Tell us what this hobby means to you? 14 questions answered by you, Sherif Anwar Balbaa from Cairo, Egypt.

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1) What first got you collecting diecast? How long have you been collecting? What is your total model count as of today?

I have always admired the aesthetics of a motor vehicle, its classical beauty or aggression. I started seriously collecting around 30 years ago. I have around 225 models on display, in addition to around 40 of the older collection, stowed away.

2) What was your first diecast or memory?

Ferrari Testarossa, 1984.

3) What is your favourite scale, and why?

My favourite scale is 1:18. To me it combines the perfect combination of details and size to allow for row display.

4) What are some of your favourite models to date? Did you share any photos with us?

Several from CMC, notably Ferrari 250 Testarossa and GTO, CMC Mercedes 300 SLR Uhlenhaut, BBR’s Ferrari 126C2 Villeneuve from San Marino GP 1982, and the Bauer Bugatti roadster Esders.

5) Is there a model that has eluded you, a holy grail of sorts?

Mercedes 540K from 1934.

6) What is your favourite brand/manufacturer, and why?

Definitely CMC. Although a bit expensive, yet they represent the best value for money with incredible amount of details, number of parts, and variety of materials. Its products are cheaper than resin models from BBR and MR, which have no opening parts. AUTOart’s Signature models are a little bit cheaper, but again not of CMC’s standards. The only drawback for CMC is that they not do any models later than the mid 1960s.

7) Describe your current theme and what your overall goal is?

My room is mixture of supercars, exotic cars, F1 cars, and sports cars from all periods from the 1930s and up to the present day. My goal is to fill some the vacant slots and to keep the collection updated.

8) Do you display your collection? If yes, how?

A room with 6 main display cabinets with spotlights and reflecting mirrors. The cabinets are for F1(2), sports cars( mainly Le Mans), Italian cars, German cars, and a miscellaneous cabinet. The room also includes several display shelves and hanging cabinets as well as several glass and acrylic side tables.

9) Do you have any other hobbies, passions or addictions?

I am also a wrist watch and DVD collector.

10) What do you think about the diecast hobby as it stands today?

A threatened hobby, if prices continue to rise as they have done in the past 5 years.

11) If you could change one thing about the diecast hobby what would that be?

If manufacturers continue to drive prices up, then that should be accompanied by improvement in build quality. Composite manufacturing may also be the way (as AUTOart have done), or resin models (favored by Spark and TrueScale Miniatures).

12) Do you modify cars? If yes, what are some examples?

No I don’t.

13) What does your spouse, partner or significant other think of your hobby and your collection?

My wife first thought of it as waste of money and space, now she insists at showing it off to all of our guests.

14) What is your daily driver?

Opel Astra.