There was mention earlier this week that Amalgam may be entering the 1:18 scale arena, well we’re happy to report the rumors are true. Their first venture is the gorgeous Ferrari 250 GTO in livery trim. The focus, 250 GTO – 24 Hours of Le Mans 1962 GT class winner, car #19 was driven by Pierre Noblet and Jean Guichet and was placed second overall. The model definitely shares similarities with Classic Model Cars (CMC), we’ll reach out to Amalgam for confirmation. Enjoy the complete list of 2017 assortment in “Ferrari Dream Cars” and “Ferrari at Le Mans”:
Ferrari Dream Cars:
LaFerrari Aperta | F40 | 288 GTO | F50 | Enzo
Ferrari at Le Mans:
250 GTO | 250 LM | 250 TR | 330 P4 | 375 Plus | 512 S | 312 PB | 333 SP
Each model will be presented on a polished black acrylic base with a clear acrylic dust cover. The base will alos house leather folder containing a certificate of authenticity along with a short description of the car and its place within the collection. Very cool. All this goodness does come at a price, the Ferrari 250 GTO will set your back roughly $770CND. Which is very pricey considering the model is sealed.
About the Ferrari 250 GTI… “The 250 GTO model was the pinnacle of development of the 250 GT series in competition form, whilst still remaining a road car. It made its public debut at the annual pre-season Ferrari press conference in January 1962, and was the only front engine model on display, with its monoposto and sports racing counterparts all having a mid-engine configuration.
Early development of the new model was shrouded in secrecy, with Giotto Bizzarrini charged with developing a car to take on and beat the Jaguar E Type. In various interviews over the years he has said he was given an old 250 GT Boano chassis as a basis for the project. However, internal factory records show that he was provided with a 250 GT ‘passo corto’ (chassis 1791GT) on which to base the new car.
On its first outing at Monza in September 1961, prior to the Italian Grand Prix, the 250 GTO earned the nickname ‘Il Mostro’ (The Monster), due to its rough-hewn and ill fitting prototype body. During test sessions, Stirling Moss drove the car to record times far better than those ever achieved by a 250 GT ‘passo corto’. A ‘palace revolution’ failed later in the year, and Bizzarrini found himself on the outside, with refinement of the GTO body entrusted to Sergio Scaglietti, who created its definitive shape.”
Product# TBD
So sealed resin models for $595.00 USD or more? As Tom Hanks so famously said in the movie “Big” I don’t get it.
Not to be outdone in the pricey model world BBR will be unveiled opening diecast models at the Nuremberg Toy Fair in Februaty 2017. The first will be. F12 TDF. Prices as yet unknown. I got this picture from a post on Ferrari Chat.
http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/attachments/collectables-literature-models-sponsored-amalgam-collection/2334806d1482437782-1-18-news-unnamed.jpg
Can’t see the post on Ferrari chat, I’m not a member. I do agree, sealed, $770CND is a little much. Maybe BBR will get it right!
Here is the BBR F12 tdf :
https://scontent-cdg2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/15622738_10154838307960789_7440256080899414316_n.jpg?oh=778bfefd0bf9eea001f6599ca99feb2c&oe=58F7FC71
We have to say that it wouldn’t be Amalgam at all if the price was only 200$, so it’s absolutely not a surprise but it’s still sad to see the price of real (and still sealed) accuracy.
CMC produced a great opening diecast version of the 250 GTO… with a chassis that don’t fit with all the race variants proposed. And not really the best looking 250 GTO in my opinion.
Considering what Amalgam do with their 1/8 models – and what FrontiArt have been able to do in 1/18 opening resin – this ranks as a huge miss. There’s really nothing I can see that justifies the enormous price of these when most are already available in some form. And whilst there’s endless debate about the shape of the CMC version of the 250 GTO, the Kyosho high end version can be found for less than half the price. Amalgam need to very quickly rethink their strategy or these will sink without trace.
I agree, I have got the Kyosho Highend and the CMC and there is absolutely no way anyone can make me pay over 700 for sealed resin. I´d rather stick with my Hot Wheels Elite 288 GTO.
What is more is that according to a poll here on DS most people exhibit their models without the base.Just look at the DCOTM photos and count the bases. So, the leather folder inside the base is a nice touch, but not in line what most collectors here do.
Amalgam models are for millionaires who want just a particular miniature of something they really have in their garage, but who would not care to collect models as such. Hence the predominant 1/8 scale for homes ten times the size of our modest places. Can you imagine Jay Leno collecting model cars in the numbers we do? In his garage a model is just an accessoir. There´s one episode where he introduces an Amalgam Ferrari … and he does not look as if he is into seriously collecting its likes.
Hooray! What the collectors market really needs, yet another Ferrari 250 GTO…..
I’m not sure this one, or the entire line will “work” too well, and time will tell. One thing I have noticed missing, which is conspicuous in its absence, is the mention anywhere from Amalgam of how many will be made of each model. Are these limited in any way? What is the target quantity to be produced of each model? In this price range I expect that to be listed.
BBR had already released the 250 GTO (in various liveries), 275 and just recently, the Ferrari 288 GTO (in various colors and specs). Kyosho is now filling in some blanks by selling fairly good quality resin models of the F40, Testarrosa and Dino 246GT. All of these models (considered quite expensive by most) are HALF the price of these Amalgam pieces.
With that said, there’s certainly a market for these. Many loaded collectors out there.
I think the main appeal of this line is that not only will the models be very high quality, but it’ll collect ALL of the top end V12 models in one line!!! For some reason, no manufacturer has done so to this day! Having a 250 GTO, 288 GTO, F40, F50 and Enzo all done up in high quality resin with matching bases is appealing indeed! It blows my mind that no one else has thought to do so. Easy money for Amalgam IMO.
Does anyone know where these models will be available?
I’m happy to hear that finally there will be a high-en F50 and 333 SP. But they will be closed and I think one of their most interesting parts are the engine bays. Even the Bburagos are in shape with the original F50, and HW made a quite acceptable 333 SP.
Who the hell will buy an engine-less F50 for $600? Not me, that’s for sure.
And the F40? Have you seen the new closed-body Kyosho F40s? That’s amazing, I can’t imagine how an Amalgam could be better than that.