidepod under Panasonic.
Now if that wasn't enough to keep you going over the weekend then how about this one. We all know the quality of the recent 1/18th James Bond releases wasn't anything to get excited about and they were the subject of discussion on several of the diecast message boards. Well it appears that the 1/43 versions make up for it if this picture of the three car boxed set is anything to go by - most definitely a "must have" model of 2002 !
And last but by no means least some more hot news direct from a source at the Jordan factory - Minichamps have regained the license to produce Jordan models with effect from the 1 January 2003 albeit in 1/43 scale only. Apparently the 1/24 and 1/18th models will remain with some other company who's name I do not wish to deface my website with ! According to reports there is even a good possibility that some models previously not covered by Minichamps will be released at a later date ! (After all that I'm now going for a lie down!)
09-October-2002 The full set of the eight Michelin models featured in our last update will cost 54,000 Yen (around $450 US) whilst the individual models will retail for 6,800 Yen each. There are actually two versions of the Michelin man figurine with the models, one is standing and the other sitting down. The estimated release date is end of October early November with the McLaren models following in December
It is worth noting that of the 100 sets being made available sets numbered 1 & 2 are not for sale. Whilst M-Creative are taking pre-orders they will not ship outside of Japan so its a case finding someone living over there to get them for you.
Also we appear to have finally solved the mystery of those "Thanks For
The Memories" McLaren sets at long last ! Apparently the sets were
produced for the German TV station "RTL" who have a shop which sells
F1 items before races. (Thanks Jens !)
06-October-2002 Some news just in from Japan - M Creative, the Japanese company responsible for the "Michelin Bibendum" Williams models last year are to produce a further EIGHT models for 2002 ! Again these will be for the Japanese market only.
All models come in a tall box complete with the Michelin bibendum doll and are individually numbered and it seems M-Creative will sell all 8 models as a set complete (all with the same serial number - limited to 98 sets)
It's easy to see why collecting F1 is rapidly loosing it's appeal due to the increasing number of variants hitting the market collectors are unable to keep up.
According to reports the McLaren MP 4/17 WEST Team Editions should be available within the next two weeks and are expected to sell like the proverbial "Hot Cakes". If you can cast your minds back to earlier in the year you will remember that Team McLaren were taking preorders to ensure that only exact numbers were produced.One other model which is expected to sell well when it is released next week is the BMW V12 Le Mans 2000 Bscher/Lees/Gounon car in the red & white "FAT Turbo" livery. Until now this has only been available from BBR in either kit form or as a factory built - both BMW and Le Mans are as we know very popular themes and as this model won't be available as a BMW dealer edition better get a preorder in if you want one.
I received an email yesterday from a collector who had purchased a model on eBay not realising he already had it in his collection. The model in question was the Wendlinger Sauber C14 however it wasn't until he compared the two that he noticed a difference between them - on the rear tail fin of the eBay purchased item was missing the blue "Petronas" symbol from both the top and side of the fin. The decal is one piece so it's not as if this has been cut away or removed in order to create a variation. Also both C14 sister cars of J C Bouillion and H H Frentzen both have it as do the C15 launch and race cars so it's not as though the decal is already appearing on another version. If anyone can solve this mystery then please let us know.
03-October-2002 Here are some interesting facts relating to the 2002 Canadian GP Honda Promotional model which was handed out to Honda Canada hospitality guests at this years race.
The Canadian Minichamps distributor Borgfeldt Canada commissioned all of the 2002 Canadian GP Event Cars and were the only Minichamps distributor with them; and although corporate involvement is encouraged at the outset it seems that Honda Canada did not sign up until after the production deadline had passed. Once Honda came on board they of course wanted their corporate logo to be on the model to use as corporate gifts at the track. Due to the fact that the design could not be altered in any way on the assembly line, it had to be done after the fact which involved each of the 180 models having Honda logos applied by hand !
Out of the original 180 models only 43 found their way onto the secondary market via Toronto Motorsports who purchased them at a premium from Borgfeldt. In reality the model was never intended for resale which means it was always going to be very difficult to obtain which meant that demand far outstripped supply - in other words if you managed to get your hands on one you were one of the lucky ones.
30-September-2002 As promised on Friday some pictures of the new BMW Dealer Edition Z4's. Unfortunately the quality of the photographs isn't brilliant but I'm sure you will get the general idea - the models come complete in the clapper style box and have the usual opening bonnet and detailed engine. (Pictures courtesy of Damon Hill BMW)
The part numbers are as follows :
29-September-2002 I've just returned from the NEC with what has to be the 'Rumour of the Week' - Minichamps have regained the Jordan license and it is possible that the 2002 cars will be covered some time in the not too distant future ! It seems that all the remaining Jordan 10th Anniversary sets are stockpiled in a warehouse awaiting shipment once the existing Mattel contract expires - hopefully in time for Christmas.
Another interesting bit of information is that the recently re released Villeneuve & Hill Williams models are in fact the original models from a few years ago - apparently the ones with damaged boxes all ended up back at the factory only to be repackaged in brand new updated boxes.
If you have been experiencing problems accessing the Motorsport On The Shelf website recently then don't worry they haven't gone into hiding. Unfortunately they have been experiencing problems with the web hosting company over the last few weeks and hopefully normal service will be resumed within the next few days.
28-September-2002 The last week of September is traditionally stocktaking week at the Aachen factory which usually means no new releases and consequently a lack of news and rumour - however this hasn't stopped Minichamps NA updating the latest release portion on their website. Amongst them is the Honda Testcar plus something for all you BMW and Porsche fans.
According to the SportExpress pricelist I received yesterday the Mercedes Dealer Edition box MP 4/17 McLaren of David Coulthard is now available part number B6 696 1952 whilst the Raikkonen piece carries part number B6 696 1953. The good news is that release of these items usually means that the West Team Editions aren't too far behind.
STOP PRESS !! The Minichamps BMW Dealer Edition Z4's arrived in the UK today !! As with all new BMW models they come complete with opening bonnet (or hood depending on which side of the Atlantic you are reading this on) and detailed engine compartment. We hope to have some photos uploaded by Monday PM UK time together with their respective part numbers.
24-September-2002 The 2002 Le Mans Audi R8 dealer edition models are already appearing on eBay ! Unfortunately we don't have any part numbers at the moment but as soon as these become available we will post them on the site.
The 1/18th versions of the James Bond 'Die Another Day' models hit the shops last week however they are receiving mixed reviews from collectors - having seen them close up myself I would say the quality is mediocre and are best described as toy like rather than diecast collectable. If you were thinking of ordering them mail order from one of the many internet dealers then I personally would look at one in the flesh before making up your mind in order to avoid disappointment.
According to reports on one message board the reason that the quality is lower than Minichamps usual high standards was to ensure the models had a sensible retail price, Ford the company that owns Jaguar and Aston Martin had paid Minichamps for all the tooling costs of these new models. All well and good if you want to keep costs to a minimum however Paul's Model Art are in the business of producing high quality replicas and the collectors who purchase their products expect high quality and don't mind paying a little extra for it.
21-September-2002 The topic for today is "Freak or Unique?". You are probably wondering what the hell I am talking about however all is about to be revealed.
A friend picked up these two models from a toyshop in the US some time ago who claimed they were Minichamps prototypes, the first is a 1998 Sauber whilst the second in a 1999 Minardi. As you can see they come undecalled and are missing some vital components such as antennas, mirrors, cameras plus the base colour is somewhat misleading to say the least.
The question was then raised about the existence of prototypes, whether they have a value and how they appear on the secondary market. Until now the only other prototypes I have seen have been a couple of partially decalled DTM cars and a 1/18th Schumacher Benetton with Chinese writing on various parts of the body ! So if anyone has any other prototypes they would like to share then please don't hesitate to forward photographs.
19-September-2002 The first photograph of the Audi 1-2-3 boxed set has made an appearance on the Minichamps website ! The only criticism I have personally is that it comes in the 1/18th style closed box which make it all that more difficult to display - it will be interesting to see how the Audi Dealer Edition release will be presented.
As reported earlier in the week the Honda RA99 Testcar is currently available via the Official Jos Verstappen website only for a period of six weeks before they go on general sale, perhaps as a result of some condition imposed by Jos himself who knows. This model appears to be the standard Minichamps release and not specially packaged for the fanclub so we should see these hitting the shops in about another five weeks time. Interesting enough the Jos Verstappen Fanclub Edition of the Stewart is still on sale after a period of four years via the website!
And finally a novel idea from Minichamps interchangeable diecast !
14-September-2002 If you have ever wished that Minichamps would make a particular model that has not yet been produced then here is your chance to have your say. Ivo Beuken the Dutch collector who has compiled a complete list of every F1 Minichamps model ever made (yes including all the variations) is giving you the chance to vote for a model that you would like to see produced.
He has even mailed Paul's Model Art telling them about the poll so hopefully if enough people vote then who knows you may be pleasantly surprised. Click Here! to vote or nominate your preferences.
There is nothing worse than walking into any motor dealership only to receive a blank look from the guy behind the parts department counter when trying to purchase a dealer promotional model or in some cases not to be taken seriously at all. One dealership however that does take the diecast side of the business very seriously indeed is Damon Hill BMW in Warwick plus they even do mail order - they can be contacted on Tel : 01926 333840, Fax : 01926 333841 or email the Parts Dept direct - you never know Damon may even send out your order personally !
Whilst on the subject of BMW, another promotional model has appeared on eBay - it appears commemorate 50 years of a BMW dealership in Koblenz named BMW Hanko - if you look closely you can just about make out an email address on the bottom of the box.
According to Gareth's F1 News website the Jos Verstappen Honda Prototype Testcar is available from the Jos Verstappen website already. Click Here! for the full story.
10-September-2002 There were quite a few interesting items on the Minichamps stall at the Chicago Toy Show, Click Here! to check them out - pay particular attention to that 906 !
According to reports those "Thanks For The Memories" sets reported some time ago are in fact genuine and were being sold at the Mercedes stand at the Belgian GP last weekend - they have been made by Minichamps for Mercedes - one way to get rid of all those overstocks is to repackage them I suppose !
09-September-2002 Firstly I would like to apologise for the lack of updates over the last week however this was not due to a lack of news but due to the fact that I was on holiday again. That however doesn't mean I was taking it easy !
After spending a few days in Garda, Italy we decided to take the bus to the next town along the lake named Malcesine - anyone who's been will know its a picturesque little town with around 150 small shops and restaurants. It didn't take long (5 minutes to be precise) before I stumbled across a small diecast shop named Pit-Stop Model Cars - one diecast shop out of 150 aren't bad odds in my book.
A walk about 50 yards round the corner and I spotted another shop called "Pole Position" which was a really upmarket shop with hundreds of models and accessories on display - things couldn't get any better than this I thought - well believe me they did, another 30 yards further on and the best was certainly saved until last. The shop was called Lorenzi Modellismo which contained the most comprehensive display of diecast models I have ever seen anywhere. There must have been an estimated 6,000 models including exclusive handbuilts on display in large glass cabinets, it could only be described as heaven.
As I was leaving the shop after my 15 minutes of gazing in disbelief my wife posed a question - "What's the matter don't you want to look downstairs ??" I couldn't believe that in all my excitement I missed a staircase tucked away in the corner - I took the few steps down to another similar display but with this time around a further 8,000 models of all types, absolute paradise !
The USGP event cars are making an appearance again this year in both 1/43 (AC4-020301) and 1/18 (AC8-020301) scales - expected to sell out prior to the race these will be available the third week of September so better get your orders in as soon as possible. These can be purchased online from Exclusive Diecast , Toronto Motorsports in Canada & Minichamps.Com in the UK.
01-September-2002 We are celebrating our first birthday today ! It was one year ago today that I started this website and I honestly can't believe how quickly it's flown. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of you for visiting the site and especially to the collectors out there who take the time to contact me with news, photos etc, without you those 50,000 plus hits would not have been possible !
