Ford Escort (1980-1990)

A little history

Following the successes encountered by the first two generations of Escorts, Ford carefully prepared a new car that would be up to its predecessors. It was finally unveiled in September 1980 in the form of a modern and compact automobile, which broke away from its conservative forerunners by adopting front-wheel-drive, all-independent suspension and hatchback bodies. While the smaller 1.1-litre four was carried over, the larger 1.3- and 1.6-litre units were freshly designed. Though a Ford Escort was simultaneously launched as a subcompact in the United States, this was essentially a different vehicle sharing not much more than a name with the Escort intended for the European market.

Production started in both Ford’s German and British plants and, despite some early critics regarding the car’s handling, the new Escort soon proved worth its name by enjoying a sizeable success. Well built and elegant, the Escort also offered a wide range of models, which ran from a plain 1100cc two-door model up to the luxurious Ghia or the sporty XR3. New choices were progressively introduced, such as a diesel engine, or estate and convertible versions.

This initial third-generation Escort lasted until spring 1986, when the car received a slight facelift. Mostly noticeable from the front, it included a smaller grille set below a smoothened nose. This update allowed the car to linger until the end of model year 1990, when it was replaced by a brand new Escort.

About the models

Model: Ford Escort 1.3 GL
Year: 1982
Maker: Ixo
Scale: 1/43
Distributed by: Altaya as no.95 of its Nos Chères Voitures d'Antan press series
Acquired: brand new, in December 2007, in Souillac, France

This is again one of these late additions to this Altaya series that were adapted from the distributors’ Spanish equivalent collection, but have not much to do with the original concept of the French series. This said, what is this model worth? Rather well proportioned, but a little too heavy-looking perhaps, it enjoys nice three-colour lights at the back - earlier Altayas were not this well treated. My rating is 12/20.









Model: Ford Escort XR3
Year: c.1983
Maker: Bburago
Scale: 1/24
Distributed by: Bburago
Acquired: second hand with neither box nor stand, in December 2011, in Brive, France

This is an early and now long discontinued model from Bburago. That sums it all: while the accuracy of some more recent models from the Italian manufacturer is sometimes doubtful, this particular die-cast is definitely toy-like in appearance. Unrealistic wheels, simplified cockpit (or should I say “passenger compartment” for there is nothing specific to differentiate this version from a road car?), absence of separate rear lights and fantasy decoration are all on the menu: 7/20.

Renault Fuego

First of all, a warm welcome to C.G. Michaels, our newest follower. Many among our most recent friends come from Argentina though, so today I’d like to discuss a car they know quite well.

A little history

As the Renault 15 and 17 coupes were based on the popular saloon, the Renault 12, the French company logically decided after the replacement of the latter by the Renault 18 to introduce a brand new coupe derived from the newest car. Tastefully penned by Michel Jardin under supervision by Robert Opron, it would receive Fuego as a name.

Production of the Fuego started in October 1979, replacing the R15/17 at Renault’s Maubeuge factory. Introduction would wait until March 1980 and the Geneva motor show. Most of the critics at the time concentrated on the styling. Not that it wasn’t elegant enough – on the contrary – but some judged that the new Renault unfortunately looked too similar to the Porsche 924, noticeably sharing the same concept of a rear opening glass “bubble” hatch. Furthermore, the Fuego, a much more modest car than the German machine, suffered from the comparison. On the road, the Fuego enjoyed a safe and predictable behaviour, a characteristic unsurprisingly shared with the R18. Alas, it also shared its engines, with no performance version initially offered. But in the end, the biggest problem the Fuego had to face was the fact that it simply came too late on the market. The concept of a coupe based on a mid-range saloon, powered by a large selection of engines, had been invented by the Ford Mustang then transposed to Europe by the Ford Capri. The large success that the cars designed for that niche enjoyed throughout the Seventies was quickly vanishing due to the fierce competition offered by the compact GTIs, a concept inaugurated by the Volkswagen Golf.

Renault tried to improve the performances of the Fuego by grafting to it more potent engines: a 2.0-litre block came first for model year 1981, but the car had to wait two more years for an able 1.6-litre turbocharged engine, with which it could finally reach 200 kph. That was a pity, as the Fuego had a particularly slick body ideal for high speeds. Several of its equipments were quite advanced for the time, too. Such was the case of the onboard computer, the remote door lock system (a world first, that today probably equips any single new car sold in the world) or the turbo-diesel engine, common nowadays on coupes, but an ultra-rare choice back then.

All these efforts were to no avail to save a car that was born too late. Though the Fuego cannot be called a failure, it was quickly withdrawn from production in Europe, being built until 1985 in France and 1986 in Spain. Due to the totally different specificities of the local market, the Fuego enjoyed a much longer career, and comparatively a much more successful one, in Argentina where the very last car was constructed as late as in 1992.

About the model

Model: Renault Fuego GTL
Year: 1981
Maker: Norev
Scale: 1/43
Distributed by: M6 as no.16 of its Renault Collection press series
Acquired: second hand with neither stand nor box, in July 2006, in Brive, France

Norev offers this interesting but rather old reproduction of the Renault Fuego. It is quite correct but is betrayed by its simple and poorly adjusted wheels and simplistic front end. I’d give 11/20 to this model.





Model: Renault Fuego GTX
Year: 1982
Maker: Ixo
Scale: 1/43
Distributed by: Altaya as no.89 of its Nos Chères Voitures d'Antan press series
Acquired: brand new, in October 2007, in Souillac, France

Ixo’s version of the Renault Fuego is greatly helped by the fact that it is much more recent than Norev’s version. Alas, it suffers from poor adjustment of some parts - have a look at these large black lateral pieces to see how they poorly fit. This unfortunately brings my rating down to 12/20 when it could have been much higher.

Nissan Silvia (S10 to S15)

Here’s for Danny: the end of the Nissan Silvia’s story.

A little history

The souvenir of the prestigious Silvia hadn’t faded away when, during the mid-Seventies, Nissan was about to launch a new sporty coupe derived from its compact saloons. Consequently the Japanese make decided to resurrect the Silvia name. The new car received the mission of tackling a growing market dominated by the Toyota Celica. Nissan couldn’t know, however, that in the process it was about to create a long-running nameplate that would span over six generations.

The first of the new Silvias (S10) was introduced in October 1975. Powered by a 1.8-litre four, it appeared in the form of an elegant fastback coupe, which style typically mixed Japanese and American influences. For this, and despite the fact that it was relatively unsuccessful, it is my favourite Silvia.

The second Silvia (S110) appeared in March 1979. Base engine remained the 1.8-litre four, but a 2.0-litre, until now reserved for cars exported to the U.S. market, became available. Turbocharged engines and a 2.4-litre four were added later. The S110 introduced a five-speed gearbox and an early form of in-board computer. The fastback style being now out of fashion, the Silvia was a strict coupe, but a hatchback version, named the Gazelle, was also offered. Though still elegant, the style was much more conventional and probably suffered from the very peculiar treatment of the side windows. Nissan also envisioned making the Silvia a contender in rally racing – though it never rivalled cars as the Lancia 037 or the Audi Quattro for the world championship, its exceptional toughness made it a winner in African rallies. A last remark by the way: if the car wasn’t called the S11 as it would have been logical, that’s due to the fact that the name had been already taken by an abandoned prototype of what could have been a Silvia with a rotary engine.

That’s in August 1983 that the third Silvia (S12) came to light. Once again, a Gazelle was offered, but it was now nothing more than a rebadged Silvia sold through a different network of dealerships. Base engine was now the 2.0-litre four, but those who wanted better performances could chose between a 3.0-litre V6 or a turbocharged 1.8-litre four. Many did, as the heavy base car was under-powered and fitted with inadequate brakes.

Nissan took a big leap forward with its new Silvia, released in May 1988 as an early 1989 model. Reasonably futuristic, this S13 enjoyed an instant success that went well beyond that of any other Silvia. Its only (minor) failure was in the release of a convertible variant which, priced much too high, sold poorly and was rapidly discarded.

In October 1993, the S13 was replaced by the Silvia S14. The new car’s style appeared much milder that that of the S13, a default that was partially corrected by a June 1996 facelift. That the S14 didn’t look aggressive enough is ironical, as this generation also saw the disappearance of the hatchback – the new Silvia wasn’t meant to bring a family to its nearest supermarket.

The production of the S14 was stopped late in 1998, in order to convert Nissan’s facilities to the new S15, launched in January 1999. The S15’s task was difficult: the Silvia’s sales had unsurprisingly plummeted after Nissan cancelled the simplest versions – by the time of the S14, the Silvia was a performance-oriented machine fitted with either 2.4-litre or turbocharged 2.0-litre engines. The S15 tried to correct this image by offering only 2.0-litre fours, either naturally aspirated or turbocharged. A Spec-S package, along with a more extreme Spec-R (fitted with a 6-speed gearbox), were proposed. A new convertible was also introduced, this time as a retractable metal-top version developed in cooperation with Autech. All this didn’t help much and the Silvia’s sales, as those of Nissan as a whole, remained sluggish. The Japanese company reacted by rationalizing its range, and the Silvia unfortunately stood among the models that it decided to discontinue. After almost twenty-seven years in production, the last Silvia left the factory in October 2002.

About the model

Model: Nissan Silvia HB Turbo RS-X (S12)
Year: c.1983
Maker: Tomy
Scale: 1/43
Distributed by: Tomica S-Series, ref.0004.
Acquired: brand new, in February 2005, in Manila, Philippines

Though a few gimmicks, and most notably a lot of opening parts, make this model look more like a toy, this is actually a rather detailed and accurate die-cast of the Silvia. I’d give 13/20 to this good model.

Citroën LN and LNA

First of all, welcome to our newest follower anpleco. If you enjoy buses, have a look at his own, very interesting page.

Secondly, my warmest thanks to all of you simply passing by and reading this blog. I grossly underestimated the number of such visitors until, inspired by some of our friends’ own pages, I installed the counter you can see further down. It proved me to be quite wrong actually, as I just noticed that we passed the 100-different-countries mark, and though I suppose the largest majority of those are not model cars collectors, I can’t help wondering what it is like to collect die-casts in such exotic locations as Cambodia, Panama, Ghana or else. So if you are in such a situation, don’t hesitate to leave a few words, even as an anonymous user, to share your experience.

Two last remarks for those of you who would count the little flags in order to check if there are really one hundred of them:
1. There is actually one more as I didn’t count “European Community” as a country.
2. You really have time to waste... ;)

This said, here is today’s story.

A little history

Faithful Citroën customers were in fright after their favourite brand had been taken over by Peugeot in 1974: now overseen by the new PSA group, would the Javel company retain enough autonomy to keep the unique taste for innovation that had made its reputation? At first, these fears didn’t seem to be the sole effect of an excess of pessimism. Despite Peugeot’s assurances, the first new Citroën was, for the most part, a Peugeot but for its name.

This new car was called LN. A small two-door hatchback, it received the Peugeot 104 coupe’s body but was powered by Citroën’s traditional air-cooled, 602cc twin. Turn the ignition key, and it unmistakably sounded like a Citroën… yet, this wasn’t enough to convince anyone of Peugeot’s good intentions concerning its new satellite. For Citroën didn’t even need such a car, having no less than four different models down its range: the 2CV, still a best-seller after a quarter of a century in production; the Dyane, a slightly modernized interpretation of the previous car which enjoyed a better equipment; the Ami 8, a family car; and the Méhari, a light off-road vehicle. All that the LN had to offer were similar performances and economy, less room inside the passenger compartment, a virtually absent boot and, to cap it all, an insipid image.

After having been seen at the Paris motor show in October 1975, the LN went on sale in August 1976. The press was wary, while Citroën’s loyal followers were outraged. No wonder then why the LN didn’t sell well. During the following years, the car’s small range was constantly revised, updated, tweaked, but the car just didn’t fit among Citroën’s production. As early as November 1978 the LN gave way to a facelifted LNA, powered by a more potent 652cc, courtesy of the new Visa. Then in 1982, PSA tried to develop the LNA’s range upward by fitting under its bonnet a water-cooled 1124cc, Peugeot’s “Douvrin” engine, which deprived the car from the limited pedigree it had inherited. The last LNA was built in 1986, to be replaced by the AX – though developed in close cooperation with Peugeot, this new car didn’t repeat the mistakes of its predecessor by clearly asserting its identity as a Citroën.

About the models

Model: Citroën LN
Year: 1977
Maker: Universal Hobbies
Scale: 1/43
Distributed by: Atlas as no.33 of its Passion Citroën press series
Acquired: brand new, in November 2005, in Sarlat, France

Too often underrated by collectors in my opinion, Universal Hobbies showed how good some of its models can be with this LN. Overall shapes and proportions: nothing to complain about. Paint: nice and accurate. Details: worth grabbing a magnifier. My rating? Let’s be generous for such a good model – 16/20.





Model: Citroën LNA
Year: 1981
Maker: Ixo
Scale: 1/43
Distributed by: Altaya as no.98 of its Nos Chères Voitures d'Antan press series
Acquired: brand new, in January 2008, in Souillac, France

A rather correct model, but in no way as good as the previous one. Workmanship in particular is much poorer with Ixo than UH. My rating is 12/20.

Chrysler Sunbeam

A little history

In poor financial state during the Sixties, the Rootes group was taken over by Chrysler, eager to build for itself the same kind of global empire its main rival General Motors and Ford already had at their disposal. Alas, as we already discussed earlier, Chrysler was soon moribund itself. Furthermore, the American giant multiplied mistakes in its management of its European subsidiaries: throwing away the old Rootes nameplates to which the British drivers were attached in order to make space for the lone “Chrysler” name, sacrificing the traditional Rootes quality on the altar of cost... you can check here for a few additional idiocies perpetrated under American “direction”. By the mid-Seventies, with its coffers desperately empty, the former Rootes group’s production was limited to the old Imp, the old Hunter and the not-so-old-but-rapidly-becoming-older Avenger. See the picture?

Chrysler’s big shots got an idea to insufflate new life into the dying body of the old firm. They approached the British government and blackmailed it: if public funds would not support the company – in other words if the taxpayer’s money would not pay for the American management’s blunders – the factory would be simply closed. The economic circumstances were perhaps more problematic in Britain (and yet more in Scotland where the factory stood) than they were in the rest of the world at this time, so the government, eager not to send more people to the dole, signed the check. The financial effort was certainly a large one for the government, but was still insufficient to alleviate Chrysler’s disaster. If it allowed to introduce a new model, simply called the Chrysler Sunbeam, this car was nothing more than a stopgap.

The Sunbeam was a compact hatchback, only available with three doors. Though the body was brand new, under the skin virtually all components were carried over from previous models. The platform was a shortened version of the Avenger’s one, which meant rear-wheel-drive was retained at a time when most popular cars had turned to FWD. Surprisingly, it would have been easy to draw parts from Chrysler-Simca as Chrysler’s French subsidiary then had most of its models powered through the front wheels, though this wasn’t the company’s choice. Base engine was the small 900cc already provided by Coventry Climax for the Imp, and a larger 1.3-litre block.

The Chrysler Sunbeam was ready for the 1978 model year, a precious addition to a range from which the Imp and the Hunter were now absent. Despite its limitations (anaemic base engine, limited range, unpractical rear hatch) the new car appeared fresh enough to sell in decent numbers. Nonetheless it would probably be forgotten today if not for its performance versions. In early 1979, Chrysler applied the Volkswagen Golf’s methods and introduced a Sunbeam Ti, fitting into the small car a 100-hp, 1.6-litre engine lifted from the Avenger. An even more potent version of the Sunbeam was just a few weeks away: the Sunbeam Lotus. Chrysler had secured Lotus’ help to design a very special version of its car, aimed at rally racing. Lotus squeezed its own 2.2-litre engine, good for 150 hp under the bonnet.

As it turned out Chrysler would never see its Sunbeam race in rally racing. Before the development of the car was over the whole European subsidiaries were turned over to PSA. They were not even sold, considering their extremely poor state, but given instead, the only requirement for the French group being to shoulder their huge debts.

By mid-1979 Peugeot revived the old Talbot name in order to replace the Chrysler badge on all the products it inherited from the American company. The British models were condemned, though they were kept in production for the time being. Peugeot made good use of the Talbot Sunbeam Lotus, which after initial successes during the 1980 season went on to win the whole world championship for manufacturers in 1981 (Ari Vatanen got the driver’s title at the wheel of a Ford). Nonetheless the car was now in its very last year. All the remaining “genuine” British models, the Sunbeam and the Avenger, were removed from the range at the end of the 1981 model year. Production of the Sunbeam stood at 200,000, with about 2,200 of these being of the famed Lotus variant.

About the model

Model: Talbot Sunbeam Lotus
Year: 1981
Event: 1981 Rallye do Brasil, driven by Guy Fréquelin, navigator Jean Todt (finished 2nd overall)
Maker: Ixo
Scale: 1/43
Distributed by: Altaya as no.20 of its Voitures de Rallye de Collection press series
Acquired: brand new, in December 2004, in Souillac, France

A very average job from Ixo for Altaya. The all-red rear lights of this version are particularly annoying. I'll give a 9/20 to it, no more.

Ferrari Berlinetta Boxer

A little history

After swimming against the stream of technical evolution for years, Ferrari finally introduced its first 12-cylinder mid-engine GT in 1971. This car, the 365 GT4 BB (“Berlinetta Boxer”) was first seen at the Turin motor show in 1971, though two more years would be necessary to unveil its final production version at the 1973 Paris motor show.

The BB’s predecessor, the Daytona, had received critics regarding its front-mounted engine. The Lamborghini Miura had shown the way several years back, and with the appearance of the Maserati Bora, Ferrari had no longer any excuse for not proposing to its customers a better-balanced high-performance machine. Sitting in a framework of steel tubing, the engine was a 4.4-litre developed from the 365 GTC/4’s block, but had its two banks of pistons set 180° apart – for the very first time a road-going Ferrari wouldn’t be a V12. With no less than four three-barrel carburettors to feed it, this flat twelve was reportedly able to deliver 380 hp.

Pininfarina designed a modern body of wide and low proportions. Pop-up lights were used at the front, while the rear was highly distinguishable with its six taillights and six exhaust tips. Weight was saved by the extensive use of aluminium and fibreglass, though some panels, as the roof, remained in steel. Performances were astounding, with a top speed of no less than 302 kph. Nonetheless the production BB was detuned to 360 hp, but still advertised for 302 kph – apparently old Enzo held on to the claim that his newest car had broken the 300 kph barrier for publicity purposes, but this groundless boasting disappointed some of the BB’s first customers. Anyway few of the car’s drivers dared pushing their machines beyond 240 kph, at which speed the BB became notoriously unstable.

In 1976, the BB saw its displacement increased to 4.9-litre, which justified its new name: BB 512. The car’s body was slightly modified, now featuring only four taillights and receiving a small spoiler that reduced the aerodynamic problems mentioned above. Found rather difficult to operate in earlier BBs, the clutch was also modified in order to improve its ease of use. But even in its second incarnation, Ferrari’s flagship wasn’t perfect. Another concern was the extreme difficulty to tune the large bank of carburettors, which demanded constant care in order to deliver the promised performances. This issue was solved in mid-1981, when a Bosch injection system replaced the four Weber carburettors on the 512i BB, which was officially introduced during the Frankfurt motor show a few months after entering production.

The last BB was produced in 1984, the last of a series of 2,323 cars. The eagerly-awaited Testarossa succeeded it.

About the models

Model: Ferrari 512 BB
Year: 1976
Maker: Ixo
Scale: 1/43
Distributed by: Fabbri as no.28 of its Ferrari Collection press series
Acquired: brand new, in May 2006, in Souillac, France

Nice paint - an Ixo specialty - and elegant wheels. Detailed enough to be worth 13/20.









Model: Ferrari 512 BB/LM
Year: 1981
Event: 1981 Le Mans 24 Hours, driven by Jean-Claude Andruet and Claude Ballot-Léna (finished 5th overall, class winner)
Maker: Ixo
Scale: 1/43
Distributed by: Altaya as no.32 of its Les Plus Belles Voitures des 24 Heures du Mans press series
Acquired: brand new, in December 2004, in Souillac, France

A good model, but alas lacking many details (cockpit, engine compartment...) due to its plebeian origin. My rating is 12/20.











Model: Ferrari 512 BB/LM
Year: 1982
Event: 1982 Le Mans 24 Hours, driven by Jean-Claude Andruet, Claude Ballot-Léna and Hervé Regout (retired)
Maker: Ixo
Scale: 1/43
Distributed by: Ixo “Ferrari” series, ref. FER006
Acquired: brand new, in June 2008, in Manila, Philippines

Same model as the previous one, but with all the little additions that make it deserve a 14/20.

Renault 14

A little history

Fortune has been unfair to the Renault 14, the car everybody laughed at. Most of the popular disapproval came from the combination of a disastrous “La Poire” TV ads campaign and a then-disliked silhouette (ironically, it predated many similar designs that have been highly successful, most notably that of the Peugeot 205). Another problem seems to have been the reluctance with which the Renault network have received this car fitted with an engine provided by archrival Peugeot. Finally, the car proved prone to corrosion. A little less than a million have been built from 1976 to 1983: if only this small hatchback would have been appreciated to its real worth, the final tally could have been much higher.

The R14 was actually a cleverly designed mid-range compact, which offered a wide and comfortable passenger compartment despite its small size. The advanced engine was an all-aluminium block, placed transversally (a first for Renault), which drove the front wheels. The all-independent suspension was equally sophisticated. Unfortunately, the R14 history ended in sheer failure, and the model was gradually replaced by the R9 and R11 starting in 1981. Adding insult to injury, the new range sold much better than the old, despite being extremely orthodox… and virulently criticized as such.

(This car’s history will be expanded in due time, please be patient.)

About the model

Model: Renault 14 GTL
Year: 1980
Maker: Ixo
Scale: 1/43
Distributed by: Altaya as no.83 of its Nos Chères Voitures d'Antan press series
Acquired: brand new, in June 2007, in Souillac, France

An effective representation of the Renault 14 by Ixo. A little detail: the stand indicates that this version is a GTS, though the tiny badge at the rear of the car says otherwise. My rating is 13/20.

Porsche 956

A double post today.

I didn’t greet yet our newest followers Jovet and Erwin/komenda, so here is now the traditional post dedicated to the newcomers. For you Erwin, it was rather simple as I already have the Porsche 956’s story on hand, while for you Jovet I actually had something else in mind but didn’t have the necessary pictures, so you’ll have to do with the Porsche 962 instead… To both of you, welcome!

A little history

The creation of Group C for 1982 would all of a sudden render the old Group 6 spyders obsolete. Porsche seized the opportunity of re-entering endurance racing with a works team by designing a brand-new car answering the new rules, the 956. This machine, which took over the twin-turbo 2.6-litre flat six tested during the 1981 season by the Porsche 936, was a coupe built around an aluminium monocoque structure. The 956 was carefully designed during 1981 and, by spring of 1982, the first car was ready for testing.

During 1982, Porsche decided to reserve its new car to the factory team, leaving as the only option for privateers willing to race Porsches to modify their old 936, principally by transforming them into coupes, in order to comply with the Group C regulations. Without much opposition, the new 956 proved the car to beat. For 1983, private teams could acquire 956s, and many of them did just that, reinforcing Porsche’s supremacy on endurance racing. During these two initial seasons, no other car seemed able to rival the Stuttgart machines – the Lancia LC2 was faster but extremely fragile, the Ford C100 was disappointing, while Rondeau, an artisan rather than a manufacturer, didn’t have the financial means to oppose Porsche’s onslaught.

By 1984, the Porsche 956 stood virtually alone on the endurance stage. Porsche wasn’t totally satisfied, though. It had initially wanted to compete in IMSA events, but its car couldn’t comply with the American rules. A new machine, the 962, was therefore prepared in order to race both in Group C and in IMSA GTP. Roughly similar in shape but heavily redesigned from its predecessor, the new 962 appeared in time for the beginning of the 1985 season. Most teams kept their still-competitive 956s but, from the Spa 1000 km on, the writing was on the wall for the older model. There, German rising star Stefan Bellof was killed in a crash while driving a 956. Stricter safety regulations in America than in Europe had been the main reason why the 956 hadn’t been allowed to compete by the IMSA. Suddenly the dominating 956 was perceived as a potentially dangerous car, and most teams replaced theirs by 962s as soon as possible, though a few ones soldiered on for some time.

About the models

Model: Porsche 956
Year: 1982
Event: 1982 Le Mans 24 Hours, driven by Jacky Ickx and Derek Bell (finished 1st overall)
Maker: Ixo
Scale: 1/43
Distributed by: Altaya as no.52 of its Les Plus Belles Voitures des 24 Heures du Mans press series
Acquired: brand new, in October 2005, in Souillac, France

Some sort of a ghost car, which I’ve noted on separate listings as present in my collection and taken on pictures, but seems to be nowhere. Most probably several mistakes summed up: I indeed bought this car but I remember bringing it back to the shop after I noticed a slight problem with the decoration – unfortunately I have never been able to get a replacement one. As with other Ixo 956s it isn’t bad, but definitely average. Furthermore you have to do without the “Rothmans” markings. My rating would be 12/20.

Model: Porsche 956
Year: 1983
Event: 1983 Le Mans 24 Hours, driven by Jonathan Palmer, Jan Lammers and Richard Lloyd (finished 8th overall)
Maker: Ixo
Scale: 1/43
Distributed by: Altaya as no.4 of its Les Monstres Sacrés de l'Endurance press series
Acquired: brand new, in April 2007, in Souillac, France

At least this is one model which the “dirt” applied by Ixo has benefited. Well worth 13/20.













Model: Porsche 956 B
Year: 1984
Event: 1984 Le Mans 24 Hours, driven by Henri Pescarolo and Klaus Ludwig (finished 1st overall)
Maker: Ixo
Scale: 1/43
Distributed by: Altaya as no.7 of its Les Plus Belles Voitures des 24 Heures du Mans press series
Acquired: brand new, in December 2004, in Souillac, France

Pescarolo’s final victory at Le Mans was with this car, and it was also the very last time the race was won by a car shared by only two pilots. The headlights look like four plastic disks painted in grey, most probably because that’s exactly what they are. This model deserves a 12/20.