BMW C1

A little history

With increasing traffic congestion downtown many of the world cities and growing environmental concerns, many automobile drivers started turning to scooters and even bicycles as their daily commuting vehicles during the Nineties. Experience on two wheels being rather limited for these newly converted users, fears about safety quickly arose.

One of the three constructors to be equally present on two- and four-wheel markets, BMW decided to bridge the gap between the two concepts with a revolutionary vehicle, no less. Unfortunately, it failed – most probably sometime in the future it will be seen as too much ahead of its times.

Actually, BMW was even ahead of the demand for a two-wheel city vehicle when it unveiled its C1 prototype in Cologne as early as in 1992. The C1 was, basically, a scooter, but one with… a roof.

In fact, the C1 had received more than a simple roof. Its driver would seat in a reinforced cage made of aluminium, and behind a crumple zone. He would also be protected by bars set at shoulder height, and fastened to his seat by aviation-type harnesses. The first goal of the C1 was to demonstrate superior safety standards, and it passed crash tests with flying colours, proving to be as safe as a city car. Based on these results, BMW claimed the C1 could be driven without a helmet. Another potential burden for defectors from the automobile side being operating a motorcycle transmission, BMW fitted its C1 with a CVT system which allowed for extreme ease. Furthermore, the roof offered some degree of protection against the rain.

By the late Nineties, the production C1 was finally ready and the time seemed ideal for its launch. The new scooter was powered by a 125cc mono-cylinder good for 15 hp; top speed, if this ever matters for a city vehicle, was advertised at 106 kph. Rather than producing an in-house engine, BMW purchased its blocks from Rotax, an Austrian company notably involved in ultralight aircraft. Subcontracting didn’t stop there, as actually the C1 production as a whole was entrusted to Bertone in Italy. The C1 was introduced in late 1999, and sales began early in 2000 in most European markets.

Apart from its bold design, two factors played against the C1’s commercial success. One was its price, much higher than any other rival scooter in the 125cc class. The other one was the reticence from several countries’ authorities to alter the regulations regarding the use of helmets. In the United Kingdom in particular, rigid laws virtually excluded the C1 from the country.

Despite the 2001 launch of a slightly more muscular version, named “200” but actually powered by a 17.5 hp, 175cc engine, sales were sluggish. BMW threw the towel during 2003. Did the Bavarian give up all hopes on its C1? Apparently not, as a lightened version powered by an electric motor, the C1-E, as been presented as a concept in 2009. Though the company providing its power, Vectrix, has since then filled for bankruptcy, it isn’t impossible that this pioneering BMW be resurrected one day.

About the model

Model: BMW C1
Year: 2000
Maker: Maisto
Scale: 1/18
Distributed by: Maisto, ref. 39350
Acquired: brand new, in February 2005, in Manila, Philippines

Accurate enough, though as it is common with Maisto the “chromed” parts look way too much like plastic rather than metal. My rating is 11/20.

Lamborghini Urraco

A little history

Willing to fight Ferrari head-on as we have already seen, Ferruccio Lamborghini decided that his own company should build a challenger to the smaller and more affordable Dino. His decision was made all the more clever by the fact that his other rival Maserati was simultaneously studying its own “bargain” sports car, the Merak, a 2+2 coupe which was to share many parts with the Citroën SM. Suddenly, the lower end of the GT market was to become rather crowded.

Lamborghini readied its Urraco for the 1970 Turin motor show – that is, readied the car for being unveiled, as this first Urraco was found wanting in development and, ultimately, production didn’t start before 1973, after the Merak had hit the market and, unknown from Lamborghini at the time, only weeks away from the oil crisis that would affect all automobile companies, but none more than the likes of the Sant’Agata manufacturer. It should be noted that despite this protracted preparation, the first tens of cars delivered didn’t totally adopt the final production specs…

Smaller than the rest of its siblings, the Urraco was new from the ground up. Engine was a 2.5-litre V8, all made in alloy and good for 220 hp. It was mounted transversally amidships, right behind the two small rear seats. This placing allowed to maintain a small space for luggage at the extreme rear. A sign that the car was meant more for comfortable high-speed highway travels than genuine performance was probably its standard air-conditioning system. On the outside, the Urraco came as a splendid fastback coupe that had been unsurprisingly penned by Bertone’s star designer Marcello Gandini.

Despite all of the Urraco’s qualities, sales were disappointing due to the aforementioned reasons. During the 1974 Turin motor show, Lamborghini reacted by adding two new variants to its original model (named P250 with regards to its engine’s size): the P200, a smaller 2.0-litre, 182 hp car aimed at the Italian market where heavy taxes hit vehicles displacing more than 2000cc; and the P300, which enjoyed a reworked 3.0-litre V8 good for 250 hp.

During the same 1974 Turin venue, Bertone had presented a striking Bravo prototype based on a shortened Urraco platform. The car was strictly a concept car but, one year and a half later during the 1976 Geneva motor show, Bertone unveiled a much more realistic Silhouette, basically a two-seat targa version of the Urraco. Adopted by Sant’Agata as its first production open car, the Silhouette was powered by the larger 3.0-litre engine, and its ambitions were made clear by a much more aggressive body that hinted at the new Countach.

Nevertheless, by the late Seventies Lamborghini was in turmoil. All the financial resources of the company had been wasted in the difficult development of a large four-wheel-drive vehicle, the Cheetah that was supposed to seduce both the military and the Middle East princes. No one bought it, bringing Lamborghini to the brink of bankruptcy, and it’s a meagre relief for the small manufacturer to think its original concept was finally made a success by others than itself as the Hummer. In these difficult times, some models had to go and, as the sales of the Urraco and Silhouette had always been below expectations, they unsurprisingly departed Lamborghini’s range in 1979.

The company seemingly headed for a slow agony when new investors, reckoning its potential, saved it by injecting generous amounts of cash into its coffers. With this the Silhouette was unexpectedly revived as the Jalpa. Launched in 1981 as a cheaper alternative to the Countach, the “new” car had lost its predecessor’s targa top, but won a larger 3.5-litre, 255 hp V8, thanks to which a 234 kph top speed could be promised. Though the car was based on a rather old platform, the times were not as harsh in the Eighties as they had been for GTs during the previous decade. The Jalpa sold in fair numbers until the company was sold to Chrysler. One of the American giant’s first decisions regarding its new acquisition was to suspend the production of the Jalpa, for not being prestigious enough. During a fifteen-year career, less than 1,300 Urracos and derivatives had been produced.

About the model

Model: Lamborghini Urraco
Year: 1974
Maker: Minichamps
Scale: 1/43
Distributed by: Minichamps, limited edition - 4,512 pieces
Acquired: brand new, in September 2007, in Manila, Philippines

Minichamps proposes a disappointing model of the initial Urraco. The die-cast looks heavy and much too low when compared to the real car, while details as the thick wipers, equally fat radio antenna and large black side scoops don’t help. The German brand’s reputation won’t prevent this beer-bellied model receiving a 8/20.

Lamborghini Jarama

A little history

Closely related to the larger Espada, the Jarama 2+2 coupe was a much shortened version of its four-seater relative, designed to replace the Islero. The curvaceous lines of the latter were replaced by an extremely angular body, penned by Marcello Gandini from Bertone. The main design feature of the Jarama was its semi-hidden headlights, fitted with electrically-operated flaps. Under this skin, the Jarama was quite much the same car as the Espada. An identical 3.9-litre V12 powered the car through a 5-speed manual gearbox which, thanks to a chassis shrunk by 28 centimetres, augured rather high performances. Indeed, with a claimed top speed of 257 kph and 0-100 kph in just 6.8 seconds, the Jarama delivered what it promised. After the car was unveiled at the Geneva motor show in March 1970, the first road tests revealed a personality quite similar to the larger Espada’s: the Jarama was perfectly stable at any speed and responded excellently on twisty roads, but steering (provided by ZF and devoid of servo assistance) was heavy, driving position was terribly tiring and dashboard had been clumsily designed. A few of these problems were addressed as they were simultaneously with the Espada, ultimately bringing a Jarama S, which emerged at the 1972 Geneva motor show. The “S” also benefited from a new version of the V12, which for the same displacement was now rated at 345 bhp. A few further modifications were added either to comply to the U.S. safety rules, as the redesigned bumpers and modified lighting, or to appeal to the American market, most notably an optional 3-speed Chrysler automatic transmission and a targa roof. These efforts certainly helped to increase the volume of sales across the Atlantic but, in the end, they proved futile to keep the Sant’Agata company financially buoyant. When the Jarama’s production was stopped in 1976, no more than a reported total of 327 had been built in six years.

About the model

Model: Lamborghini Jarama S
Year: 1974
Maker: Minichamps
Scale: 1/43
Distributed by: Minichamps, limited edition - 3,024 pieces
Acquired: brand new, in September 2007, in Manila, Philippines

I initially added this post without a comment about the model; here is to fix this problem. Actually, there isn’t much to say that I didn’t already in my previous posts about Minichamps models. Again quality and detailing are as fine as you can expect from the German die-cast maker, and almost as good as they can possibly be from an industrial brand. Only problem worth mentioning: as said earlier, the lack of photo-etched parts is the main flaw of most Minichamps models, which have to do with thick plastics wipers. As for the rest, there isn’t much to reproach. My rating is 14/20.

Fiat Dino

A little history

By the second half of the Sixties, Ferrari, already quite busy in Formula One and sportscars, decided to extend its involvement in motor racing even further. The plan Maranello put up was to use the V6 engine powering its Dino road cars to develop a Formula Two open-wheeler. The idea had one flaw: though Formula Ones could be unique machines, rules made Formula Twos closer to production cars from a technical point of view. In particular, their engines had to be based on a road-going car’s block. So far so good. This block would be homologated after being built in a minimum production series. Oops…

Though the Dino had been designed as a lower-cost Ferrari, it was still too exclusive for its V6 to be homologated – five hundred engines built over the last twelve months was the very minimum requirement. Nevertheless, at the very same time Fiat was willing to improve its image by building a more prestigious vehicle than the popular family saloons it was known for. An agreement between those two parties allowed both of them to pursue their own goals.

Dino’s all-alloy, quad-cam V6 would be fitted to new Fiat coupes and convertibles, guaranteeing them both prestige and performance. The relatively large production numbers expected from a company such as Fiat would permit Ferrari’s engine to be homologated. Everyone seemed satisfied by the deal.

Production of the Fiat Dino – the Turin brand wanted to enjoy full publicity from its move, and consequently didn’t looked much for a name – started in the spring of 1966. Fiat also produced the engine, a 2.0-litre block good for 160 bhp, courtesy of three double barrel carbs. Part of the output was sent back to Ferrari in order to power that firm's Dino 206. The other key mechanical parts would also be provided by companies much more experienced in high-performance than Fiat was: ZF sold a 5-speed gearbox, while Girling gave the Dino the very same brakes that the Lamborghini Miura used. As many other Italian cars of the era, the coupe and convertible versions were designed by different companies, and therefore their appearances had nothing in common. The coupe was an aggressive fastback signed by Giorgetto Giugiaro for Bertone, while the more curvaceous ragtop was designed by Pininfarina. This latter one was first to hit the market. Sales were predictably limited, but as an image-builder vehicle the Dino was a success for Fiat.

In early 1969, production of the 2.0-litre Dino was stopped. Its block was replaced by a cast-iron 2.4-litre V6, heavier but more powerful at 180 bhp. Simultaneously, it was fitted with an advanced independent rear suspension – difficult handling had probably been the main critic against the car up to then. Under this updated form, the Fiat Dino was produced until December 1973. And, would you ask, what about Ferrari’s foray into Formula Two? Well, its racer proved very fast, notably when driven by Ernesto “Tino” Brambilla. Alas, it was also terribly unreliable, rarely reaching the finishing line…

About the model

Model: Fiat Dino Spider
Year: 1972
Maker: Minichamps
Scale: 1/43
Distributed by: Minichamps, limited edition - 2,112 pieces
Acquired: brand new, in May 2006, in Manila, Philippines

The usual quality from Minichamps. Up front the model looks particularly good. My rating is 14/20.

Alfa Romeo Giulietta

It has been several days already since I made a last addition to this blog. Checking tonight for any new comment, I saw that a third follower has joined us. Welcome aboard Paul! As your avatar reads “Veloce”, it was tempting then to follow on with a post about an Alfa Romeo model.

A little history

Alfa Romeo was, without doubt, one of Italy’s prides during the Twenties and Thirties. If not for its lower range of models, which were only relatively cheap, it could easily be said to be some sort of “pre-war Ferrari” thanks to its appealing high-performance road cars and its solid racing credentials. Indeed, Benito Mussolini himself, who shared with his fellow dictator Adolf Hitler a passion for automobiles, didn’t resist a veiled allusion to Alfa Romeo when someone pinpointed at Italy’s dismal industrial capacities in the event of a war, answering that the people who passionately built the race cars that amazed the world would produce the best weapons, albeit in limited quantities. Il Duce ha sempre ragione, read the propaganda posters on Rome’s walls – “the Duce is always right”. Well, if he would have proved wrong only once, this would have been it. By 1945, Italy had been crushed, though through the timely coat-turning of the nation’s Southern half it still could pretend to stand among the victors. This didn’t change anything to the fact that the country was now ravaged, impoverished and divided – not anymore the ideal place to build one of the most exclusive automobiles in the world.

Still, Alfa Romeo had no other choice at first than to restart the production of an old model, the 6C-2500. Change was in the air, though. In 1950, the Milanese company introduced the 1900 model at the Paris motor show. Still not a car for the common man, the 1900 was nonetheless mass-produced, a sign of things to come. Four years later, a more affordable Alfa was finally launched: the 1300 cc Giulietta.

Apart from its elegant style, the Giulietta’s brilliant engine made it a worthy heir to a long line of fashionable thoroughbreds. A brand new design, this little twin-cam made extensive use of light alloy, displaced 1290 cc and was rated at 53 bhp. Fitted with a 4-speed gearbox at a time when most of the cars of its size had only 3, the Giulietta had a top speed of 140 kph – for the time, this was an impressive performance. Even more remarkable was the coupe’s engine, from which Alfa Romeo was able to get 62 hp per litre, hence an output of no less than 80 bhp from the same little 1.3-litre.

The Giulietta was so much performance-oriented that the saloon wasn’t even the first model Alfa Romeo to be unveiled. This “Berlina” first emerged during the spring of 1955 at the Turin motor show, a few months after the coupe, dubbed “Sprint” and penned by Bertone, but before the “Spider” convertible credited to Pininfarina. So potent was the coupe’s engine that it made the saloon’s block, though lively, look paltry by comparison. Alfa Romeo brought a remedy in 1957 by adding a “TI” (for Turismo Internazionale) variant of the 4-door in 1957. With 65 bhp, it soon became a favourite among Italian rally drivers. Ever more powerful versions were to follow: the ultimate performance machine developed from the Giulietta was the Sprint Zagato or SZ, a coupe flirting with the 200 kph mark thanks to 116 bhp and a very aerodynamic body.

Though it aged relatively well, receiving only mild facelifts in 1959 and 1961, the Giulietta was to be replaced by a brand new car, the Giulia, in 1964. The latter’s body was of the newly-favoured boxy type, but the valiant 1.3-litre had found its way under its hood. A few further Giulietta coupes and convertibles were built until 1965, bringing the final tally to about 132,000 – nothing to compare anymore with the production figures of the hand-built models of the Thirties.

About the models

Model: Alfa Romeo Giulietta TI
Year: 1962
Event: 1965 Rally di San Martino di Castrozza, driven by Zandonà, co-pilot Andretta (result unknown from me, please help if you can!)
Maker: unknown (some of these Alfas were also sold in boxes by Maxi Cars, but it seems this company didn't produce them, but only sold leftovers from the series)
Scale: 1/43
Distributed by: Fabbri as no.11 of its Alfa Romeo Sport Collection press series
Acquired: brand new, in December 2006, in Hong Kong, S.A.R.

Beautiful saloon – it makes you regret that several wonderful series by Fabbri and De Agostini such as this one are reserved to the Italian market. My rating: 13/20.



Model: Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint
Year: 1960
Maker: Detail Cars
Scale: 1/43
Distributed by: Detail Cars, “Platinum” series
Acquired: brand new, in May 2005, in Manila, Philippines

Detail Cars produced this gorgeous Sprint version, which moulds passed to Solido after the Italian brand’s demise. This original model includes details that Solido has since omitted for reasons of cost, notably the seats’ elegant colour-keyed linings. I’d give 14/20 to this die-cast.









Model: Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spider
Year: 1962
Maker: New Ray
Scale: 1/43
Distributed by: New Ray, "City Cruiser Collection"
Acquired: brand new, in November 2003, in Kalibo, Philippines

Price is the only thing that should make you buy a New Ray model – still, think it twice. Though the body is almost correct, details as the wheels or the interior are extremely crude. The headlights are simply represented by silver disks – in my case, one was even missing, so I had to “steal” those, virtually identical, of one of the two New Ray MGAs I had. It would be unreasonable to award more than 5/20.





Model: Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint Zagato
Year: 1963
Event: 1963 Le Mans 24 hours, driven by Giancarlo Sala and Romolo Rossi (retired)
Maker: unknown (some of these Alfas were also sold in boxes by Maxi Cars, but it seems this company didn't produce them, but only sold leftovers from the series)
Scale: 1/43
Distributed by: Fabbri as no.37 of its Alfa Romeo Sport Collection press series
Acquired: new without box and with mismatched stand (probably a quality control reject), in December 2006, in Hong Kong, S.A.R.

I hardly let pass a Le Mans car when I see one, so I got this one right away. Too bad I didn’t take time to notice that one windshield wiper was absent. Many among you would say that the missing item is rather straightforward to replace, but I have two left hands… Forgetting this little problem, Fabbri again proposed a pleasant model well worth 12/20.

Lamborghini Espada

A little history

Thanks to its extraordinary 350/400GT and Miura coupes, Lamborghini, a newcomer on the Sixties supercars scene, enjoyed a large share of limelight from the very start. The aforementioned models being, respectively, a 2+2 and a strict two-seater, the Sant’Agata factory decided its next model would be a true four-seater, promising comfort at high speeds over long distances.

Lamborghini’s plans first materialized as the Marzal prototype, unveiled at the Geneva motor show in March 1967. Collaboration with Bertone was retained, so the Marzal was again signed by Marcello Gandini, though the flowing lines of its Miura gave way to the angular style that would be the trademark of this design studio for many years to come. Nonetheless this brutal helm tilting, the Marzal’s appearance was again impressive, featuring low, long lines and characteristically immense glazed area – the gullwing doors were almost entirely made of window panes, including in their lower parts. Another striking trait of the Marzal was its loophole-styled grille encompassing six tiny headlights. After Geneva, Lamborghini tested the public’s reaction even further by lending its prototype, which was fully functional, as a pace car for the Monaco Grand Prix.

The production version of the Marzal was unveiled one year later, almost to the day as the event again took place in Geneva. Some of the prototype’s features, and most notably its peculiar doors, couldn’t reasonably be incorporated into the final design, but the new car retained its extremely low and elongated look. With some logic, Lamborghini named its coupe Espada, the Spanish word for “sword”.

Though the outside was totally new, the Espada got all of its mechanical parts from its maker 's parts bin. Engine was therefore the well-known 3.9-litre V12, tuned to 320 hp and mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox. Each wheel received a servo-operated disk brake and was independently suspended through McPherson struts. With an announced top speed of 250 kph, Lamborghini had created nothing less than the world’s fastest four-seater.

The Espada’s exceptional styling, good handling and low cabin noise were praised, but a few critics soon surfaced. Some found the dashboard fuzzy and unpractical. Others didn’t like the driving position, and said the heavy steering was tiring. Lamborghini addressed these remarks by releasing a Series 2 in 1970. This new version benefited from a totally redesigned dashboard and optional power steering, along with a more powerful engine borrowed from the Islero S (still 3.9-litre, but around 350 hp) and ventilated disk brakes. A Series 3 was introduced in 1972: the interior was again modified, while power steering, now deemed a necessity, finally became standard, most probably to satisfy the growing share of Americans among Espada customers. This latter point was made all too evident by the simultaneous announcement of an optional automatic transmission, provided by Chrysler. This attention to the needs of the American market, though understandable, particularly at a time when the company’s fortunes were starting to falter, also brought unfortunate bumpers for 1975. The new units indeed satisfied U.S. regulations, but disfigured the purity of the original design. The Espada’s production extended until 1978 – placed in receivership during the very same year and struggling for its survival, Lamborghini had neither willingness nor financial means to replace it.

About the model

Model: Lamborghini Espada
Year: 1970
Maker: Minichamps
Scale: 1/43
Distributed by: Minichamps, limited edition - 3,024 pieces
Acquired: brand new, in May 2006, in Manila, Philippines

I have always loved the Espada, so I also had to love this model, as Minichamps succeeded in incorporating in its tiny die-cast all the beauty of the original. Every single detail is present, perfectly rendered, but above all, the arresting and immediately recognizable proportions of the Espada are here. I’d give 16/20 to this model.

Alfa Romeo 2000 and 2600

A little history

As its first “mass-produced” automobile, the 1900 model, was nearing its retirement during the second half of the Fifties, Alfa Romeo decided to launch a brand new car in order to replace it: the 2000.

Introduced in 1958, the 2000 Berlina (2.0-litre four, 105 hp) was more of a family saloon than a pure Italian thoroughbred. Though not entirely succumbing to the then-fashionable American-inspired design, its finned rear quarters looked quite much the British Ford Consul/Zephyr’s one, and its wheel-mounted gear lever wasn’t exactly sporty. Nonetheless provisions were made for a performance-oriented derivative, the 2000 Spider, which design and construction were subcontracted to Touring. Using the 1900 Super Sprint’s floorpan, the Spider was a strict two-seater in which the 5-speed gearbox of the Berlina, this time commanded through a floor-mounted stick, and the engine, pushed to 115 hp thanks to a second carburettor, gave the full measure of their capacities. In addition, a splendid coupe, the Sprint, was added in 1960. It had been penned by Giorgetto Giugiaro, a promising young employee from Bertone, and was being built at this designer’s facilities.

From the very start of its production the 2000 suffered from a high price tag and controversial styling. The Berlina’s design was subject to much debate, while for the Spider, Touring had done nothing more than drawing a larger version of the 1.3-litre Giulietta Spider – it certainly looked like a Ferrari in reduction (talented indeed, Italian designers often lacked originality) but Alfa customers certainly wanted to save piles of lire by going for its smaller sister. The Sprint was seen as the only winner in Alfa’s flagship range, and sales quickly reflected this, the saloon being outsold by the coupe as soon as the latter was introduced, a rare occurrence.

At the 1962 Geneva motor show, Alfa Romeo reacted… but not necessarily the way most people expected. The car’s styling was left virtually unchanged, but its 2.0-litre four was replaced by an even more potent 2.6-litre inline six. A brilliant engine, it was entirely made of light alloy, and featured twin overhead camshafts, a traditional design of many past Alfas that won the hearts of numerous fans from the Milanese company. Fed by two carburettors, the 2600 Berlina could rely on 130 hp, while the Sprint and Spider had a bank of no less than three twin-barrel carbs, able to pull 145 hp out of the engine. The car promised good performance but, alas, no improvement regarding road-holding had been made over the 2000, and consequently the 2600 proved unable to cope with the extra power. As a result, sales remained slow. The Sprint coupe now outsold the ill-stared Berlina by 3.5 to 1, and even the exclusive Spider outpaced the saloon. Zagato gave a try at the 2600, designing an amazing “SZ” coupe, while OSI put a 2600 De Luxe saloon on the market. The latter can largely be considered a four-door version of the good-looking Sprint coupe, and the fact that a coachbuilder produced a special saloon version instead of the traditional coupes and convertibles just shows how hapless the factory Berlina was.

By then Alfa Romeo had given up all hopes in its upper-range model, preferring to concentrate all of its efforts on the successful mid-range Giulia. The 2600 lingered until 1968, without finding any real successor apart from the smaller 1750, an enlarged Giulia. Its real heir would be launched a decade later: the Alfa 6, which would prove a complete disaster. After all, Alfa Romeo is perhaps better suited for sporty cars than luxury ones.

About the model

Model: Alfa Romeo 2600 Sprint
Year: 1964
Maker: Grani & Partners
Scale: 1/43
Distributed by: unidentified Italian press series
Acquired: brand new, in February 2008, in Manila, Philippines

Not surprisingly the Sprint seems to be the 2000/2600 model that attracted the largest part of the die-cast industry's attention. This example is fine enough for a press release. The original car is beautiful, and the model reproducing it in scale, though no masterpiece, is well up to the job. My rating is 13/20.

Fiat Ritmo

A little history

Fiat introduced its Ritmo at the Turin motor show in 1978. During its development the Italian manufacturer’s attention had mostly been on Bertone’s styling, which left no one unmoved, rather than on the technical side, for the Ritmo was heavily based on the already known 128 model, retaining its front-wheel-drive technology and 1.0- to 1.5-litre engines. Though sold at an extremely fair price, the little car struggled more and more through its career to attract buyers, particularly outside its native Italy. Building quality was typically low, and performances were anything but exciting. Fiat tried to add glamour to its car by introducing a sporting version, the 105TC (1.6-litre, 105 hp), in 1981, followed shortly thereafter by an even more aggressive Abarth 125TC (2.0-litre, 125 hp), the latter having the dubious distinction of being the last car ever produced in Abarth’s own facilities.

A 1982 facelift which introduced a milder look and the addition of a convertible (again due to Bertone) and a Regata saloon didn’t change the Ritmo’s fate. By 1988, 1.8 millions had been made – not too bad at first sight, but a rather poor result nonetheless when compared to some of its closest rivals. The Ritmo disappeared silently, and was replaced by the more successful Tipo.

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

About the models

Model: Fiat Ritmo 75CL
Year: 1979
Maker: Ixo
Scale: 1/43
Distributed by: Altaya as no.81 of its Nos Chères Voitures d'Antan press series
Acquired: brand new, in May 2007, in Souillac, France

Not much to complain about Ixo’s work here, except once again the Chinese maker’s bad habit of fitting yellow headlights to most models intended for Altaya’s French series. Rating: 13/20.









Model: Fiat Ritmo 125TC
Year: 1981
Maker: Norev
Scale: 1/43
Distributed by: Hachette as no.9 of its Fiat Story press series
Acquired: brand new, in December 2006, in Hong Kong, S.A.R.

Not a great Norev. The distinctive plastic bumpers, which encompass the grille up front, are much cruder than the ones from Ixo, and furthermore aren’t as carefully adjusted to the body. Another typical touch, the round door handles, are painted a solid black, making them practically unnoticeable. Windshield wipers and radio antenna are made from a black plastic and look way too thick. I won’t give more than 11/20 to this model.

Alfa Romeo Montreal

A little history

The Montreal wasn’t a deliberate attempt by Alfa Romeo to storm the GT market, but rather followed the largely positive response to a 2+2 coupe show car presented during the 1967 World Fair in Montréal, Canada. The original prototype was a 4-cylinder, 1.6-litre coupe fitted with an exceptional body by Bertone. That it’s actually Marcello Gandini who penned the Montreal for the great designer suffices to explain the similarities between the Alfa coupe and the Lamborghini Miura, particularly in the central section of the car.

The production version was introduced at Geneva in March 1970. Though on the outside the car was relatively similar to the original prototype, Alfa Romeo had dropped a powerful V8 into its coupe. Based on the 2-litre block used by the cars raced in the sportscars class by the Milanese company, the Montreal’s engine was a state-of-the-art 2.6-litre good for 230 bhp. Even more important was the fact that Alfa Romeo placed this engine at the front, driving the rear wheels, while the prototype had opted for a mid-engine layout: despite all of its refinements, the Montreal behaved poorly on the road when compared to the mid-engine GTs that were then becoming commonplace. This, along with a very high price tag, explains the commercial failure of the Montreal. Put into production from 1971 to 1977, less than four thousands had been sold when Alfa Romeo retired its gem from its line-up.

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

About the model

Model: Alfa Romeo Montreal
Year: 1973
Event: 1973 Nürburgring 1000 km, driven by Dieter Gleich and Dieter Weizinger (retired)
Maker: unknown
Scale: 1/43
Distributed by: Fabbri as no.14 of its Alfa Romeo Sport Collection press series
Acquired: offered by a friend and fellow collector, brand new, in September 2006, in Manila, Philippines

This was the first model I was able to grab from this topical collection released exclusively in Italy by Fabbri. More have followed since then, most of them presenting a pleasant level of quality for a rather interesting price. Furthermore most of the models chosen are quite original, as this Nürburgring entrant is. Though this die-cast lacks the sophistication of some higher-price brands’ products, it certainly is flawless when it comes about assembly quality, and should serve as an inspiration for Ixo when providing models for Altaya’s press series. I’ll give it a good 13/20.