Toyota Publica

A little history

As the Americans had had the Ford Model T, and the Germans had the Volkswagen Beetle, the Japanese, not so long after emerging from a disastrous conflict, decided to create the car that would put their country on wheels. In 1955, the Japanese government published the requirements for such a vehicle, which had to be light and economical, yet demonstrate decent performance and good reliability, and obviously remain affordable. Quite a challenge!

In spite of the difficulties, Toyota’s engineers felt up to the task. Initially, they took their inspiration from another successful popular car of the era, the Citroën 2CV. They built a prototype fitted with a transmission to the front wheels but, without any experience in this field, the car proved a failure and it was decided to revert to a more reasonable rear-wheel-drive. Nevertheless, the car was to have an air-cooled, opposed twin engine, as its model. Displacement was 700 cc for an output of 28 hp, allowing the car to reach 110 kph. But unlike the 2CV, the little Toyota was to be a modern-looking notchback, with two doors and seating for four passengers. Production of this vehicle finally started in June 1961 after it had been christened “Publica”, a name chosen to denote its supposed impact on the Japanese masses. Alas, things went somewhat awry, at least at first.

Toyota had supposed the average Japanese were eagerly awaiting their Publica, but rapidly had to admit that it simply didn’t sell. The blame was put on the lack of equipment – by the early Sixties, in a more prosperous Japan than it used to be a few years before, most customers were looking for a car that was less spartan. They finally found it when Toyota unveiled a superior Deluxe version. The Publica had just met its public, at last.

In 1966, the Publica was thoroughly updated. Most obvious was its new front end, longer and more elegant, but other tiny modifications had been made all around the body. Its engine was enlarged to 800c and 36 hp, or even 45 hp in the new convertible version. Sales continued to be strong, but customers were slowly turning to newer, more sophisticated small cars. When production of the initial Publica was stopped in April 1969, the car that succeeded it bore the same name, but was a totally different automobile, based on the Corolla’s shortened platform.

About the model

Model: Toyota Publica
Year: 1961
Maker: Ebbro
Scale: 1/43
Distributed by: Ebbro “Oldies”
Acquired: brand new, in September 2006, Manila, Philippines

Perhaps not Ebbro’s best model, but still very acceptable. I experienced some trouble with the door handles that were getting loose. My rating is 13/20.





Model: Toyota Publica
Year: 1961
Maker: Norev
Scale: 1/43
Distributed by: Hachette Fujingaho as no.28 of its Japanese Car Collection press series
Acquired: brand new, in January 2007, in Hong Kong, S.A.R.

In addition to the Ebbro mentioned above, I used to have a Norev version of the same car, that I sold since then (sorry, I never thought of taking pictures before!). A simpler model, it nonetheless respected the proportions and dimensions of the Publica. Paint was a surprising, yet original kind of orange.

Citroën Activa

A little history

By the Eighties, Citroën had felt into some sort of lethargy. Apart for some “real” twin-chevron models, the BX and the ageing 2CV and CX, production now comprised a large share of cars that were either rebadged Peugeots or closely related to vehicles from the Sochaux company. Still, Citroën was bold enough to present two concept cars within two years, and therefore was able to demonstrate that its traditional spirit of innovation was not totally gone.

The first one was the Activa, presented during the 1988 Paris motor show. A striking pilarless four-door saloon (with “suicide” rear doors) penned by Dan Abramson, the Activa prominently featured a complex suspension system. Based on Citroën’s customary hydropneumatic suspension, it was controlled by a “Regamo” electronic system and called “Hydractive”. It succeeded in eliminating the important roll in fast turns that had been demonstrated by all hydropneumatic-equipped Citroëns since the DS and, furthermore, it could adjust the car’s handling by changing ride height and damping depending on the way the Activa was driven. Citroën didn’t only focus on suspension, though: its Activa enjoyed a fighter jet-inspired “head-up” holographic data display, four steerable wheels that allowed for a very tight turning radius and sideway parking, and a full-time four-wheel-drive transmission through a four-speed automatic gearbox. Even the seemingly conventional devices received loads of electronics. Its engine, a 3.0-litre V6 rated at 220 hp, looks rather conventional in comparison. Among all of these new systems, the Hydractive suspension proved the most successful one, as no later than the following year it found its way into the new Citroën XM.

Two years after the first Activa, Citroën unveiled the XM-based Activa 2 coupe, again during the Paris motor show. The Hydractive suspension and 3.0-litre engine (now limited to 200 hp) were carried over from its predecessor, while the centre console received an advanced electronic navigation system that was ahead of its time. Yet, the Activa 2 was a much more reasonable car overall, for Citroën seriously considered its production as an heir to the famed SM. In the end, PSA management deemed its manufacture too risky, Citroën lacking the image necessary to sell a car that would have competed with well-established German brands. For the anecdote, the body of the Activa 2 is often but erroneously thought to be from Bertone: as its creditor, Citroën had indeed the Italian company settling part of its debts by building the car, but its involvement stopped here – the design of the Activa 2 was an in-house job, its lines having been drawn once again by Dan Abramson.

Though the Activas did not beget any production vehicle, the name was later applied to the active suspension system available on a variant of the Citroën Xantia.

About the model

Model: Citroën Activa 2
Year: 1990
Maker: Universal Hobbies
Scale: 1/43
Distributed by: Atlas as no.66 of its Passion Citroën press series
Acquired: new with neither box nor stand (probably a production overrun or quality control reject), in February 2007, in Hong Kong, S.A.R.

Universal Hobbies offered a pretty model of the Activa 2 through Atlas’ press series (the Activa 1 was also released, but I don’t have it yet). My rating is 14/20. Note that I hadn’t glue the side mirrors into place when I took these pictures. By the way, I just noticed they’re way too dark! I’ll replace them as soon as I put my hands again on this model.

Renault Dauphine

A little history

Not a single new car sold during five years of conflict and the possibility for a more prosperous working class of purchasing an automobile for the very first time combined to make the little Renault 4CV, launched in mid-1947, an instant hit. Obviously, its manufacturer started to think about its replacement as soon at it was put on the market but, as it turned out, its success was such that a direct substitute could not be imagined. Therefore, a larger car ended up being sold alongside the 4CV, rather than it replaced it.

The “Project 109” study started in earnest in July 1951. Ultimately, the car would become the Dauphine, placed between the 4CV and the Frégate, and addressing previous owners of 4CV whose improved way of life would allow purchasing a larger automobile, while the 4CV would continue to answer the needs of first-time motorists. Rarely the introduction of a new car had been so carefully prepared, the whole development lasting almost five years and including an in-depth study of the needs of the average French motorist.

The presentation of the Renault Dauphine took place in February 1956 in Corsica, where many journalists had been invited to test the first new Renault in more than five years. The public would have to wait one more month for its introduction in Paris. Finally, the Dauphine was officially unveiled during the Geneva motor show. A box-type automobile of much larger proportions than the 4CV, the Dauphine retained a rear engine, but of larger displacement – 850cc for 27 hp. Handling was extremely sound for a car based on this architecture, the Dauphine only oversteering when pushed hard in tight turns. The front luggage compartment was rather vast for the times. And, to make things even better, the Dauphine, after the initial prototypes had been corrected by Ghia, was a very elegant automobile, offered in a variety of bright colours.

As the 4CV before it, the Dauphine’s success was immediate and, ultimately, more than two millions were built until 1968, production continuing until 1970 in some countries. It, too, would survive its heir apparent, the Renault 8. Among the memorable variants of the original car, let’s name the Gordini from 1958, with its 38 hp engine; the Ondine, a better-appointed version introduced in 1960; and the R1093, a homologated racing development of the Dauphine fitted with a 55 hp engine and a four-speed transmission. Another noticeable equipment was the Ferlec electromagnetic clutch (optional from 1957) that turned the Dauphine’s manual transmission into a semi-automatic one. The excellent Dauphine engine was also fitted under the bonnets of such dissimilar vehicles as the Alpine A108 sports coupe or the Renault Estafette panel van. The outputs of the sporty versions’ perhaps seem ludicrous today, but the Gordini and the R1093 were quite effective machines back then, the Dauphine bagging a victory at the Monte Carlo rally, and two at the Tour de Corse, among countless minor trophies.

More than its success in France, the Dauphine’s achievements around the globe were remarkable in a time when brand new cars seldom crossed borders. Apart from FASA, Renault’s Spanish subsidiary, the Dauphine was produced under licence by Alfa Romeo in Italy (easily forgotten today, but there has been thousands of Alfa Romeo Dauphines built!), by Kaiser in Argentina and Israel, by Willys-Overland in Brazil and by the minor Todd Motors in New Zealand. It also served as the base for the Hino Contessa, after the Japanese company had produced the 4CV in the Fifties. Most notable of all, though it ultimately met with a bitter end, was the Dauphine’s great success on the American market. During the first large wave of imports that took place in the late Fifties, it was second only to the Volkswagen Beetle in terms of sales. Unlike the German car, the Dauphine offered four doors, a pretty silhouette and Parisian chic to American motorists. Alas, the Dauphine proved anything but durable on American highways, and suffered to the extreme from rust. To make things worse, Renault’s budding North American network was well below par to address the complaints of its disenchanted customers… When the “Big Three” unveiled their own compact cars, the Ford Falcon, the Chevrolet Corvair and the Plymouth Valiant, Renault ended up with thousands of Dauphines rusting in the open air in New York docks – most were finally shipped back to France at considerable expense.

About the models

Model: Renault Dauphine Gordini
Year: 1958
Maker: Norev
Scale: 1/43
Distributed by: Norev, as part of a “Gordini” box set offered in the “Renault Gamme Sport” series.
Acquired: second-hand as part of the complete set, offered by a friend and fellow collector in December 2006, in Manila, Philippines.

Norev’s rendition of the Dauphine Gordini suffers mostly from the poorly designed door handles, which have the naughty habit of swinging freely around their attachment points. Apart from this detail, this model is rather nice, and deserves a 13/20. This particular one was part of a three-car commemorative “Gordini” set, which also included a Renault 8 Gordini and an already presented Renault 12 Gordini (curiously Norev omitted the Renault 17 Gordini…).





Model: Renault Dauphine
Event: 1958 Monte Carlo rally, driven by Guy Monraisse, navigator Jacques Feret (overall winners)
Maker: Ixo
Scale: 1/43
Distributed by: Altaya as no.62 of its Voitures de Rallye de Collection press series
Acquired: brand new, in July 2006, in Souillac, France

We have briefly discussed about the Dauphine’s racing career. Though the car itself wasn’t particularly impressive, its historical victory in the Monte Carlo justified its inclusion in Altaya’s series of rally cars. Unfortunately Ixo's model of the Dauphine is fitted with grossly oversized side windows. Too bad! My rating is 12/20.









Model: Renault Dauphine
Year: 1961
Maker: Ixo
Scale: 1/43
Distributed by: Altaya as no.31 of its Nos Chères Voitures d'Antan press series
Acquired: brand new, in September 2005, in Souillac, France

Remove the previous model’s few items that identify it as a racing car, and you get this plain Dauphine. In addition to the reproach already made above, Ixo painted its model into this bright orange that has never been a factory colour. This forces me to further lower my rating to 11/20.





Model: Renault Dauphine
Year: 1961
Maker: Norev
Scale: 1/43
Distributed by: M6 as no.2 of its Renault Collection press series
Acquired: brand new, in December 2006, in Souillac, France

Same thing with Norev that provided a plain Dauphine for M6’s press series. It is based on the same mould as the Gordini we have seen above – and suffers from the very same flaw: 13/20.

Chevrolet Corvair

A little history

When one thinks about American cars, stereotypes most probably come to his or her mind, as hefty sizes and weights, chromes, V8 engines, and so on. Still, American engineers sometimes proved to be capable of creating something original. In the case of the Corvair, they were poorly rewarded for their efforts.

The Corvair’s concept was due to Edward Nicholas “Ed” Cole, on Chevrolet’s payroll since 1933. During the Fifties, he was named chief engineer, then general manager of General Motors’ biggest seller. He already had an eye on the many rear-engine cars developed in Europe, particular the Volkwagen Beetle, so different from anything Detroit was producing, yet so popular in America. So Cole thought the time was ripe for an American-made rear-engine automobile.

The Corvair, as it was to be called, would be a compact car. Nash and its successor AMC had opened the way with the Rambler, imitated by Studebaker and its Lark. Simultaneously, imports peaked by the end of the decade. The three major corporations had to react and each prepared a compact car of their own. This riposte took the shape of three compacts that all appeared for model year 1960. Ford unveiled the Falcon, a very conventional car and, as it turned out, the most popular of the bunch. Plymouth introduced the Valiant, which unfortunately suffered from a tormented style announcing the odd-looking Chrysler cars of the next few years – until the group’s chief designer Virgil Exner finally got the boot. Concurrently, Chevrolet presented its Corvair, fitted with a rear-mounted, air-cooled flat six. Completely new to GM’s engineers, this original architecture had proved difficult to develop – even after entering production, the Corvair’s engine would leak oil in enormous proportions. Its main problem though would come from its rear suspension. The swing axle should have been complemented by an anti-roll bar. GM’s accountants didn’t follow the engineers’ suggestion: with all its unusual technologies, the Corvair was expensive to build, and some costs had to be cut to make the car competitive on the market. This choice would prove decisive in the catastrophe that loomed ahead.

Still, things were not going so bad yet. Sales were inferior to those of archrival Ford, but good enough. Performance was rather limited, though the 2.3-litre six was working hard to provide at least good acceleration, but the body had been masterfully crafted – ironically, the Corvair’s look would inspire many designers: the NSU Prinz 4, the Simca 1000, the Hino Contessa, or the Fiat 1300/1500 all mimicked the unsuccessful Chevrolet. In addition to this, the range was limited at first, including only only two- and four-door sedans. Developing Chevrolet’s offer could help, so during the next few years many models being added to the catalogue: the short-lived Lakewood station wagon, the Greenbrier minibus and Corvan 95 van and pickup, and a convertible. But it was the Monza Spyder that determined the future of the car. Launched in 1962, it added to the car a turbocharger (a rare equipment in those days), boosting the power to 150 hp and transforming the Corvair, with its peculiar handling, into an affordable sportscar. The whole range benefited from the new image carved by the Monza Spyder, finding a niche that allowed it to remain on Chevrolet’s pricelist despite the introduction of a more conventional compact, the Chevy II.

Sold as a sporty compact, could the Corvair finally be a success? Two elements played against it, once again. The first was the introduction of the Ford Mustang halfway through model year 1964. Compact, nimble, cheap, sporty, somewhat different, the new Ford was all this… as the Corvair had been before it. That is to say, the Mustang could do anything the rear-engine Chevrolet did, only better. In particular, the Corvair had to settle with its turbocharged six as its most potent engine, while the Mustang offered V8s and a whole range of optional heavy-duty parts that could turn it into a genuine performance machine. Inevitably, the Corvair was rapidly expelled from its very last stronghold.

The second event that negatively affected the Corvair’s career was the book from a then-unknown lawyer, Ralph Nader. In Unsafe at any speed, Nader violently denounced the absence of concern the manufacturers demonstrated for safety. All automobile companies were under fire – even Rolls-Royce was cited – but no car received harsher critics from Nader than the Corvair, which handling was supposedly extremely hazardous. In addition, Nader argued that in case of a frontal shock, the driver would be impaled by the steering column. Many claims later proved to be, at least, grossly exaggerated, but the fatal blow had already been given nonetheless.

Nader’s attacks paradoxically came as the Corvair was bettering itself. For 1965, a second generation of the car was unveiled. The swing axle gave way to a much superior independent suspension on all four wheels. One year later, Chevrolet would face Ralph Nader’s critics by fitting a two-piece steering column, then a collapsible one after another year. Best of all perhaps, the new Corvair, inspired in part by the Corvette Stingray, was lower and longer, and definitely very elegant.

Alas, this second Corvair was leading a fight that was already lost. In 1966, Chevrolet decided to stop the development of the car to concentrate on its challenger to the Mustang’s supremacy, the oncoming Camaro. Shortly thereafter, advertisement expenses were drastically reduced. Year after year, demand unsurprisingly dropped. Production figures were six-digits numbers when the car had been initially launched; in 1969, for its very last year, only six thousand left the factory. A sad end for a car that has been extremely ambitious at its outset.

About the model

Model: Chevrolet Corvair Monza
Year: 1969
Maker: Yat Ming
Scale: 1/18
Distributed by: Road Signature
Acquired: brand new, in November 2004, in Manila, Philippines

Excellent model by Yat Ming. With the exception of its engine, too much plastic-like to my taste, all details of this die-cast have been carefully crafted. My rating is 14/20.

BMW F650

A little history

A rather elitist brand on four as well as on two wheels, BMW decided during the early Nineties to address a slightly less affluent and much younger clientele. In 1993, this willingness translated into the F650. Available in two versions, the Funduro and the ST, the F650 was powered by a single-cylinder 650cc Rotax rated at 50 hp. Both models were built until the end of 1999, when they were replaced by a single model, the F650GS. Fitted with an injection engine and a catalytic converter, the GS stood higher, yet had a lower centre of gravity thanks to a modified fuel tank.

At the end of 2007, BMW deeply updated its F650GS for the Milan motorcycle show. Since then, it has appeared as a simplified version of the new F800GS. A little odd perhaps, the F650GS actually shares its larger sister’s smoother 800cc engine. Once more provided by Rotax, it is an inline twin delivering 85 hp in F800 guise, but limited to 71 hp when fitted to the F650. Again designed for a public of bikers with limited experience, both GS models can also be restricted to a friendlier output of only 34 hp. They are still proposed by BMW today.

About the model

Model: BMW F650GS
Year: 2007
Maker: Maisto
Scale: 1/18
Distributed by: Maisto
Acquired: second hand with neither stand nor box, in December 2011, in Brive, France

A rendition of the F650GS that is well in line with what Maisto usually produces: nicely done overall but the high content of plastic parts sadly makes it look a little toy-like. My rating is 12/20.

Lamborghini Diablo

A little history

In 1985, Lamborghini decided to replace its most iconic automobile, the Countach. Temporarily dubbed Project 132, the new car was to reach 315 kph, establishing itself as one of the fastest cars in the world. On the outside, penning its body was entrusted once again to famed designer Marcello Gandini, to whom had been credited most Lamborghini designs up to then. Alas, development was slowed down by Lamborghini’s serious lack of funds. Having narrowly escaped a bankruptcy, the Sant’Agata company was still in poor shape by the Eighties. Then, Chrysler entered the stage. The American giant too had closely avoided its ruin, turning the tides around 1980 with successful vehicles such as the L-platform cars (Plymouth Horizon and Dodge Omni) then the K-Cars (Plymouth Reliant and Dodge Aries). Though it had just sold its many branches overseas, it was willing to add a little prestige to its name by investing the cash it had lacked for so many years into the purchase of a reputed European auto maker.

Lamborghini’s takeover took place in 1987, and though the Italian company lost its independence in the process, it insured that it would have sufficient budget to complete its Project 132. This was achieved, but not without having Chrysler’s management interfere with the car’s development. Marcello Gandini’s radically angular body displeased the American executives, so Chrysler’s designers drew a heavily modified body for the car, which ended up being much more curved and rounded than intended. Dismayed, Gandini left with his drawings and put them to good use to create the Cizeta-Moroder V16T.

The new Lamborghini finally appeared in January 1990 at the Detroit motor show, under the name Diablo. Though its engine was the well-known 5.7-litre V12, this time rated at 492 hp, the car exceeded its initial goal and could reach an impressive 325+ kph. Compared to the departing Countach, the Diablo was also designed to be a much more comfortable GT and not solely a performance-oriented machine, so it came with a long list of optional equipments, though the base model remained relatively spartan.

The early Nineties were a time of severe competition in the supercars field, with many projects from both established companies and newcomers. Lamborghini could not afford to wait too long to update its Diablo, which was done in 1993 with the introduction of the VT. The new variant enjoyed an all-wheel-drive transmission which was based on the experience gleaned from the LM002 off-road vehicle, a new suspension, improved brakes, a new dashboard and a wide array of minor modifications. The car came standard with air-conditioning but, surprisingly, still had to wait for an ABS system.

The Lamborghini Diablo’s range was widely augmented during 1995. The year saw the introduction of a long-awaited VT Roadster, and a new version fitted with a conventional rear-wheel-drive transmission, the SV. Finally, after Chrysler sold Lamborghini to the VAG group, the Diablo was facelifted, receiving a front end treatment that was somewhat reminiscent of the Bugatti EB110, ironically another Marcello Gandini creation. It also gained a V12 engine enlarged to 6.0-litre and good for 550 hp, and a modified all-wheel-drive transmission… which wasn’t necessarily an improvement over the previous version. Under this latest guise, the Diablo was produced until 2001, when it was succeeded by the Lamborghini Murciélago.

About the model

Model: Lamborghini Diablo
Year: 1990
Maker: Maisto
Scale: 1/18
Distributed by: Maisto
Acquired: second hand with neither box nor stand, in April 2007, in Brive, France

This is a correct yet inexpensive model of the Diablo. Nothing extraordinary about it, and furthermore the thick plastic-made harnesses fitted to the seats somewhat spoil the passenger compartment, but still worth a 13/20 rating.











Model: Lamborghini Diablo
Year: 1990
Maker: Bburago
Scale: 1/24
Distributed by: Bburago
Acquired: second hand with neither box nor stand, in April 2007, in Brive, France

This die-cast is simple, even toy-ish perhaps, but correct enough and extremely cheap. Bburago has always had a problem with the width of its tyres, which the Italian brand represents much too wide, but it’s obviously not really an issue with this particular model. My rating is 10/20.







Model: Lamborghini Diablo VT
Year: 1993
Maker: Del Prado, or whoever builds models for Del Prado
Scale: 1/43
Distributed by: Del Prado through an unknown Japanese press series
Acquired: brand new, in December 2006, in Hong Kong, S.A.R.

Del Prado has offered a surprisingly agreeable model of the Diablo – this cannot be said of all die-casts proposed by the Italian distributor. This effort is certainly worth 12/20.