Model Reviews, January 1991

While publishers scurry around to publish their annuals in time for Christmas, model manufacturers are doing the same. The Portuguese based Onyx company, which is represented in Britain by Modeltime Limited, 64-66 Windmill Road, Croydon have been busy in the last few weeks producing a series of cars that competed at Le Mans in 1990.

The four TWR Jaguars are included, but unfortunately Gallahers have refused permission for the models to wear the Silk Cut logo in this country and so the models are not 100 per cent correct. The other eight cars are all Porsches including the fourth placed Bell/Stuck/Jelinski Blaupunkt car and the pink Watson/Giacomelli/Berg Italya car. It’s a pity, though, that none of the Japanese manufacturers are represented nor any of the Spices. The good news, however, is the price of £6.99 remains the same as last year, although this year’s models come with perspex box and case.

Coming from another model manufacturer, but still in the 1:43 scale, is the new Peugeot 905, but at £11.49 it is quite a bit more than the Le Mans cars.

The 1990 line up of Indy cars is due to arrive in January. Priced at £7.55 each, the 24 model range includes the major runners plus several of the also-rans. Modeltime do not expect such a brisk trade with this series, but with the satellite and late night television coverage of CART racing, they may find themselves pleasantly surprised.

It will be the 1990 Formula One cars, however, which will the most eagerly awaited. The Ferraris of Prost and Mansell, the two Benettons, Lotus-Lamborghinis, Larrousse-Lamborghinis, Williams-Renaults, Minardis, Tyrrells, Leyton Houses and MacLaren-Hondas complete the grid, but as in the case of Silk Cut, Philip Morris have forbidden the Marlboro logo being used on the models. The cars will therefore feature the black stripes as seen on cars at the British and German Grands Prix.

It seems that rally cars are less popular and although there are a number of versions of Carlos Sainz’ Toyota Celica GT-4 as well as Bastos, Winston and Fina liveried cars, there is little else. Even though they have interior trim, rollbars and seatbelts, they are more expensive at £12.80.