New F1 Releases & Schumacher photos

Here are some clearer images of the new Michael Schumacher 1/18 replicas. The F2004 is due mid January but the F248 is expected mid December. Just click to enlarge.

Also there is a whole host of new releases due to hit stores early next week. They include....

400060023 SUPER AGURI F1 HONDA SA05 Y.IDE

400060123 SUPER AGURI F1 HONDA SA05 F.MONTAGNY
400070003 ING RENAULT GIANCARLO FISICHELLA F1 TEAM R27 2007
400070010 BMW SAUBER ROBERT KUBICA F1 TEAM 2007
400070012 PANASONIC TOYOTA RACING TF107 JARNO TRULLI 2007
400070016 AT&T WILLIAMS TOYOTA FW29 NICO ROSBERG 2007
400070017 AT&T WILLIAMS TOYOTA FW29 ALEXANDER WURZ 2007

New announcements of Takuma Sato Collection releases!

Minichamps have announced 3 new 1/43 models to be released as part of the Takuma Sato Collection. They are due for release during 1st qtr. 2008.

518 064322 SUPER AGURI F1 HONDA SA05, TAKUMA SATO, 1st RACE FOR SUPER AGURI BAHRAIN 2006 - LTD EDITION 1 QTR 08 £22.99



518 064392 SUPER AGURI F1 HONDA SA06, TAKUMA SATO, JAPANESE GP 2006 - LTD EDITION 1 QTR 08 £22.99



518 074322 SUPER AGURI HONDA SA07, TAKUMA SATO, END OF SEASON VERSION , NEW SPONSORS FOUR LEAF - LTD EDITION 1 QTR 08 £22.99

New Releases

The 2007 Minichamps race cars are starting to be released. First to be released late this week / early next week will be the Toyota of Ralf Schumacher and the BMW of Nick Heidfeld.

* 400070009 BMW SAUBER NICK HEIDFELD F1 TEAM 2007
* 400070011 PANASONIC TOYOTA RACING TF107 RALF SCHUMACHER 2007

Redline have announced a further two F2007 releases in 1/43 scale due for release early next year.

* SPAR43148 FERRARI F2007 #6 WINNER BRAZIL GP 2007 KIMI RAIKKONEN F1 WORLD CHAMPION 1:43 Feb '08 RRP £69.99
* SPAR43149 FERRARI F2007 #5 2nd BRAZIL GP 2007 FELIPE MASSA 1:43 Jan '08 £69.99

Expect the Redline Australian & Bahrain GP Winning Ferrari F2007s to be released in the next few weeks.

BBR BG319 Ferrari F2007 Launch Version Released

As with the Hot Wheels Ferrari's the car is plain red which should make the conversion to correct livery pretty easy. Unlike past years it wont involve removing decals or repainting.

McLaren Team Editions available to preorder

The 2007 McLaren MP4/22 Team Editions are now available to order from the McLaren Team Shop - Click here! It's £24.95 for the 1/43 version due for release 14th December. £52.95 for the 1/18 version due for release 7th January.
The regular Minichamps McLaren releases will be available shortly after the Team Editions.

Minichamps F1 Releases November 2007

400 070077 HONDA RACING F1 JENSON BUTTON 2007 SHOWCAR 1:43 26/10/2007
400 070078 HONDA RACING F1 RUBENS BARRICHELLO 2007 SHOWCAR 1:43 26/10/2007
530984378 McLAREN MERCEDES MP4-98T 2-SEATER SHOWCAR M.HAKKINEN/DAVID COULTHARD 1:43 2/11/2007

New Minichamps Announcements 1/18 Scale Due 1st Qtr 2008

100 070110 BMW SAUBER F1 2007 SEBASTIAN VETTEL , 1st F1 RACE Due 1 Qtr 08 RRP 49.99
530 061884 Mc LAREN MERCEDES MP4-21 LEWIS HAMILTON, 1st F1 TEST SEPTEMBER 2006 SILVERSTONE Due 1 Qtr 08 RRP £49.99

Michael Schumacher 1/18 F2004 Engine Presentation photo!

Click for full size version.

Minichamps 1/43 2007 Race Cars

1/43 BMW Sauber Nick Heidfeld
1/43 Toyota Jarno Trulli

Hot Wheels 1/43 Ferrari F2007

The 1/43 scale version of the Hot Wheels F2007 has started to appear on eBay, and it doesn't look too good! Do they expect collectors to buy these, or are they marketed for kids?

If your a Raikkonen fan and have collected each car since his debut in 2001 I think it's fair to assume you won't be too keen to display this alongside your Minichamps Saubers and McLarens! So Unless you want your collection to end your going to have to look for alternatives! Luckily you've got a few options.

• Red Line will be producing an Australian GP version of his Ferrari. This will retail for around £70 in UK. Judging by the F248 in 1/24 scale the quality will be good. (BTW - the F248 GP Japan reported a few days ago is a worldwide release and has started to arrive with European retailers).

• BBR have so far only announced the F2007 Showcar but are sure to announce race versions in the near future. Quality is superb but they are pricey - usually retail around £140.

• BBR aren't the only ones to produce 1/43 kits of the F2007. Tameo Kits have released a couple of versions already - Australian GP & Spanish GP! Unfortunately they don't release factory hand built models. However there are several retailers online who hand build the models themselves and sell them in limited numbers. They tend to be more expensive but are more detailed than the BBR models and usually sport the correct livery. Here is an example from a seller on eBay.
  

• Of course if your a skilled model builder you can produce models like this one. I stole this photo of F1M Website - It's a Silverstone version of Kimi's Ferrari with the new deeper Ferrari paint and special wheel covers and it looks fantastic!
  
  

Schumacher 2006 Photo Comparison - Shanghai & Monza

I would advise anyone who hasn't yet picked up the 2006 Schumacher special editions from Hot Wheels to do so before they're sold out. Because in my opinion the Shanghai and Monza versions are perhaps the best F1 models Hot Wheels have produced to date.

Many people have been rightly disappointed with their F1 efforts and don't agree with the price of their special editions - the latest 1/18 Ferrari F2007 doesn't look great and the 1/43 version is a joke, but they must be given some credit when they produce something good. Remember that when Minichamps announce special editions from a specific race more often than not they just stick the standard car in a special box. But with these limited editions they've created completely new moulds for each version. Below are a few photos showing the differences between the two cars.

I purchased these 2 with the correct livery applied. You can buy the decals separately and convert them yourself or buy them already converted from some dealers (e.g. Toronto Motorsports / Sport Diecast) or on eBay! Get them before they disappear!

New RedLine F248 available.

It appears Red Line Models have produced a second version of the 2006 Ferrari F248 in 1/24 scale (to go with the Nurburgring GP Release). This one is a Japanese GP version limited to 600pcs. The model comes with Marlboro decals which you can apply yourself. So far it's only been spotted in Japan - perhaps it is exclusively for Japan - or maybe European / USA dealers will have them soon.

1/18 Hot Wheels Lewis Hamilton 1st Win Announced

Ltd. Ed. 6000pcs

New Hot Wheels Releases!

A couple of new Hot Wheels models have been released in Hong Kong. Give it two or three weeks before they're available in Europe / USA.


The first one is the Kimi Raikkonen Australian GP F2007 special edition, limited edition 3333pcs.

The second release is the first model released from the Michael Schumacher Retirement Series - A special set featuring his 5 championship winning Ferraris, limited edition 5555pcs.

New 2006 Renault Dealer Editions in 1/43

A whole host of Renault Dealer editions have appeared on eBay. The first set features Fernando Alonso's 2005 R25 and 2006 R26 in 1/43 scale. It's a Ltd. Ed. 1500pcs.

The second features Alonso's 2006 Renault R26 and Renault Megane road car. This one's a Ltd. Ed. 1000pcs.

MSC # 17 Rare or Fake?

A MSC#17 has sold on eBay for just 121 euros. Item # 120154308144. However is it genuine or in fact a fake? Look closely!

The real MSC#17 should have gold writing on the top right hand corner - this one has white writing. Also, the car looks like the B195/2 whereas it should be the B195/1 with humped airbox. Here is a photo of the official release.

Story of MSC 17 - One of the rarest Minichamps models ever made! This car is part of the Michael Schumacher Collection. It features the Benetton Renault B195/1 chassis and was commisioned by T2M (French importer) to be sold at the French Grand Prix. However the product was stopped during it's production as Minichamps had made a mistake - they had made the car too early, and 1/2 way through the 1995 season Benetton developed and ran a new B195/2 chassis. MSC17 was a limited run of 1995pcs. however only a fraction of these were made and less sold. This model never appeared in any of the Minichamps catalogues. Only MSC 24 appears in catalogues which does have the B195/2 chassis.A few years ago some of these models were changing hands for over £1000, but now they appear to be going for the modest sum of £200 - £400.

Perhaps I should post a link to this page - How to spot a fake! Read this before bidding on rare items on eBay. If the deal looks to good to be true, it probably is.

Lewis Hamilton F1 Test Car Released!

The latest Lewis Hamilton Minichamps model has at long last been released. It features the 2006 MP4/21 with intermediate Michelin tyres. It is a limited edition of only 2736pcs. which seems a little low given his popularity and success this year. If you haven't preorderd this model it will be extremely hard to find. It's only going to be a matter of time before they start exchanging hands on eBay for big bucks!

More Hot Wheels 2007 Photos!

Click to enlarge!

1/18 Alex Wurz Williams Cosworth 2007

1/18 Lewis Hamilton McLaren Mercedes MP4/22

1/18 Felipe Massa Ferrari F2007

1/18 Kimi Raikkonen 1/18 Ferrari

UK Minichamps F1 Release Dates

Available from 7th September

400060039 MF1 RACING TOYOTA 2006 M.WINKELHOCK 3rd DRIVER 1:43
400060042 TOYOTA TF106 RICARDO ZONTA 2006 3rd DRIVER 1:43
400870020 BENETTON FORD B187 THIERRY BOUTSEN 1987 1:43

No deliveries weeks 14th Sept & 21st Sept due to Minichamps stocktaking.

Available from 28th September

400010011 JORDAN MUGEN HONDA EJ11 H.H.FRENTZEN 2001 1:43
400870019 BENETTON FORD B187 TEO FABI 1987 1:43

Available from 5th October

181830105 BRABHAM BMW BT52 'PARMALAT' NELSON PIQUET WITH REMOVEABLE BODYWORK 1:18
400010012 JORDAN MUGEN HONDA EJ11 JARNO TRULLI 2001 1:43

Available from 12th October

400010112 JORDAN MUGEN HONDA EJ11 JEAN ALESI 2001 - 200TH GP SPECIAL MARKINGS 1:43

Hot Wheels 2007 McLarens Released - Now appearing on eBay!

1/18 Hot Wheels Massa Ferrari F2007 Photo!

Click to enlarge!

Photo courtesy of a-zchamps

Also, here's another photo of a Schumi Shanghai model. This time with "Danke Schumi" type figurine & worn slick tyres. This is just a prototype model as the official release has rain tyres and normal figurine. Still looks pretty good though!

New Hot Wheels on eBay!

The 1/18 Fernando Alonso Renault WORLD CHAMPION - BRAZILIAN GP SAO PAULO 2006 edition has made an appearance on ebay - #300142848136. It will be available from the usual retailers in approx 2 - 3 weeks. As with the Schumi Ferraris Mattel have produced a completely new mould for this version with the R26 in late season aero package.


Also from the same seller is a 1/18 Michael Schumacher Ferrari F248 Monza GP version with driver figurine. It is being sold without box so it may just be some kind of prototype model, as the official release is without driver figurine.

1/18 McLaren Test Cars now available!

Juan Pablo Montoya MP4/21 Test Car - Ltd. Ed. 1104pcs


Kimi Raikkonen MP4/21 Test Car - Ltd. Ed. 2304pcs

Another version of Schumacher Shanghai ???

It seems there are actually two versions of the Michael Schumacher F248 Shanghai 91 Wins Ltd. Ed. from Hot Wheels. The regular release is Ltd. Ed. 9591pcs. and states this on base plate. However, a "PRIVATE COLLECTION" Ltd. Ed. 200pcs. version has also been produced. At present it isn't known whether this release has been produced for a particular retailer / supplier or whether it has just been integrated with the standard release. Contact me or ,leave a comment if you have any further info.

PHOTOSET #3 - Michael Schumacher Japan 2006 - Flat Out 1/43

Ferrari F248 - Japanese GP & Ferrari FXX

Ltd. Ed. #13 / 15 pcs.